Gen. George Washington: Now you hear me, and you hear me well. You will ride out of my camp. You are not to discuss what has occurred here tonight—not with your staff, not with your men. Put your pistol on him, Alex, and go with him. See him onto his horse and out of this camp, and if he tries to take his men with him, shoot him.
Gen. Horatio Gates: You would not dare.
Gen. George Washington: Try me, General Gates. Only try me.
The above quote was delivered by actor Jeff Daniels portraying General George Washington during one of the darkest moments of the Revolutionary War. Unlike other conflicts, there are relatively few Revolutionary War films focused on Washington. Jeff Daniels, known for both serious roles and his comedic range in Dumb and Dumber, presented a powerful and restrained portrayal of Washington in the 2000 production The Crossing, which captured the bleak state of the Continental Army before the 1776 Battle of Trenton.
Daniels had several standout scenes in the film that conveyed the immense pressure of leading a fledgling army fighting for independence. In the opening exchange, General Horatio Gates bluntly tells Washington the war is lost, that he has failed as a leader, and that his army is in shambles. Washington, stoic and resolute, refuses to accept the insult, stands by his soldiers, and maintains faith that the American cause is not over.
Another memorable moment occurs when the Continentals surprise and defeat the German Hessian forces. As Colonel Johann Rall lay dying, Washington met with him as a “courtesy of war,” referencing the Battle of Long Island and the atrocities committed by Hessian troops at Brooklyn Heights. This A&E production remains one of the finest portrayals of Washington’s resolve at the dawn of the Revolution.
“We fight for men and women whose poetry is not yet written but which will presently be as enviable and as renowned as any.”
These words reflect Colonel Robert G. Shaw’s belief in fighting for the freedom of enslaved people during the Civil War. The 1989 film Glory depicts a young and inexperienced Shaw during the 1862 Battle of Antietam. Wounded in combat, he is awakened by a runaway slave tasked with burying fallen Union soldiers. Early in the film, Morgan Freeman is introduced as a grave digger who checks Shaw to see if he is still alive.
Shaw, from a wealthy abolitionist family with ties to the Massachusetts governor, suffered from both his wounds and post-traumatic stress. He was asked by Governor John A. Andrew to command the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first African American units in the Union Army. Matthew Broderick convincingly captured Shaw’s emotional struggle, dispelling doubts that “Ferris Bueller” could handle such a serious role. Those doubts vanished when Broderick, portraying Shaw, demanded that a corrupt general allow his regiment to fight. In the final scene, soldiers who once resented him during training cheered Shaw as they charged a Confederate stronghold.
Ness: I have sworn to capture this man with all legal powers at my disposal, and I will do so.
Malone: Well, the Lord hates a coward.
Malone: Do you know what a blood oath is, Mr. Ness?
Ness: Yes.
Malone: Good—because you just took one.
The Untouchables (1987) was a unique film that portrayed the violent clash between organized crime and law enforcement during the Great Depression in 1930s Chicago. The film opens innocently but quickly turns brutal when a young girl purchases moonshine for her mother. Capone’s men plant a bomb that kills everyone involved, immediately establishing the gangster’s ruthless control.
Kevin Costner portrayed a young Treasury agent, Eliot Ness, while Sean Connery played veteran cop Jimmy Malone, a beat officer disgusted by corruption. Malone mentors the idealistic Ness within a police force and legal system deeply compromised by Al Capone. Robert De Niro transformed himself into Capone—gaining weight, wearing padding, shaving his hair, and adopting a chilling laugh—to portray the Brooklyn-born mobster. Capone despised the nickname “Scarface,” was eventually imprisoned at Alcatraz, and spent the remainder of his life quietly.
One of the film’s strongest scenes occurs when Ness confronts Capone in his hotel after Malone’s murder. De Niro exudes menace, while Costner shows quiet determination. While The Untouchables celebrates Ness’s role in enforcing Prohibition, his later life was troubled by multiple divorces, alcoholism, and a drunk-driving incident. The Prohibition era also fueled bootlegging on Long Island, from Bayville to Montauk, where rum runners smuggled alcohol ashore. Amityville became a key South Shore hub, part of what was known as “Rum Row.”
Jim Braddock: The thing is, I can’t afford to pay the heat, and I had to farm my kids out to relatives. They keep cutting shifts down at the dock—you don’t get picked every day. I sold everything I had to anyone who would buy it. I went on public assistance at the relief office; they gave me nineteen dollars. I need another eighteen dollars and thirty-eight cents so I can pay the heating bill and get my kids back. You all know me well enough to know if I had anywhere else to go, I wouldn’t be here.
Ron Howard’s 2005 film Cinderella Man is one of the finest portrayals of the Great Depression. Boxer Jim Braddock struggled to find steady work, food, and shelter for his family. Russell Crowe delivered a compelling performance, capturing Braddock’s hardship, pride, and grit. Paul Giamatti played his loyal manager and trainer, Joe Gould, relentlessly pushing promoters to give Braddock a chance.
As conditions worsened, Braddock’s wife sent their children to live with relatives due to a lack of food, heat, and electricity. With tears in his eyes, Braddock sought public assistance, walked past luxury apartments near Central Park, and went to Madison Square Garden to beg for help. “Hat in hand,” he appealed to promoters, managers, and writers for enough money to bring his children home.
The film exaggerated the portrayal of boxer Max Baer as a heartless killer. In reality, Baer was deeply affected by injuries suffered by opponents and attempted to financially help the families of fighters harmed in the ring.
Next week: History vs. Hollywood, Part Two.