Connie Ge Ciocca AP US History p.

5 23 September 2012

Movie Outline The Patriot

The Opening A. The Post Riders News a. The children run to tell their father, Benjamin Martin who is building a chair. b. After putting the younger children to bed, the father allows the two old boys, Gabriel and Thomas, to open the letters i. They receive news of the progress of the war, and Gabriel tells his father he wishes to enlist.. c. Benjamin has business in Charlestown, so he takes his family to his sister in laws house. B. The Assembly at Charleston a. General Harry Burwell stands up to speak for the Patriot cause, and is both supported and opposed by the two sides of the assembly. b. Benjamin stands up to speak, but shocks everybody as he says he wishes America to be independent, but is not willing to go to war. i. He tells the Assembly that the war is too great a price, and he has decided not to fight ii. Gabriel leaves, disappointed and disgusted. c. The motion has passed, and the colonists will go to war i. Gabriel enlists in the army without his fathers consent C. Wounded Soldiers at Home a. Benjamin and his family receives letters from Gabriel detailing his battles b. At dinner, Gabriel suddenly walks in, injured. There is a battle in a nearby field c. When Gabriel wakes the next morning, he steps outside to find his family caring for both American and British soldiers i. A British dragoon led by Colonel Tavington rides up ii. Tavington orders Gabriel captured, the American wounded executed, and the house burned 1. Thomas tries to free Gabriel and is shot and killed

D. Gabriels Escape a. Benjamin runs into his burning house and grabs rifles and his tomahawk. b. He orders his youngest children to hide, and takes his two older boys with him i. They ambush the british troops and kills all of them 1. Gabriel is freed, and Benjamin takes out his anger on the Captains body c. Tavington and his troops are resting at the British camp i. A wounded private tells him that some unknown man managed to ambush and kill all 20 of the british soldiers 1. Benjamin earns the name The Ghost ii. Tavington also speaks with James Wilkins, a Loyalist who joins up with the British The Middle E. Benjamin Joins the Patriot Army a. Benjamin and Gabriel go to where the patriots are camped and witness an extremely one sided battle that the British win b. Ben is automatically given a colonel rank because of his previous fighting experience i. Gabriel is put in his command ii. He is put in charge of a group of militia and tasked to hold the british back in time for the French allies to arrive F. Colonel Benjamin Martins command of the milita a. Benjamin asks Gabriel to go to Charleston and recruit for the militia while he himself goes with Jean Villenueve to recruit from local tavern. i. With some help from Anne, Gabriel is able to convince a number of the locals to join him ii. Benjamin recruits a large number of rowdy looking war veterans b. Meanwhile, Tavington is severely Reprimanded by Cornwallis for treating the americans too brutally. c. Benjamin melts Thomas old metal soldier figurines for bullets, and talk to Gabriel i. Gabriel protests the rudeness of the men, saying they lack honor d. The militia trains under Jean and successfully harasses the British soldiers i. In one attack, Jean and some of the militia continue killing the redcoats even after they surrender, and Gabriel is furious 1. Benjamin says that there will be no more merciless killing ii. The militia captures a wagon belonging to Cornwallis himself, containing his personal journals and 2 dogs e. Cornwallis and the rest of the British are having a formal ball

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i. They witness the militia blowing up their supply ships The militia take a break at Charleston i. Gabriel calls on Anne and Benjamin prays at the church ii. A negro fighter in the militia sees a notice that any African American slave who fights for over a year will earn his freedom iii. The men say goodbyes to their families ): The militia make an unsuccessful attack on a band of redcoats who had laid a trap for them, and lose many of their men, and also find out that 18 of their men have been captured and are been held. Benjamin goes to the British encampment under a white flag, and tricks Lord Cornwallis into giving back his men. i. Cornwallis is furious and makes a deal with Tavington Benjamin in exchange for a promise of land in America Tavington asks Burwell where he would be able to attack Benjamins family i. He goes to Aunt Charlottes plantation and burns it down, but Charlotte and the children escape with Gabriel The family goes to a seaside village, and Gabriel returns to Benjamin i. Gabriel tells Benjamin that little Susan talks, but he lies about what she said The reverend announces that Tavington is burning the militiamens homes one by one i. Benjamin gives the command to allow each man to leave and take care of his family, with no repercussions if they do not come back ii. Gabriel and Benjamin go visit their family, and Gabriel gets married to Anne 1. As they are leaving, Susan finally speaks to Benjamin and begs him not to go Tavington learns of the town that supplies the militia, traps the people in a church, and then burns the church. i. Gabriel and the milita learn of this, and they race back, only to find the town completely empty and their families dead. ii. Gabriel goes off with a small number of men and fights the british, but Tavington mortally wounds Gabriel iii. Benjamin arrives just in time to see Gabriel die Back at the patriot camp, Benjamin declares that he will not fight anymore. After burying Gabriel, Benjamin finds the flag Gabriel had worked so hard to sew back up, and then rides after the militia, waving the flag in the air. The Patriot commanders are talking strategy i. Benjamin speaks up and says that he has a plan to use the Britishs condescending attitude towards militia to their advantage

The Ending G. The final battle a. The soldiers get ready for battle, and Jean dresses in his French uniform. b. The militia line up i. One of the men who previously was very racist tells the negro fighter that he is honored to have known him and fought alongside him ii. The militia begin to march c. Tavington sees the militia falter, and orders a charge without consulting Cornwallis d. The british footsoldiers are also ordered to charge as the militia retreat. e. The British continue to fight even though they have overtaken the field, and charge straight into a trap set by the Patriots. f. Benjamin sees Tavington and is about to rush over to get his revenge for his sons, but then realizes the Patriot line is faltering, and so turns back and revitalizes his mens spirits rather than satisfy his need for vengeance. g. Benjamin knocks Tavington off of his feet they get into a duel h. Though the Patriots win the battle, it looks like Tavington is about to kill Benjamin i. Benjamin instead stabs Tavington just before Tavington takes the final swing. H. Narration at end a. Benjamin tells how the won that battle, and then continued to win battles b. Cornwallis had entrenched himself at Yorktown, where Washington and their French allies cornered them and they finally surrendered. c. Benjamin says goodbye, returns to his family, and they journey back to the location of their old home i. They discover that the militia men had begun to rebuild their plantation

Review:

The Patriot, starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger, tells a story of how one man in Revolutionary America fights overwhelming odds to ensure freedom and safety for his family. He has to witness the death of his friends and sons, and makes many sacrifices along his journey. But in the end, he gets his revenge for the deaths of his loved ones and America gains her freedom. This movie, though very long, was passionate, moving, and engaging. I feel like the acting was superb, and it had many small details that add to the depth and interest of the storyline. However, I also feel as if the story had too many genres switching between a war story, a narrative, a romance novel- and so therefore, it was unable to focus and concentrate on one particular aspect. Also, the story was often predictable and clichd, though I myself remained interested throughout the film. I do not believe that this movie was historically accurate at all, only barely mentioning some battles that occurred and a few important landmarks in the timeline of the Revolution.

However, I would recommend this movie to anybody who likes to watch an emotionally charged film with many ups and downs, but a happy and uplifting ending.