The Patriot - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts

[discussimdb]

Fan of The Patriot or just want to share your movie knowledge? This topic is dedicated to all trivia and questions related to The Patriot

[norma]

Jake Gyllenhaal auditioned several times, and was considered for the role of Gabriel Martin, but eventually lost out to Heath Ledger. They would later star in the movie Brokeback Mountain (2005) together, and become very close friends.

[jesus]

The scene where the Martin family looks on as a battle encroaches on their backyard was cut from the script. The filmmakers only shot it because they got ahead of schedule.

[linda]

The theme music was played after President Barack Obama's acceptance speech on election night in 2008.

[ruby]

Benjamin Martin's talent for recruiting men was based on Thomas Sumter, known as "The Gamecock."

[chris]

The Patriot (2000) is one of the favorite films of the young Italian director Christian Orlandi.

[jim]

Robert Rodat wrote seventeen drafts of the script before there was an acceptable one.

[willard]

The tomahawk Benjamin uses to fight the Redcoats is made of rubber for safety, but when Benjamin gets ready to throw the hatchet, it is metal hatchet heavy enough to throw.

[amber]

The Battle of Cowpens, upon which this movie is based, took place on January 17, 1781. This battle has been commemorated by the U.S. Navy, which named two ships after it. The U.S.S. Cowpens (CVL 25) was a World War II light aircraft carrier, which won twelve battle stars, more than any other light carrier in the war, and was the first ship to enter Tokyo Harbor, and land Marines on the Japanese mainland. The U.S.S. Cowpens (CG 63) is an Aegis Guided Missile Cruiser, serving in the Pacific Fleet, from San Diego, California.

[clayton]

The studio wanted to cut a certain shot in the cannonball scene to avoid an R-rating, but Roland Emmerich felt it was important not to sanitize war.

[brent]

The score used in the film is also used as the opening music in the 2004 television series Jack & Bobby (2004). Both featured Logan Lerman, who played Benjamin Martin's youngest son William, and future president Robert (Bobby) McCallister.

[cassandra]

Screenwriter Robert Rodat called the final battle a hybrid between the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and the Battle of Cowpens: The mixture of militia and Continental army in the battle. The militia's reputation of not holding, and the tactic of using that, to lure the British in. The militia only firing a couple of volleys before a planned retreat to a secondary line composed of the Continental army. The Continental army firing and then performing a bayonet charge.

[richard]

Roland Emmerich previously directed Godzilla (1998), in which Philippe (Jean Reno) says he is a "patriot who loves his country."

[charlie]

The character of Colonel Tavington is loosely based on Colonel Banastre Tarleton, who was Cornwallis' cavalry commander. Colonel Tarleton had a bad reputation, but some say he was not nearly as cold-hearted and evil as the fictitious Colonel Tavington (though many historians portray them equally). In the movie, Colonel Tavington died at the end of the Battle of Cowpens. The real Banastre Tarleton lived to grow old until 1833, became a General, and even served in the British Parliament.

[nora]

Roland Emmerich said the scene where the two armies march toward each other is like a "Couple of thousand people playing Russian Roulette."

[cassandra]

The city of Charles Town (or Charleston) was digitally added to the background during editing.

[carl]

This is the second time Rene Auberjonois has played a clergyman serving his country during a war. In Robert Altman's MASH (1970), he portrayed Father Mulcahey, aka "Dago Red," a Catholic chaplain stationed at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War.

[christina]

The family takes refuge on Saint Helena island, South Carolina, which is in proximity of the resort community of Hilton Head island. It was, as described by Benjamin, an island occupied by slaves (some freed, but not the majority) and other groups that came to be known collectively as the Gullah. Having strong African roots, it developed its own language, which is a form of Creole. It was originally given the name Saint Elena by the Spanish in the 16th century and was the capital of the Spanish territory of Florida. It later was taken by the French and then the British.Resembling the low, rice-growing lands of west Africa, it saw the arrival of many slaves that were brought there after being captured in what is now Sierra Leone. It is surrounded by marshland particularly around the southern end and, with several virtually interlocking islands being to the east, it only has exposure to the Atlantic at the north and south ends. The location depicted in the film, while being geographically inaccurate, is near the southern end of the island on the eastern shore.Benjamin describes it as being, "right under the British noses." It did not provide much of a strategic benefit and would not have a British presence. Even so, the family would not have been difficult to find, which makes the use of it more of a narrative convenience than a practicality.