Customer Reviews

Johnny Tremain

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

In the city of Boston in the 1770's, Johnny Tremain is an apprentice silversmith who is a bit too confident for his own good. When his master is offered a job that is too difficult for his aged skills, Johnny jumps at the opportunity to prove himself to the important customer, Mr. Lyte. But with the job, a deadline is also given, and to do the work in time, Johnny finds himself, along with his master's wife and daughter, breaking the law by working on a Sunday. While pouring molten silver under panicked conditions, Johnny is pushed into it and his right hand is badly burned.
Time passes, and Johnny must unwrap his burned fingers and get back to the work he is bound to do, but upon discovering that his fingers have healed and grown together, making his hand somewhat useless, he is cast out into the street to find a new home. But no one will hire a boy with one good hand, when there are plenty to be had with two. Johnny soon finds himself desperate, and goes to the home of rich Mr. Lyte, to share his long kept secret, that he is actually named Jonathan Lyte Tremain. Johnny has never told anyone other than the silversmith's beautiful daughter, Cilla, that he was the unknown nephew of Mr. Lyte, but now he has no choice. But when he speaks to the man, he is accused of trying to con him, and Johnny soon finds himself the defendant in a trial that could send him to the gallows. Luckily, Johnny has befriended some important people in his search for work, such as the Patriots Josiah Quincy and Paul Revere, among others. They work to free Johnny, and with the help of Cilla's testimony, the boy soon finds himself cleared and working as a horse messenger boy for the local band of Patriots. A cause that Johnny once found rather trivial, becomes his new passion, and Johnny soon finds himself taking part in secret meetings, the Boston Tea Party, and some famous battles that kicked off the War for Independence.
Johnny Tremain is a Disney classic from that very special time period at the studios. The film is inspirational, fun, and fit for all ages. True, it's waaaaay more family friendly than the novel, but to me that's just fine. Think of this as the "Disney version" you can watch with the whole family. The casting is wonderful by the way. I always had a thing for Luana Patten as a kid. Great music too, and that beautiful 50's Disney look. Perfect for 4th of July viewing, or for anytime viewing! Add this film to your list of Independence Day classics like 1776, The Patriot, Ben and Me, and the Swamp Fox!

Esther Forbes' "Johnny Tremain" is one of the greatest books ever written for young readers. The story is about a young silversmith apprentice who is finds himself swept up in the events of the American Revolution. Johnny participates in the Boston Tea Party, spies on the British, and mingles with such patriots as Sam Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere.

Like most movie versions of famous books, Walt Disney's "Johnny Tremain" takes many liberties with the story. In the book Johnny takes no part in the fighting at Lexington or Concord; in the movie Johnny is in the thick of the action. This would be forgivable had the film version been faithful to the message of Forbes' book which is the ideal of the American Revolution- "that a man can stand up"- came with the sacrifice of blood and young lives. It is here that the movie completly misses the mark. The book shows that war could extinguish the young lives of the best and brightest; the movie, on the other hand, shows war as a boy's adventure- clever boys hide behind trees, shoot at redcoats, and have a great time at it. No major character is harmed, and everyone goes around singing! In order to have the Disney signature of a happy ending, the film lost the message of the book and thus failed to capture the essence of one of the great children's books. A real shame!

This is an enjoyable Disney rendition of the causes of the American Resolution. No, it may not be faithful to the novel, and some of the historical events may not ring true to how they actually happened, however I am sure Disney did not intend them to be. This movie was made in 1957, the same time frame that Davey Crockett played by Fess Parker was made, America was caught up in patriotic fever and Disney was more than happy to serve this up to the viewing public. I did enjoy this movie, and the overall theme it was trying to portray, such as freedom from tyranny, the rights of every man from the wealthy to the silversmiths apprentice. This may not be a movie to analyze the Revolutionary War with, however it is a great starting point to discuss the Revolution with young ones, and those who do not know very much about the American Revolution. An enjoyable film that is recommended to those who like Disney and "light history".

