Usually when we Americans think of the 4th of July, it’s all about barbecues and fireworks. However, some things never fail. While someone is manning the grill, and folks are tossing around some sort of ball in the backyard, there will be a few people flipping channels on the living room TV set. For those looking for some great all-American 4th of July movies I’ve got just the top 10 list. Some are pure Americana nostalgia, others are introspective, and a couple are pumped up patriotic fervor. All of them are great ways to celebrate America’s two-hundred and fortieth birthday, because in good times and bad, they remind us about how that spirit of 76 has continued to shine through!
Celebrating the Spirit of ’76 – 10 Movies for the 4th of July
Independence Day – Rated PG-13
Not the Independence Day – Resurgence thing currently in the movie theatres. I’m talking the original 1996 Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum save the world from evil space aliens in ships bigger than Manhattan – but not before they do a whole lot of spectacular damage! What ultimately makes this film work is the duo of Smith and Goldblum. (If only entertainment executives would have realized this for the sequel….Independence Day is not a movie where you care about the plot. (Thank goodness the aliens didn’t have McAfee….). The special effects are awesome, and America leading the charge to bring the world together in uniting against a common enemy is cool – and probably the only plausible thing in the film. Having those giant ships crash down gave a whole new meaning to 4th of July fireworks!
Zero Dark Thirty – Rated R
This 2013 film took the 2013 Academy Award for Best Picture. Directed by the Oscar-winning director Katheryn Bigelow it’s based on the real life story of America getting the bad guys who orchestrated attacks on some major landmarks. Of course, in real life, getting the enemy usually takes more than a few days. On September 11th, 2001, Osama bin Laden was the head of the terrorist group al Qaeda that attacked Manhattan and Washington D.C. via hijacked airliners. They managed to destroy the World Trade Center in Manhattan, and to hit the Pentagon as well.
On May 1, 2011, United States Navy SEALs of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DevGru) carried out an assault on the compound on orders from U.S. President Barack Obama. During a 40-minute raid, bin Laden was killed by one bullet above the left eye and another to the chest.[3]
The Time of Their Lives – Not Rated
The Revolutionary War is part of the backdrop for this 1946 comedy, but it stars the American classic comedy team of Abbott and Costello! This is the setup from www.enwikipedia.org
In 1780 Horatio Prim (Lou Costello) is a master tinker. He wants to marry Nora O’Leary (Anne Gillis), the housemaid of the wealthy Tom Danbury (Jess Barker). He gets a letter of commendation from General George Washington, hoping it will convince Danbury to let him marry Nora. Danbury’s butler, Cuthbert Greenway (Bud Abbott), also wants to marry Nora and doesn’t want Horatio to ever present the letter. All of this becomes moot when Nora overhears Danbury talking about working with Benedict Arnold! She’s captured by Danbury and he hides the letter in a clock. Meanwhile:
Danbury’s fiancée, Melody Allen (Marjorie Reynolds), witnesses the situation and sets off on horseback to warn Washington’s army. She enlists Horatio’s help, but the two of them are mistakenly shot by American troops who are arriving at the estate. Their bodies are thrown down a well, and the soldiers ransack the house and burn it to the ground. The souls of the two unfortunates are condemned to remain on the estate until their innocence can be proved to the world.
Now the film jumps ahead to the 1940’s – and the fun really begins!
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington – Not Rated
Mr. Smith: The only causes worth fighting for are lost causes.
You really can’t lose with the classics. It’s a Wonderful Life is a Christmas must-see, and really, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington – made in 1939 – should be the same for the 4th of July. The idea that one man can make a huge difference in world is a Frank Capra ideal – and he directed both films. Here the story’s message is focused on Washington D.C. politics. Jimmy Stewart plays Mr. Smith and the film it showcases a belief in democracy being able to serve the people – despite corruption on various fronts. (Notable Biographies: Frank Capra.)
Capra is himself described as an example of the American dream. The Italian-American immigrated to the U.S. with his family at the age of five, and many basic techniques that even today are used in shooting a movie are attributed to him (IMDB).
