(c. to r.) Eliza (Phillipa Sooas), George Washington (Christopher Jackson), and Alexander Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda).
King of Great Britain and Ireland, Elector of Hanover (Jonathan Groff).
HAMILTON
Film Review by Marlene Ardoin
If you were able to see the actual play, “Hamilton,” on stage, you were one of the lucky and prosperous ones.
I figured that if I subscribed to Disney Plus for $69.99 a year, I would be able to see the film version of the play for a lot less than one ticket to the actual play, which ranges from $451 to $809.
The film version of “Hamilton” with Lin-Manuel Miranda was worth the subscription. About two thirds of the way into the play, it hit me what a miracle it was that America birthed a government that was to be responsible for protecting the people, not a king, not a rich man’s personal interest, but the people.
Alexander Hamilton was one of the idealists, who gave his heart, his soul and all his worldly gifts into making that happen.
Is there anywhere else on earth that someone of no birth rank to speak of, can rise to a high position in life, based on his own drive and merit?
In my research, I discovered that there was another film made in 1931, “Alexander Hamilton,” which covered the same material, but with live period action, with horses and period buildings.
I included a few clips of it below. I did not get the same emotional jolt from those film clips.
While the real Hamilton was not a perfect man, I can reasonably say that he did value his marriage to Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton.
She was the educated daughter of Continental Army General Philip Schuyler, who married Hamilton in spite of his being a bastard son.
Eliza helped Hamilton with his governmental writings (they were in her handwriting), she bore him eight children, and after his death, she did everything in her power to preserve his legacy.
The play almost gave the impression that Hamilton and Eliza only had one son, Philip, who died in a duel. Hamilton’s oldest son, Philip, was trying to defend his father’s honor from insult.
Hamilton was also the first governmental figure involved in a sex scandal.
Eliza gave Hamilton two more children after the scandal, and there is no evidence that he was ever involved with Eliza’s older sister, Angelica, who was in Europe most of the time.
When his eldest son, Philip, was shot, Hamilton was devastated. He aged in just two years after, then died himself, in the same kind of a duel three years after his son’s duel.
But, Hamilton’s death was not in vain, he kept Vice President Aaron Burr, whom Hamilton did not trust, from ever becoming President.
And, to conclude, Alexander Hamilton never owned a slave.
I have only good things to say about the film, “Hamilton,” which made me interested enough to read about the history of our own United States government.
Eliza, dying Philip and Hamilton.
Cast[edit]
- Daveed Diggsas Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson
- Renée Elise Goldsberryas Angelica Schuyler
- Jonathan Groffas King George III
- Christopher Jacksonas George Washington
- Jasmine Cephas Jonesas Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds
- Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton
- Leslie Odom Jr.as Aaron Burr
- Okieriete Onaodowanas Hercules Mulligan and James Madison
- Anthony Ramosas John Laurens and Philip Hamilton
- Phillipa Sooas Eliza Hamilton
- Sydney James Harcourt as Philip Schuyler, James Reynolds, doctor and ensemble
- Thayne Jasperson as Samuel Seaburyand ensemble
- Jon Ruaas Charles Lee and ensemble
- Ephraim Sykesas George Eacker and ensemble
Carleigh Bettiol, Ariana DeBose, Hope Easterbrook, Sasha Hutchings, Elizabeth Judd, Austin Smith, and Seth Stewart also appear as ensemble members.
| Hamilton | |
| Official release poster | |
| Directed by | Thomas Kail |
| Produced by | · Thomas Kail |
| Written by | Lin-Manuel Miranda |
| Based on | Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow |
| Starring | · Daveed Diggs
· Lin-Manuel Miranda |
| Music by | Lin-Manuel Miranda |
| Cinematography | Declan Quinn |
| Edited by | Jonah Moran |
| Production companies |
· Walt Disney Pictures[1]
· 5000 Broadway Productions · Nevis Productions · Old 320 Sycamore Pictures |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures[2] |
| Release date | · July 3, 2020 |
| Running time | 160 minutes[3] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $12.5 million (stage production)[4] |
Hamilton, the visionary architect of the modern liberal capitalist economy.
Wiki Hamilton (2020 film):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_(2020_film)
Alexander Hamilton (1931 film)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYNDE_qdiIY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3MY3srjGOY
In the 1780s, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton (George Arliss) forcefully puts forth his political belief in a centralized government, only to find several against him, including senators Thomas Jefferson (Montagu Love) and Timothy Roberts (Dudley Digges). When Hamilton offers to compromise by supporting a plan to build a capitol on the Potomac River, Roberts plots Hamilton’s downfall by hiring married Mariah Reynolds (June Collyer) to seduce him, and then making the affair public.
https://www.directv.com/movies/Alexander-Hamilton-RFJJd2FGaUFwdWlFLy9ON0srN0tWQT09
Wiki of the real Alexander Hamilton:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton
Why Alexander Hamilton Never Became President – Biography:
https://www.biography.com/news/why-alexander-hamilton-never-became-president\
Alexander Hamilton – Biography, Duel & Legacy – HISTORY:
https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/alexander-hamilton
Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, Hamilton’s wife:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Schuyler_Hamilton
Philip Hamilton (1782-1801):
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/hamilton-philip-hamilton-1782-1801/
The Women of Hamilton:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HT3FSQ8uJw
King George William Frederick:
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/king-george-iii
3/14/2021 # Hamilton