I remembered this movie from my childhood, and the desire to see it again was stirred from the current patriotic fever generated by Mel Gibson's latest showing. I have not yet read the book, although I added it to my shopping cart this evening, so I cannot comment on its accuracy in that regard. However, it had a message that my 10-year-old daughter could understand. The Revolutionary War was not about tea or soldiers or guns, but about the principle that a small body of men completely absent from the people they govern should have such absolute control over the lives of large numbers of people. Early in the movie Tremain feels the resistance to the tea tax is much ado about nothing, then later realizes the larger picture. I get much the same reaction today from people as I point out the unconstitutional laws being passed by our own lawmakers. As long as people in general have their microwave ovens and DVD players, they care not how much the law of the land is mangled by the very people who swore to uphold and protect it. With kids' short attention spans these days, this movie is an excellent vehicle for exposing them to the concept of fighting for principle over profit - a value the upcoming generation needs to learn.

"Johnny Tremain" is among the most entertaining historical films ever produced. Disney's American Revolution films, such as "Dr. Syn Alias the Scarecrow," "The Swamp Fox" tv series, and "Johnny Tremain" are not only enjoyable feature films, they give the viewer a history lesson in the bargain. Young Hal Stalmaster plays Johnny, who is the son of a rich aristocratic woman who dies, leaving her son a sterling silver cup with the engraving LYTE on it. Johnny Lyte Tremain is secretly the heir to an English noble family of great wealth. As the story unfolds, he's caught up in the early stages of the coming American Revolution, with the Boston Tea Party and the Ride of Paul Revere to be played out with great performances by all. This movie was made for tv, however, plays as a theater release. The dvd transfer has some glitches and the color is not as vibrant as it should be. I taped this movie from the Disney channel and my vhs tape copy is more clear and the color has more depth. I highly recommend "Johnny Tremain" to fans of "Dr. Syn Alias the Scarecrow," "The Swamp Fox" tv series, and to all Disney dvd collectors. "Johnny Tremain" is a definite essential to American history buffs and makes a great addition to any dvd library.

As a child, I would go to Colonial Williamsburg nearly every year on school breaks. I adored anything having to do with colonial history, and fell in love with Johnny Tremain (book first, then movie) instantly. Esther Forbes' classic novel tells the rousing tale of a haughty Boston silversmith's apprentice, Johnny Tremain, who, when maimed in an accident with molten silver, gives up his apprenticeship, hits all new lows as he is turned down for jobs because of his deformed hand, and is accused of theft by one of Boston's elite. He matures from boy to man as he joins up with the Sons of Liberty and participates in the planning of the American Revolution (along with some of colonial Boston's most brilliant minds).

Disney's 1957 film adaptation starring Hal Stalmaster was made for TV but also shown in theaters. The costumes, music, and sets are fairly convincing at portraying colonial Boston. The film, at 81 minutes, cuts out a lot of backstory regarding Johnny's inner process of maturation and changes a crucial plot point near the end (presumably to make the film more child-friendly), but generally remains faithful to the spirit of the original book. The transfer is generally very clean and crisp, amazing for a movie of this age.

Amazingly, we actually saw an old reel copy of Johnny Tremain in my fifth grade class ( this was in the early 1990s), and until now, the only copy I owned was a disintegrating VHS tape that'd I'd recorded from the Disney Channel. The DVD release features wonderful extras: Walt Disney talking about the making of the film, and the introductions that were played with each part (the original film was divided into two episodes), basically shameless marketing for other Disney films and a Liberty Square theme park experiment that never came to fruition, but fascinating nonetheless that these extras were saved and presented with the film. The only disappointment is that the excellent animated short "Ben and Me," about a mouse who shares a home with Benjamin Franklin, wasn't included (it's referenced in the two segments, but has never been released to DVD).

