Customer Reviews

Liberty Amer.Revol.

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

'Liberty! The American Revolution' is a wonderful PBS series, a six-part treatment of the period leading up to and including the American Revolution in the mid-to-late 1700s.

As this series shows, the seeds of the American Revolution were planted long before the actual conflicts began. This was not an overnight decision on the part ofthe colonists or the British; intense negotiations and political attempts were made for years prior to the outbreak of hostilities. The colonists largely came from Britain; the leadership certainly looked to Britain for political, moral and cultural guidance, as well as primary trade and security vis-a-vis the Spanish, the French, and the Native Americans. American leaders were, by and large, British leaders too -- George Washington held a commission and fought with the British in the French and Indian War.

This was a family break-up in many ways -- the series' astute use of the actual words of the people of the time show the emotions that conflict, the love-hate relationship both sides embodied. The first episode shows the beginnings of discontent on both sides, with the colonists beginning to be stressed over being ignored by the British leadership, and the British leadership, in the form of George III, newly ascended to the throne, and various high-powered ministers, feeling that the colonists were rather ungrateful toward their (so-they-considered-themselves-to-be) rightful lords.

Liberty, ironically, was what George III and his first minister, William Pitt, were all about. The Seven-Years War was won as a fight for liberty; the colonies in America and elsewhere were won over to Britain, who had a parliamentary democracy (however poorly enacted) as opposed to absolute monarchy (such as in France). So, the break-up between Britain and the American colonies becomes all the more troublesome -- not only were the opposing sides practically family, but largely believed the same things.

The series never makes the direct comparison, but one can get the sense of Jonathan Swift here, that the battles are fought over relatively minor things (like which side of the egg to crack) -- in the scheme of world politics then and now, the controversies were relatively slight. However, the issues of taxation, governance and respect were important, not perhaps so much for what they were, but for what they did portend as future treatment, and the colonists did not like being second-class citizens in a British-dominated world, even if, to the British leadership, being second-class British was better than being almost anything else. There was also the spectre of the Irish tyranny, perpetrated by the English, that loomed large as a possibility. Sadly, one cannot say that these fears were unjustified.

The series is intriguing, introducing sides to the conflict that one doesn't recall from grade-school and high-school civics classes -- the conflicts among the colonies themselves; the dissent among the colonies who often wanted a repair rather than a break with Britain; and the personal reflections and fears of the founding fathers and mothers (yes, there were many women involved in this process). Using diaries, correspondence, official documents and media reports of the time, the show weaves together a narrative history that achieves a good popular balance between historical detail and narrative reporting.

The writers' admiration for the founding Americans, their bravery and their intelligence, is very apparent. Their concern to present the British in a fair and balanced light is also apparent, and often portrayed as trying to be reasonable and responsive to many of the colonial concerns, if not always pleasant and courteous to the colonial leaders themselves. The writing is interesting and thoughtful, and done in a popular tone that gives personality to the people who figure in the events.

The final episode looks at the aftermath of the war, and the struggle for unity as a nation. George Washington's statement that liberty could be both a blessing and curse was taken to heart -- when the Constitutional Convention met to amend the Articles of Confederation, it went far beyond its original mandate, and it was telling that not all colonies sent representatives, and not all that were sent agreed to stay through the proceedings.

A great series in many ways, it makes a great gift for anyone (or to oneself) with an interest in history. It also has a companion volume available,

