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I've loved this book since I was a boy, and still think it's a wonderful way to get children reading about the birth of our nation. The movie does a good job of keeping the important historical facts front and center. Unfortunately, much of the book's richness, and darker shades, are cut away to make this more of a film for the entire family, five year olds included. As is often the case, entire characters are omitted in the interest of time and simplicity. On its own terms, though, a fine film and worth seeing.

I have a parent that is not allowing their child to watch Johnny Tremain. I don't understand why. I have noted that in some cases where language was a problem, I can understand that. This is based on an authors book about the American Revolution. Why would anyone want to keep their child from watching it? It is a clear depiction of the book and gives a good representation of the historical events. It also shows the dress and the attitudes of the time rather well too.

Is there something that was done that make it a bad movie, the language or what? Do others object to Disney movies as well especially the early ones?

Johnny Tremain took a reverse process in attaining success as one of the best films about the American Revolution. It was a two part program on Walt Disney's television show and then later it was stitched together for theatrical release, so popular did it prove. Just like Disney's Davy Crockett. You can plainly see the seams, but that really doesn't matter.

The fictional character of Johnny Tremain who is an apprentice silversmith and his struggle to establish his birthright to the satisfaction of his loyalist uncle Sebastian Cabot is set against the background of Boston in the 1770s. As we well know the seeds of the American Revolution were planted there, it was a hotbed of latent treason to the British crown.

As Johnny Tremain started as a juvenile novel the issues of the American Revolution are quite simply laid out so that even the lay historian can follow the issues and the events of the Boston Tea Party and later the Battles of Lexington and Concord pretty much as they actually occurred.

And the personalities of the Sons Of Liberty come wonderfully alive in this film. Walter Sande as Paul Revere, Walter Coy as Dr. Joseph Warren, Rusty Lane as Samuel Adams step right out from the textbooks. But in the few scenes he has Jeff York as James Otis steals the movie.

There was a touch of genius in the casting of York and who would have suspected it because York normally played rough hewn frontier type characters. It was totally against type that York was cast as the Back Bay Patriot with both genius and madness in his running in his veins. Otis and Johnny Tremain define the real issues of what became the American Revolution in the best acted scene in the film.

Hal Stalmaster was a fine and earnest Johnny Tremain and was 'introduced' in this film. Why his career went nowhere after that is still a mystery. Luana Patten plays the daughter of Will Wright and Virginia Christine the silversmiths that Stalmaster is apprenticed to and Richard Beymer plays Stalmaster's original tutor in radical Sons Of Liberty politics.

If grade school teachers are not using Johnny Tremain as a teaching tool when the kids are learning the American Revolution, shame on them.

I watched Johnny Tremain because I'm taking a history through film class. This was one movie that we all watched together in class. The movie is about the Sons of Liberty, it contains the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere's Ride. It tells the story about Johnny, a boy who worked for a blacksmith until he had an accident and was unable to use one of his hands, and his journey joining the Sons of Liberty. We learn about their secret meetings they had and all the plans they made. Some of acting was really cheesy and the lines were kind of funny. You can tell the movie was made in the 50's due to that and the screen quality. There was bad lighting and the screen was slightly fuzzy so it gave it an older kind of look. I feel like the film followed history as I know it pretty well. It made sense and it followed the stories that I've always heard and had the right people. Something I did realize was different was Paul Revere's ride. It wasn't as big a deal as I've always heard it was and I'm pretty sure he isn't alone on his mission to watch for the light. I once watched a Suite Life of Zack and Cody episode where they reenacted the Boston Tea Party. Aside from that I've never really watched a film about this that I can remember. I really liked this film because it had a good sense of friendship and community among the Sons of Liberty. It always makes you feel good to see the good guys win and even though this is history and so it must follow the storyline, it was still something I like to see. I also liked the fact that they had children and teenagers in it instead of a bunch of old guys, I didn't like that some parts were very uneventful and I got bored and distracted easily. As a movie overall I think it was a good way to educate people on this history of those stories in an understandable and entertaining way. Although it didn't follow history quite exactly, it still had most of the correct facts. This isn't a movie I would watch more than once because it wasn't very exciting. I also probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless they were trying to find a way to learn some short history quick and easy. It was interesting but not enough to make me want to rewatch it.

This is one of those Disney gems that should get some renewed attention. The song "The Sons of Liberty" is a modern invention but a very plausible-sounding one. Both the book and the film ignore Sam Adams' cousin John's involvement in Massachusetts colony politics (so not a fault solely of the movie.)

I would not recommend seeing this movie prior to reading the original book, because the cast of characters is greatly simplified for the movie and you may find yourself saying "Who's that?" if you wait to read the book until after seeing the film.

By the way, I think Revere's using a grease pencil and not a Magic Marker in the silver shop consultation.