Glory – Rated R
1989 was a good year for movies! This is the first of three that were made that year! Starring Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington this film is about the Civil War, not the Revolutionary one. However, for a story showcasing the sheer grit, determination and the straight up visuals of U.S. soldiers fighting for their country on American soil, it’s hard to top Glory. The battle sequences are intense and realistic. Washington won best supporting actor honors at both the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. The film received five Oscar nominations in total and also won for best cinematography. (The battles are epic!)
The film is about one of the first military units of the Union Army during the American Civil War to be made up entirely of African-American men (except for its officers), as told from the point of view of Colonel Shaw, its white commanding officer. The regiment is especially known for its heroic actions at Fort Wagner. (www.en.wikipedia)
Forrest Gump – Rated PG-13
Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) has a below-average IQ and as a child has to wear leg braces. However, he manages to accidentally becomes a part of every major moment from the 1950’s through the 1986! (The movie came out in 1994, but it’s based on a book published in 1986.) This is partly because of a surprising gift physical dexterity that develops as teenager. (It’s not just the running. If you think about it, Forrest’s hand-eye coordination is portrayed as exceptional).
The other part that contributes to his journey is his innate goodness and general work ethic – two very American ideals. Some might call this 1994 American fairy-tale film hokey. However, as the film take you through snapshots of American history, watching Forrest accomplish one thing after another you can’t help but smile. Maybe, because we’re a country that started out as the underdog in the war for independence, it’s become a part of our American DNA to root for the guy who everyone has counted out? Whatever the reason, “Run, Forrest run!” has become one iconic line!
Apollo 13 – Rated PG
From a blessed mentally challenged man, to an astronaut: you could have a Tom Hanks double feature if you followed Forrest Gump with Apollo 13! Talk about range! Hanks plays Captain Jim Lovell, commander of the 1970 Apollo 13 mission to the moon. He, along with Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and last-minute replacement pilot Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), are on the way to the moon when the unthinkable happened.
Houston, we have a problem.
While this isn’t exactly a 4th of July themed movie, it is based on the real Apollo 13 mission – an important part of our history. The 1995 Ron Howard directed movie is a stellar testament to American ingenuity under pressure, and to the geniuses of NASA. For his role as head of Mission Control Ed Harris was nominated for both the Golden Globe and Oscar for best supporting actor. The film got nine Oscar nominations in total and won two, best editing and best sound.
Field of Dreams – Rated PG
You can’t get much more American that big dreams and baseball. All this movie needs is some apple pie! The 4th of July is a celebration of a dream that seemed impossible and this whimsical tale starring Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones personifies that idea!
Field of Dreams was released in 1989 and got three Oscar nominations – including best picture. How is this about the 4th of July? The tagline says it all:
Sometimes, when you believe the impossible, the incredible comes true.
Born on the Fourth of July – Rated R
Based on the life of paralyzed Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, this is the film that beat Field of Dreams for Best Picture in the Oscars. It also won Oliver Stone best director and Tom Cruise his first Oscar for best actor . (Glory blocked this film from sweeping its award nominations by winning for cinematography and sound.)
The title speaks for itself as to why it’s on the list. It’s also a film that deals with a problem America still has today – how we treat our veterans. The issues of post-tramatic stress, poorly run and funded veterans hospitals are strong themes in the movie. There are battle scenes that happen in Vietnam, but the main focus is what happens to Ron when he comes home. As much as this film emphasizes the idea that Vietnam wasn’t a war the U.S. should have been in, the film also hammers in that we need to respect our troops – no matter what one thinks of the war they had to fight in.
1776 – Rated PG (DVD rating – the original release was G)
This film was made in 1972. There’s something very fitting about the fact that the best film addressing the actual story of how the American Revolution came to be is based on a hit Broadway musical. Musicals grew out of merging between European operettas and American vaudeville (www.musicals101.com)
John Adams: I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is a disgrace, that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a congress!
Gosh, darn it! It seems like politics hasn’t changed much!
Well, that’s my 4th of July list! Happy Independence Day, America!
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