A great little family film for history buffs and a real treat those who grew up on classic 1950's Disney live-action fare (Swamp Fox, Spin and Marty, Davy Crockett).

In the city of Boston in the 1770's, Johnny Tremain is an apprentice silversmith who is a bit too confident for his own good. When his master is offered a job that is too difficult for his aged skills, Johnny jumps at the opportunity to prove himself to the important customer, Mr. Lyte. But with the job, a deadline is also given, and to do the work in time, Johnny finds himself, along with his master's wife and daughter, breaking the law by working on a Sunday. While pouring molten silver under panicked conditions, Johnny is pushed into it and his right hand is badly burned.
Time passes, and Johnny must unwrap his burned fingers and get back to the work he is bound to do, but upon discovering that his fingers have healed and grown together, making his hand somewhat useless, he is cast out into the street to find a new home. But no one will hire a boy with one good hand, when there are plenty to be had with two. Johnny soon finds himself desperate, and goes to the home of rich Mr. Lyte, to share his long kept secret, that he is actually named Jonathan Lyte Tremain. Johnny has never told anyone other than the silversmith's beautiful daughter, Cilla, that he was the unknown nephew of Mr. Lyte, but now he has no choice. But when he speaks to the man, he is accused of trying to con him, and Johnny soon finds himself the defendant in a trial that could send him to the gallows. Luckily, Johnny has befriended some important people in his search for work, such as the Patriots Josiah Quincy and Paul Revere, among others. They work to free Johnny, and with the help of Cilla's testimony, the boy soon finds himself cleared and working as a horse messenger boy for the local band of Patriots. A cause that Johnny once found rather trivial, becomes his new passion, and Johnny soon finds himself taking part in secret meetings, the Boston Tea Party, and some famous battles that kicked off the War for Independence.
Johnny Tremain is a Disney classic from that very special time period at the studios. The film is inspirational, fun, and fit for all ages. True, it's waaaaay more family friendly than the novel, but to me that's just fine. Think of this as the "Disney version" you can watch with the whole family. The casting is wonderful by the way. I always had a thing for Luana Patten as a kid. Great music too, and that beautiful 50's Disney look. Perfect for 4th of July viewing, or for anytime viewing! Add this film to your list of Independence Day classics like 1776, The Patriot, Ben and Me, and the Swamp Fox!

This film may not appeal to young people as most young people
today are not being taught to appreciate historical heritage
and country.

But Walt Disney will not fail if you open your mind and heart
to the messages he conveys in his films.......good triumphiant
over evil, love for america, wholesomeness and moral virtues
so lacking in today's society.

That is why I heartily recommend JOHNNY TREMAIN. With its
outstanding cinematography, score and excellent production
values, any flaws in the story when compared to the book
are relatively minor.

Hal Stalmaster is properly innocent and appealing as Johnny
and it is a shame that he never made any more features. Dick
Beymer's portrayal of Rab is equally fine and I'm certainly
glad his character wasn't killed in the end!

For solid, DISNEY entertainment this is a great movie! More
so than any of the garbage HOLLYWOOD puts out today!

This is a classic. I remember seeing it in elementary school for class. I don't know that we learned much except that history can be fun.

This is not "history" in any meaningful sense. It is a historical drama set at the time of the beginning of the American Revolution in the city of Boston. The title character is a young apprentice silversmith who becomes caught up in the "Sons of Liberty" patriotic organization. He takes part in the Boston Tea Party, the signaling from the Old North Church and the running fight from Concord back to Boston. Along the way he carries himself in a responsible and honorable manner. So too are the British (mostly) depicted as honorable people. The teaching value of this film is not in the teaching of historical facts but in the depiction of attitudes and conditions and some of the political causes of the war. Even so, don't watch this for the lesson. Watch it for the story.

This was a wonderful movie!!!! We have have watched it over and over. It is one of those that make you proud of your American Heritage. But I have to say....the book was even better. Read it first then watch the movie.