Liberty! is probably the best historical documentary I have ever seen. Throughout the years, my civics, social studies, and history classes have been showing videos on the American Revolution almost every year. Most give the same information: the Tea Act, "No Taxation Without Representation," boycott, Boston Tea Party, "Shot Heard 'Round the World," all the battles, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. Besides the monotony, there was always a slight slant to the history. The videos, like the textbooks, often gave black-and-white views of the Revolution. All British were snotty and wrong; all Americans were humble and right. They talked of battles in the sense of numbers and victories, like keeping score of an extremely long game of tag.
Liberty!, I am happy to say, is different. For once, it is a documentary that shows the opinions of all sides. Those who remained loyal to the British are actually discussed and given viable reasons for their loyalty, unlike other stories that portray them as wealthy or indifferent people that were the enemies of the righteous. Also, it gives new light to the "colonists-band-together-for-a-mutual-cause" idea as the not-so-widespread opinion that America should detach itself from Britain and become its own nation. In fact, Liberty! sheds new light on many unmentioned factors of the Revolution. It displays conflict and change other than that between America and Britain.
The highlight of the series is how it shows all views. It gets and tells its information from a combination of expert historians and actual letters, journal entries, and other historic documents from the Revolution. While most documentaries do also, they dispense facts through a narrator. Liberty!, though having Edward Herrman as an excellent narrator, also uses actors and re-creations. The actors, in full colonial times attire and playing the writers of these letters, speak directly to the camera and bring the Revolution and the series down to a much more personal, intimate level. It makes the War more real to hear these people as though they were still alive today. I was especially touched by Abigail Adams' letters to her husband (the actress was both talented and beautiful) and was delighted with the Marquis de Lafayette, who was bouncy and enthusiastic.
The interviews with eloquent historians, too, give great details, back-story, and opinions. The balance between personal accounts, paintings, interviews, and filmed re-creations is a great asset to Liberty! They add reality, humor, horror, sadness, and power.
Liberty! - The American Revolution is a well-directed, realistic, personal, easy-to-understand, and definitely easy-to-stay-awake-and-watch documentary series. To top it all off, it has a great song at the end of each video. ; )

What a pity PBS chose to turn out a truly lousy DVD issue of this great series. Picture and sound are OK but there are NO special features and they hacked it up with tons of useless "chapter headings." The tape version is better.

Must say I have only viewed the VHS version, thus far, and look forward to owning the DVD. This documentary sets the standard in my mind for historical perspective on a period so much neglected in the public education experience. I found the use of the various characters selected, and the excellent portrayal by the cast, to be vital in setting the stage for the growing tempest that became the Revolution.

Especially compelling was the portrayal of Abigail and John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Lafayette, and the English Gen. Bergoyne... and not to forget the French General (whose name eludes me, at the moment). Very well done.

I would also highly recommend to anyone who has been very satisfied with the documentary to obtain the companion book, which I thought went above and beyond in giving an even better view of how conditions were in England, as this conflict approached. I came to the conclusion that the Revolution also played a big part in the British Government reforming itself to the benefit of the nation, post-Napoleon. Check your local library for the volume, it's worth the read.

As a companion to this series, also check out the followup documentary on Benjamin Franklin. Work like this needs to be commended to others, and supported by satisfied viewers... so if you are wondering if it is worth the money and the effort to obtain a copy to view, it is, very definitely! By all means, buy a copy and donate one to your local library or high school. Every public library, every school library, and every home school family, needs to include this documentary in their collection!

Even better than the series "The American Revolution" (AR) and then stumbled over the same mistake. The war was waged in the north until the stalemate drove the British south to try their hand there. Bouyed by smashing victories at Charleston and Camden the whole thing became unstrung. Partisans like Sumter and Marion (of "The Patriot"), stunning setbacks like King's Mountain and Cowpens were the real turning points of the war. Not the stalemate of the north but setups for the real victory at Yorktown. The problem? Neither Camden, nor Marion nor Sumter, not King's Mountain, or Cowpens were mentioned at all. This is another northern history which casts the decisive southern campaign as a sideshow. It does not stop there but goes on to paint southerners as sadists. I found myself wondering "weren't the British the enemy here?"
Abigal Adams is well depicted and the Burgoyne character is also quite good. The actor portraying Joseph Plumb Martin captures his wit and sarcasm and Lafayette is brilliant. It is just this reflexive South-bashing than undermines both Liberty and AR. "The Patriot", flawed Hollywood history that it is, captures the spirit and the significance that the third tape misses.

As usual, this documentary shows the taxes imposed upon the colonists as being evil and tyrannical. This is a good documentary, but it is American made, so must be taken as such.

