A museum orientation film in color, an historical -and inspirational- document which serves as a dramatization of real history for visitors to Colonial Williamsburg.
The story was written by the revolutionary American actor, playwright, screenwriter and writer Emmet Godfrey Lavery.
Despite its short duration, it is the longest-running motion picture in history, having been shown continually at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center since March 31, 1957!
It was filmed in May 1956 at Colonial Williamsburg Historic Are and was photographed in the area restored by the Rockefeller Foundation.
The film was intended as an introduction to Colonial Williamsburg's history, the reason for Winthrop Rockefeller's dream of restoring the original capital of the 13 Colonies to its earlier glory.
In the movie, participate residents of Williamsburg and 30 inmates from the local mental institution (Eastern State Hospital of Virginia): ιn appreciation for the participation of its patients and staff, the premiere of the film was held at the Eastern State Hospital of Virginia in early 1957..
Τhen, the movie was previewed for an audience including the Governor of Virginia Thomas Stanley and members of the Virginia General Assembly on the evening of March 30, 1957.
Produced by the American art director and production designer Don Roberts & the American journalist, screenwriter and producer William H. Wright (Bill Wright) for Paramount Pictures and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation which is dedicated to Williamsburg as the capital of Virginia and a symbol of American freedom and independence (see
https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/).
The film was directed by the American -former actor- screenwriter, playwright, film & theatre director and producer George Seaton (Stenius, of Swedish descent).
The music for the film was composed and conducted by the world-famous composer and conductor Bernard Herrmann (Maximillian or Max Herman)..
Jack Lord encarnates the symbolic role of John Fry who comes in contact with patriots like Patrick Henry, Thomas Jeffrerson and George Washington to become a rebel.
Williamsburg was founded as the capital of the Virginia Colony in 1699.
According to a review, ""Williamsburg: Story of a Patriot," tells the story of the events from a Virginian perspective from the remonstrations in The Burgess to the Mexican standoff between The Burgess and Governor Dunmore on April 20 1775, missing by only a day the right to the claim of First in Freedom. New York which sent Lord Tyron packing March 19 1775 after a Parade usually does not voice any dispute to Massachusetts' claim on primacy.".
Williamsburg was the thriving capital of Virginia when the dream of American freedom and independence was taking shape. From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg was the political, cultural and educational center of what was then the largest, most populous and most influential of the American colonies: it was the Colonial Capital and the Place Where the American Revolution Took Root (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitol_(Williamsburg,_Virginia)).
Williamsburg served as the colonial capital (with the building known as the Capitol) from 1699-1776. When Virginia declared independence from England in 1776, Williamsburg became capital of an independent state for three years. In 1780, the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia moved to Richmond.
Built between 1701 and 1705, the first Williamsburg statehouse served the colony of Virginia until fire destroyed the building in 1747.
The Capitol at Williamsburg, Virginia housed both Houses of the Virginia General Assembly, the Council of State and the House of Burgesses of the Colony of Virginia from 1705, when the capital was relocated there from Jamestown, until 1780, when the capital was relocated to Richmond.
The film was made with advice by Thad Tate (Thaddeus Wilbur Tate, Jr.), a Virginia historian, scholar and teacher at the College of William and Mary.
