We Fight to Be Free

Saw this on the third day of opening of the new Mount Vernon visitors and education center. This is an attempt to educate people who come to Mount Vernon with little knowledge of our first president (some surveys showed people thought he fought in the Civil War, etc.) It was extremely well done and shows how museums are providing top-flight productions. I know a passable bit about the era, living in Alexandria, Virgina and serving as a docent and history buff. It is well worth seeing, as are all the new (and old) possibilities at this historic site. Sebastian Roche does a great job, portraying Washington -- the attempt here is to show visitors that Washington didn't always look like the old man on the dollar bill. He was a vigorous soldier, fighter and loving husband, a handsome young man who could go for days on the frontier without faltering. He was known to have been able to ride all day without fatigue, etc. This shows in the film and I think it does what the Mount Vernon historical association wanted to accomplish.

As a history buff, I've visited many historical sites and battlefields and watched many short documentary museum films. This film was without qualification, the best I've seen yet.

I saw this film during my recent visit to Mt. Vernon. Beginning the visit with such a great film sets the perfect tone for the rest of the tour. Very high production values, excellent writing, and beautiful acting all come together to create a wonderful introduction to the life of George Washington.

The film highlights the events surrounding Washington's decision to cross the Delaware River and attack the Hessian force on Christmas. Demonstrating the type of man Washington was off the battlefield and away from the political arena, the film also shows how Washington met Martha Custis.

Overall, the film gives the viewer new perspective into the type of man Washington was, what his motivations were and how he came to be unanimously chosen as the first president of the United States.