Young Washington
2 stars (out of 4)
Starring William Franklyn-Miller, Mary-Louise Parker, Leo Hanna, Mia Rodgers, Joel David Smallbone, Kelsey Grammer, Andy Serkis, and Ben Kingsley
Language: English
Running time: 125 minutes
Available: In theaters
During a less cynical time in American history, schoolchildren were encouraged to read books about the men who would become president. All the tropes we still know today were built upon and glorified: Teddy Roosevelt charging up San Juan Hill, Abe Lincoln splitting wood, JFK and the spirit of PT 109, Herbert Hoover and…
Well, maybe not every president.
George Washington presents a problem, though, one that the film Young Washington tries to resolve. Most Americans recall that Washington, in an anecdote that is surely among the greatest fabrications of history, chopped down a prized cherry tree. When confronted by his father, George supposedly confessed to the crime: “I cannot tell a lie. I did cut it, with my hatchet.”
The next thing you know, Washington was leading the newly formed American army in a revolution against the evil English, thus earning the undying love of a nation and the first presidency of the United States.
But what happened in between?
That’s where Young Washington begins. Cherry trees aside, George and his mother (Mary-Louise Parker) are left nearly destitute following the death of his father. George, desolate, is comforted by his half-brother Lawrence (John Foss), whom he has seemingly never met. Buck up, young man. Plant your feet on the ground and trudge forward. Your mother will need a man about the house, and it’s you! Words to that effect.
Lawrence, who has done well for himself, serves as a surrogate father and adviser. But like their father, Lawrence, too, suffers an untimely death. George has only himself and his grand ambitions to rely on.
George is nothing if not tenacious. He sneaks into a party thrown by Lord Halifax, introduces himself to all the important people, and volunteers his assistance to them. In particular, he offers to survey the vast, uncharted lands of Lord Fairfax beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the remote and frightful Ohio Valley, where only Native Americans and Frenchmen dare to go.
That’s the setup; no spoilers here. What happens next is the French and Indian War, in which Washington distinguishes himself by virtue of his pluck, dash, and derring-do (even though he’s later accused of starting the war in the first place). He’s made a colonel in the militia. He rescues his men from certain doom. His courage and bravery are without limits. It’s no wonder he becomes the Father of Our Country!
This sort of tale is called hagiography, a blend of fact and legend designed to deify its subject. Young Washington fits in nicely among such works as The Life of St. Anthony, written by Athanasius in 360 A.D.; The Golden Legend, compiled by Jacobus de Voragine in the 13th century; and George Washington by Parson Weems, the 1800 “biography” that canonized St. George and created the myth of the cherry tree.
Intellectually, it’s easy to dismiss Young Washington. Yet, seen as a Boy’s Own adventure flick, it has some selling points—blazing musket battles, gallantry and grit, and inspirational settings, from river banks to mountaintops (mainly filmed in Ireland). Credit for that goes to director Jon Erwin and cinematographer Kris Kimlin.
Washington himself, played by the 22-year-old William Franklyn-Miller, was never as good-looking as his portrayer. A slightly more wide-jawed, less Teen Beat-icon of an actor might have been more realistic. But Franklyn-Miller manages to hold his own, despite his cover-boy countenance.
The credits include Kelsey Grammer as Lord Fairfax. Grammer’s English accent and gravitas are powerful and convincing, but his screen time is limited. Ben Kingsley, a holy presence in any film he appears in since starring in Gandhi 44 years ago, is Robert Dinwiddie, the lieutenant-governor and de facto head of the Virginia colony. Both of these veteran actors lend credibility and nuance to the film, but with little actual screen time.
Players and directors rarely have any say-so in a film’s marketing, so a review treads on swampy turf in relating a movie’s P.R. campaign to its cinematic virtues. In the case of Young Washington, though, there’s no getting around the fact that it was filmed and released to coincide with America’s semi-quincentennial on July 4. (The film opened wide on July 3.)
The film’s closing credits are interrupted with pleas from co-star Kelsey Grammer to take a picture of an onscreen QR code to endorse the film. Online advertisements challenge viewers in various states to pledge that they will watch the movie, and the patriotic totals are listed for all to see. (“Hey, Texas, you can’t beat Kansas!”) It’s kinda nutso.
For those who love adventure, battle scenes, and costume dramas, Young Washington is an ideal way to kill a few hours after dinner one night (or on a 100-degree afternoon in New York, as your faithful reviewer did). Those hoping for serious, historical biography will have to wait a while.
Author Bio:
Mark Orwoll writes about film, travel, and food and drink for Highbrow Magazine.
For Highbrow Magazine