A better version of part one can be found on Simon Sharma's excellant series, A History Of Britain, in the episode 'The Wrong Empire', which sees the story from the British perspective. Apart from that, we have a good documentary series.

I saw this originally on PBS and this set indicates that there are three 2 hour tapes on the box. Well, the tapes are only an hour long each and there are some "episodes" missing. The episode which is depicted on the box cover is not even in the box. I remember that this scene was narrated that the English general saw armed farmers and ranchers watching his surrendered troops and he believed he saw a "new generation" of man. It was very powerful. I couldn't believe it wasn't in the box and I sent it back to Amazon after viewing it....I was very dissapointed that I couldn't own this full series.

A wonderfully acted and directed "period" piece that brings the Revolution and the Revolutionary times to your VCR. Like many of the previous reviewers, I initially was a tad disappointed at some of the short coverage of some of the major events (the Southern theatre, for example...), but soon realized that the main objective of this work is to portray the people (warts and all) behind the push for Independance, and not necessarily view this as a documentary. The "people" aspect here is lively and informative and succeeds overwhelmingly with bringing the feeling of the War and the period to life. Not only are the legendary central figures portrayed (Philip Bosco is extraordinary as Benjamin Franklin...), but the everyday person along with the lowest level soldiers (Philip Hoffman as Joseph Plumb Martin is wonderful...) get presented...each with his/her own unique reading that fully covers the emotion and frustration of this time. For the historians, we get excellent accounts of John Burgoyne's march to defeat at Saratoga, the diplomacy activities of Franklin and others in bringing the French in as allies, the view from England's monarchy and Parliament and the final major battle at Yorktown...all wonderfully acted and plausibly portrayed. If this video set is coupled with the companion book, one gets an excellent and refreshing account of the Revolution which should be counted as required viewing/reading for all Revolutionary War fans. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this series very much, and learned a lot of things about the American Revolution that I never knew (or forgot a long time ago). For one thing, I never realized the revolutionary war went on from 1775/6 well into the 1780's. And just how low George Washinton sank in number and extent of defeats and the effect it had on his spirits early on was informative too.

There are so many things only touched on (which is a realistic boundary of a video production covering an involved topic such as this) that I feel this is only the beginning of my further research into this fascinating time in American history.

Perhaps better than any other filmed expedition into the Revolutionary past, LIBERTY! explains the WHY of the American uprising. Others have faulted it for being militarily incomplete, but this is its principle strength, in my view. Far too often, history is comprised of the accounts of battles. Here, though, the producers chose to focus on the dream of liberty more than its attainment. To be sure, important battles get their due, but the emphasis here is on a war won more through propaganda and promises than by musket and steel.

The producers are out to tell a story as much as the truth, and so know they have to start at the beginning. Many accounts of the times seem to skip glibly over the predominant happiness with British rule that most colonists felt, but not LIBERTY! Instead, it goes to great lengths to put viewers back in colonial America, so they can understand how improbable it was that the people of the time would've imagined themselves divorced from England. Unlike many accounts, LIBERTY! Is unafraid to take the opposing British viewpoint, and to include British historians. This documentary, indeed, sees the arguments from all sides, and shows just how reluctance turned to resolve. More to the point, it shows both sides as equally hotheaded and responsible for the war.

Indeed, the commitment to explain the conflict in human terms is so prevalent in this work, that actors hired to play various key figures propel the basic storyline as much as the narrator. Best of all, every word these actors speak comes from a documented primary source. Choosing to have the figures themselves partially tell the story adds great personal interest while moving the drama of the larger conflict swiftly along. Particularly noteworthy is the emphasis on the John and Abagail Adams relationship, which was fortunately well documented by their own letter writing. Their correspondence is one of the great diaries of the time, and lends much to an understanding of the decisions made. The great thing about including such a complete primary source in a history is that viewers get a real sense of what it was like to be unsure that the Revolution would succeed, or what shape the new nation would take.

In fact, it is precisely the decision to look at the events as a rocky rebellion rather than a revered revloution which makes LIBERTY! the pre-eminent documentary on the subject.