Amaaaaaazing movie about Young George Washington! Perfect for America’s 250! I felt like I was there. I empathized. I cried. I desperately wanted to stand up and cheer!!!
{But my introverted side kept myself restrained.}
Joyfully, though, I joined our little group in leading the applause!!!
The parts you won’t believe, question not, because they really happened in his life.
Denied many dreams that seemed within grasp, the young Washington had a choice.
He chose the difficult, letting roadblocks forge him into a stronger person.
This hero story that needed to be told is here for America’s 250…leaving each of us with a challenge.
A VIRGINIA MOVIE
A few days after I saw the movie, I learned that Young Washington was #1 in Virginia!
Yes! Because this movie about George Washington is very Virginian in more than setting and tone, but also in Washington’s devotion to his men portrayed more deeply than I’ve ever before seen in any movie.
Thus, the thrill came from the impossible that miraculously happened and the Virginia commitment embedded into honor that was bred into Washington’s life.
JON ERWIN – CREATOR
Angel Studios did a fabulous job making it happen with Jon Erwin as creator, writer, and director.
Erwin shared in an interview that he was inspired when he read some books on George Washington.
Gobsmacked by all the amazing details, he had to make a movie about it.
WILLIAM FRANKLYN-MILLER – GEORGE WASHINGTON
William Franklyn-Miller, the actor portraying George Washington, is the same age as George Washington was during the French and Indian War…22 years old.
What a smart choice in casting on so many levels, because it was helpful to have a young actor portraying Washington during the French and Indian War.
To totally understand his youth for such a vast undertaking with world wide consequences is mind blowing.
Most movies I’ve seen of George Washington’s life use a middle-aged man (understandably) to carry the biography from early 20s to late 60s.
Interestingly, William Franklyn-Miller is not American, but British!
Despite his British accent, he learned a unique accent to portray the 18th century George Washington.
In this first lead role for William Franklyn-Miller, he performed a stellar, believable appearance of America’s revered first president.
BEN KINGSLEY – GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE
Acclaimed actor Ben Kingsley (also from Britain) performed as Virginia’s Royal Governor Robert Dinwiddie.
KELSEY GRAMMER – LORD FAIRFAX
Another notable in this movie is America’s award winning Kelsey Grammer, who portrayed Lord Fairfax, mentor to George Washington.
Humorously, promotional ads for Young Washington between William Franklyn-Miller’s gentlemanly bearing plays wonderfully against Kelsey’s Grammer’s dry wit.
Rarely am I this excited about a movie, especially a recently made one…my husband was surprised to see my sheer exuberance at the end of the movie!
After the movie I soaked in all the interviews I could find (check the Young Washington instagram account).
I greatly appreciated William Franklyn-Miller’s completely jumping in with both feet into this role.
And I wholeheartedly agreed to Creator/Writer/Director/Producer Jon Erwin’s comments about the importance of books, even for kids…and Kelsey Grammer’s comment that honestly, tv has destroyed people’s desire to read.
One doesn’t hear that often from their line of business.
With that said, I think it can be agreed upon, that there is a place for movies, but it’s about balance…which should weigh more heavily towards books.
I think George Washington would agree, too.
On that note, I highly recommend this great book about George Washington, written by his great, great, (etc) nephew, who is a historian of the 18th century!
Also, here are my blog posts about George Washington and my Mount Vernon photos on my Flickr set.
