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IMDb > The Howards of Virginia (1940)

The Howards of Virginia (1940) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
5.9/10   351 votes
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MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 12% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Sidney Buchman (screenplay)
Elizabeth Page (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Howards of Virginia on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 September 1940 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The Vivid Drama Of A Nation's Birth !
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. more
NewsDesk:
Frank Lloyd: Master Of Screen Melodrama
 (From Alt Film Guide. 5 January 2010, 10:50 PM, PST)

User Reviews:
this was MUCH better than I expected more (14 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Cary Grant ... Matt Howard
Martha Scott ... Jane Peyton-Howard
Cedric Hardwicke ... Fleetwood Peyton (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Alan Marshal ... Roger Peyton
Richard Carlson ... Thomas Jefferson
Paul Kelly ... Capt. Jabez Allen
Irving Bacon ... Tom Norton
Elisabeth Risdon ... Aunt Clarissa (as Elizabeth Risdon)

Anne Revere ... Mrs. Betsy Norton
Tom Drake ... James Howard at 16 (as Richard Alden)
Phil Taylor ... Peyton Howard at 18
Rita Quigley ... Mary Howard at 17
Libby Taylor ... Dicey
Richard Gaines ... Patrick Henry
George Houston ... George Washington
more
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Tree of Liberty (UK)
more
Runtime:
116 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
Certification:
Iceland:L | USA:Approved (PCA #6472) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Netherlands:AL (2004) | Sweden:Btl

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Film debut of James Westerfield. more
Soundtrack:
The Huntsman and His Master more

FAQ

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24 out of 30 people found the following review useful.
this was MUCH better than I expected, 3 February 2006
9/10
Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida

Despite rather mediocre reviews here on IMDb and in Leonard Maltin's guide, I really liked this movie. Unlike the few other American Revolution films Hollywood has made, this one was both interesting and did an excellent job in conveying WHY the Colonists were rebelling and didn't paint the British as total buffoons or Nazis (like in THE PATRIOT). Plus, the main character's father-in-law is a loyalist, so the real tensions that existed within families was given decent treatment. As an American History teacher, I must point out that despite coming from Hollywood in 1940, the realism in spirit is quite surprising and I could recommend this to kids, as they'd learn a lot.

It was odd to see Cary Grant as a bit of a rag-tag outdoorsman, but he carried it off better than I'd expected. Plus, his British accent really wouldn't have been out of place in the Colonies at that time.

Another big plus for the film was the relationship between Grant and his sons. Yes, it's a bit manipulative, but I really liked the way the writers dealt with this relationship in the movie. All in all, an excellent film.

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