July brings us all the flag waving, Independence Day parades we can muster. Put out your red, white and blue banners and be proud of all that there is to being American! The rich legacy of American history is not lost on us here at Scott County Public Library in beautiful Georgetown, Kentucky. We have a wonderful selection of patriotic movies, one that will be sure to touch your heart.
Glory (1989) (R)
The heart-stopping story of the first black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War, Glory stars Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, and Morgan Freeman. Broderick and Elwes are the idealistic young Bostonians who lead the regiment; Freeman is the inspirational sergeant who unites the troops, and Denzel Washington, in an Oscar-winning performance (1989, Supporting Actor), is the runaway slave who embodies the indomitable spirit of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts.
Gettysburg (1993) PG
Summer of 1863. The Confederacy pushes north into Pennsylvania. Union divisions converge to face them. Two great armies will clash at Gettysburg, site of a theology school. For three days, through such legendary actions of Little Round Top and Pickett’s Charge, the fate of “one nation, indivisible” hangs in the balance. The bloodiest battle fought on American soil comes to the screen in a powerful production “about the strategies, calculations, mistakes and heroism that turned the tide of the Civil War…a film Civil War buffs will find indispensable.” Tom Berenger, Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen, Richard Jordan and more play key roles in this magnificent epic based on Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer prize-winning The Killer Angels, filmed at actual battle locations and rigorously authenticated down to the boots.
Sergeant York (1941) (PG)
Torn between religious pacifism and patriotism, Alvin York of Tennessee went on to become World War I’s most acclaimed hero. As the simple backwoods farm boy who captured 132 German soldiers during the Battle of Argonne, Gary Cooper (hand-picked by York) also won acclaim- and his first Best Actor Academy Award. Released in 1941 when the United States was on the brink of another war, this stirring adventure inspired thousands of enlisting men. Nominated for a total of 11 Oscars including Best Picture, a winner for Best Film Editing and movingly directed by Howard Hawks, it tells of a religious man’s moral crisis, heroics, and subsequent return to the rural life he loved, refusing to capitalize on the adulation heaped upon him. An ode to patriotism and the human spirit, Sergeant York endures as one of Hollywood’s finest hours.
We Were Soldiers (2002) (R)
Mel Gibson and Randall Wallace, the star and writer of Braveheart, reunite for this action-packed war movie that features explosive battle sequences, thrilling aerial photography and unforgettable military heroes who fought for their country, their loved ones, and their freedom.
The year is 1965 and America is at war with North Vietnam. Commanding the air cavalry is Lt. Col. Hal Moore (Gibson), a born leader committed to his troops. His target: the la Drang Valley, called “The Valley of Death.” As Moore prepares for one of the most violent battles in U.S. history, he delivers a stirring promise to his soldiers and their families; “I will leave no man behind… dead or alive. We will all come home together.”
This heroic true story of commitment, courage, and sacrifice also stars Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott, Chris Klein, Keri Russell and Barry Pepper, and is “a must-see film for our time and all time!”
Flags of Our Fathers (2006) (R)
On the front line, there’s no time for fear. For 70,000 marines who fought with bombs blasting and guns blazing, the bloody battle for Iwo Jima was more than the turning point of World War II; it was the defining moment in their lives.
In the epic that The New York Times calls “a sweeping spectacle,” Academy Award winning director Clint Eastwood taps into the single greatest emotional truth of warfare; soldiers may fight for their country, but they die for their friends. Hailed by critics as “a film of awesome power and blistering provocation, an amazing feat,” Flags of our Fathers is a powerful true story of heroism and bravery that should be shared and remembered.
Last Ounce of Courage (2012) (PG)
Last Ounce of Courage is an intergenerational story about family, free expression and taking a stand for cherished beliefs. A family is struck by tragedy when a young man is lost in combat overseas, leaving behind a wife and young son. Years later, the fallen soldier’s father, Bob Revere, serves as mayor of a small town where powerful Washington interests seek to stamp out religious expression. The soldier’s son, now a young man, inspires his grandfather to take a stand for the ideals and traditional values that our heroes in uniform sacrifice everything to protect. In honor of his son, Revere embarks on a personal mission to reignite the latent patriotism and faith of his fellow citizens and reassert the cherished rights guaranteed to all Americans.
So American patriotism is alive and well here at Scott County Public Library. Celebrate American independence this month with a great movie…or two!