ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2008
- From HBO's Miniseries "John Adams"
"What do we mean by the Revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected from 1760 - 1775, in the course of fifteen years, before a drop of blood was shed at Lexington."- John Adams
The irony is that this very scene is poetic license. Adams did regard the painting with relative indifference and left again in good spirits.
The whole HBO series dabbled in poetic license. But it was well made and entertaining.
I think this whole speech was HBO trying to be a little meta about the show itself. What would Adams think if he saw it.
@@evillink1 consider the possibility that they are telling you a truth in this scene. "History is a lie, agreed upon." - Napoleon Bonaparte
@@evillink1 That's pretty funny.
Shin piece, sir.
John Adam's simply said that this painting showed men with no fear and they were all smiling. When In fact every single one of them were scared for there lives when signing this declaration. This was hard for all of them and was only unanimously signed under fear of death, a threat which was delivered by the king.
Very true. However I do agree that it is better to capture expectations, rather, to capture the faith each ultimately had in the cause. How they felt at the time is irrelevant, what matters is that they stuck it out, even if they didn't do it together, They still did it.
Haiden Geary saying facts of history are irrelevant means you understand art but not history
To ignore history over myth is to let myth dictate history. And this false history then reigns over the present. This is something our nation definitely suffers from.
@@mahna_mahna Not just "our nation", but every nation likes to portray their history in with a heroic skew.
@@porsche911sbs Never said just our nation.
In Quincy Adam's son, Edmund's recollection of the event, he described this scene differently. Although he was only 10 at the time. He said: "I well remember being one of the party which accompanied Mr. Adams to see Trumbull’s picture. Faneuil Hall was full of spectators when we arrived, and what impressed the scene upon my boyish memory was the respectful manner in which all the men took off their hats when Mr. Adams entered leaning on my mother’s arm, and remained uncovered while he stayed. Room was made for him by common consent, so that he could see the picture to the best advantage. He seemed carried back to his prime of manhood, and to the most famous scene of his life, and he gave his warm approval to the picture as a correct representation of the Convention. 'There is the door,' said he, 'through which Washington escaped when I nominated him as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army!' "
Thank you for illuminating this. But as rings true, echoing Paul Giamatti in the video above, with time it will be lost.
Edmund be like, “Daddy was chill, yo.”
@@JaySeraphon Paul Giamatti’s rendition is a modern critique of mythologizing the “Founding Fathers”.
Minor correction/qualification: that would be Edmund Quincy, son of Josiah Quincy III, who would later be mayor of Boston. He also recalled Adams' comment that Benjamin Harrison V, the father of William Henry Harrison, didn't look fat enough in the painting. Benjamin Rush recalled that Harrison had actually joked to Elbridge Gerry that he (Harrison) was so heavy, he'd die in a few minutes in the event the British hanged them for treason, whereas Gerry was so light he'd be kicking the air for an hour or so before he died.
I do like how the faces of Adams, Jefferson and Franklin resembles the actors in the series rather than the original painting
Yeah, reminds of the final episode of The Tudors, where the famous Hans Holbein painting of Henry VIII looks nothing like the actual painting but is instead a portrait of Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Tudor garb.
If it didn’t look like the actors it wouldn’t have made sense.
MrFlyboy1313 I get what you mean but look at it from this perspective, an artist wasn't there to paint an event that didn't happen so it would sorta make sense that not all the faces would be accurate so they could insert the actual faces of the founders to show the "inaccuracy"
@@MrFlyboy1313 It would have made sense since the painting actually exists, so for authenticity they could've used the real one. As to show that the critic is applicable to the real painting.
But they didn't, since it made even more sense to adapt the painting to actors, even if that meant to take some liberties, poetic liberties so to speak.
Which just goes to show that the show runners put a lot of thought into it.
Wow, I didn't realize till you mentioned it. Great eye.
I feel like John Adams would have the same reaction to the History Channel's recent "Sons of Liberty" series...
Most indeed.
Trevor Rowland That series was a national embarassment. History channel has done a grave disservice to the historical community.
100% Correct
I haven't seen it. But let me guess...Aliens!
And let’s not forget Hamilton.
Amazing how Adams and Jefferson both died on July 4th 1826..
