April Morning

I really thought this might be good but it was an overdone, sappy, made for TV soap opera about the Lexington-Concord battle. While some large facts were accurate, it was a pretty, fictionalized, maudlin piece of crap. Molasses moves faster.....in January. Awful.

This is a made-for-TV movie adaptation of Howard Fast's novel "April Morning," one of the few assigned novels I enjoyed reading in school - a story about Adam and Moses Cooper and their involvement in the battle that initiated the American war for independence.

From what I remembered in this film, the teleplay does follow the novel pretty well and it is a fascinating movie that I thought included some decent acting, interesting history overview of the American Revolution, some exciting action and suspenseful elements. Just the part where Adam Cooper (Chad Lowe) attempt to conquer his fear and fight alongside his fellow soldiers in battle is intriguing to watch.

The setting, make-up and costumes used in the film represented that period in time very well. Though a movie based on war, there is an absence of gore and graphic scenes, which makes it suitable for a larger audience including children. In addition, Director Delbert Mann took great care in making the movie interesting minus all the excessive gore and violence and, instead, relied on the substance, history, drama and character impact.

Overall, this is one of the few war movies I could remember that I've found suitable and enjoyable for the entire audience.

Grade B

This TV film is based correctly on historical events developed in April 19,1775 , beginning hostilities for a shot was fired and starting the American Revolution, skirmishes among the British troops and the colonial militia were in Lexington and Concorde(Massachusetts); the deeds are the following : The first battle of the American War of Independence was in Lexington,northwest of Boston.Anticipating a rebellion ,The British general Thomas Gage sent 800 troops to seize stores at Concord and arrest John Hancock and John Adams ,two prominent American rebels.The rebellious were warned by Paul Revere(Vlasta Vrana).An advance party under Major Pitcairn encountered a party of about 50 Minutemen ,American rebel militia troops,on Lexington Common.They refused to disperse when ordered to do so,and Pitcairn ordered his troops to open fire. Eight Minutemen were killed and the remainder retired.Fervants patriots(Tommy Lee Jones,Chad Lowe and Robert Urich) against redcoats were led by Salomon Chandler(Rip Torn). The British party turned back for Concord and was later ambushed ;it was only saved by reinforcements sent out from Concord .The total losses in two actions were 73 British killed and 174 wounded,49 Americans killed and 39 wounded.

The movie is a good adaptation upon the notorious historic events and based on a Howard Fast's(Spartacus) novel . The film is produced by Robert Halmi Jr from ¨Hallmark , Hall of fame¨ TV , which has produced several films and series about historical happenings and known personages , as : Cleopatra, Odyssea(Ulises), Hercules , Jason and the Argonauts, Joan of Arc, Lion in Winter( Henry II and Leonor Aquitania), Prince and pauper( Henry VIII and Edward VI ), among others . The movie is well directed by Delbert Mann (Marty). The flick will appeal to American history buffs.

After disposing of the fact that this film was significantly under budgeted, and, in spots, more than a bit overacted, what remains is a realistically cold and existential account of the first day of the American Revolution. While the principal characters have decided to take a stand against British domination, most are a bit vague in their feelings and haven't judged exactly how far they are willing to go. Yet, the events of the Day assume a life of their own and sweep everyone along.

I was most impressed by the way the film depicts the confusion of war and the mostly improvised pattern of resistance against the redcoats. Firing is heard all around, though no one is exactly sure from where or by whom. Men move through the woods with their guns, forming ad hoc groups to ambush the roadbound British columns---whose primary mission was the confiscation of privately owned firearms. The tactics are historically accurate. They fire, and retreat to concealed positions to reload. Most of these men are reluctant warriors, resigned to an unpleasant task, yet resolved to carry it through. A fine illustration of the ultimate Check and Balance of an armed citizenry; a concept enshrined in our Constitution yet too readily dismissed by many who claim to believe in democratic principles.

Another interesting and rather rare touch is the fact that the scriptwriters made a real effort to have the characters speak as people of the time would have. I have found that in many "historical" films the actors use words, sentence structure and alliterative devices from modern times. In some instances, well intentioned editors concerned with realism overcompensate to the point where the dialogue is overly formalized, archaic, and stilted. Not so here. The actors really sound like what one would read in contemporary, primary sources describing the event. This by itself gives the film considerable educational value.

A good "war is hell" movie still suitable for younger viewers due to its lack of gratuitous gore, and a memorable portrayal of ordinary people facing up to the bold task of confronting tyranny.

Based on the idea that war is hard on the families of those who fight in them. It was written from news articles of the Revolutionary War during the Veitnam War and showed that nothing changes when it's your family facing the fight for freedom no matter in what the time period.