They themselves probably could not have imagined a more fitting passing away for old men like them.
If thats not a sign from god, idk what is.
And James Monroe on July 4, 1831
Of course they did.
Soul brothers.
I think it’s extremely eerie that not only adams, but Jefferson too, both died exactly 50 years (half a century) after the declaration was signed. To the day. That is just insane.
Its not insane.. Its random.
Actually the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 2nd. It was published on July 4th.
The will to live and the will to die are one and the same. Once both of them found out the date they could finally let go. I reckon it was the final goal for both of them.
Only in America
@@Doowoo i don’t need you to tell me what adjectives to use Mr doody
That poor artists. Invites that historical titan to see his homage to him only to be told how awful he thinks it is. I would die of embarrassment if that happened to me.
Freddyfan951 well at least this scene is fictional, in reality President Adams only pointed at the door on the painting and said "when I nominated Washington to be commander he took his hat and rush to that door" or something
Freddyfan951 Adams was being Adams.Always saying what is on his mind.God love him!
Some aspects of Adams in this scene I agree as well. "A matter of detail" like Trumbull said; details to me are extremely important, life itself is in the details, therefore he was a little condescending to the former president. The painting is nonetheless beautiful, no doubt, but the basis, the premise in which it was painted, well, it wasn't the best.
Artists create “art”, which is not reality, and rarely even attempts to reflect it.
Art is wonderful, but passing art off as history is.....
Shitty.
It was honest at least.
The irony is that this whole conversation about not putting in things that never happened...
Never happened.
In fact, all he did was point to a door in the back of the painting and say,
"When I nominated George Washington to be commander in chief of the Continental Army,
he took his hat and went right out that door."
Plus, not all the signers are in the painting.
Also the picture doesn't depict the signing of the document, but it's introduction to the congress by the drafting ccommittee. This makes sense since you can see jefferson, adams, and Franklin showing the document to john hancock
True this event never took place but it reflects John Adams feelings toward how history was being portrayed. He wrote in his journal often late in his life how the whole revolution was be seen as a bunch of lies
This scene is a criticism of the show itself, that not even a well researched show can even come close to the truth. Its sort of a microcosm of history.
FAKE NEWS! FAKE NEWS! 😳😆
You would not deny the artist a certain license....
I love John Quincy’s little “hmph” when Trumble asks what he thinks, like he already knew that was a bad idea to open that particular can of worms 😂
"No, please don't ask him if he approves, he never approves of anything."
'The true history of the American revolution as lost'.
'Nothing is so false as modern history'.
That was a powerful delivery.
It was actually John Randolph, who critisized the painting as a "shin piece". Adams actually defended it from that jab. Adams respected Turnbull, who was a veteran officer of the revolutionary war.
Trumbull
@@michaelh13 I think he was right, the man was a Turnbull. He turned the truth into bull , simple as that pal.
@@michaelh13 Is OP not entitled to poetic license?
Funny when Trumbull asks Adams if he approves, Adams' son or grandson gives a cough trying to end that line of conversation or give a "oooooh boy, here we go" cough. :)
ilmsff7 That was for sure John Quincy Adams, who I think was President by that point.
ilmsff7 John Quincy Adams his son and future President.
not future. He was President in 1826 when the painting was placed in the rotunda.
The other guy with Adams is his son, John Q. Adams a future President.
At this point in the show, JQA had just been elected.
This mini series is a work of art itself.
Is it worth the $20 to buy it on YT? Never knew this series existed but I've recently watched clips and seems interesting.
@@Sevatar_VIIIthyes it is, you'll want to revisit it often
@@NeverSaySandwich1 - Agreed. I bought the series on disc, and watch it at least every other year. McCullough did recognize that the film took some liberties with certain details, but also understood why, for the sake of time, they were 'condensed'.
@@Sevatar_VIIIth It's worth no less than $100. Trust me it's an amazing piece of work. One of the best shows ever made. It's a pot of gold for history buffs out there.
"SHIN PIECE! All Legs and Ankles" My 6 year old laughs every time I say that.
They were the thighs of their time, as men went.
"You, Mr. Trumbull...are no Rubens."
Makes me chuckle every time.
"Except for me and Jefferson."
There was a third guy still alive, and he lived until 1832.
xzhxxxwfnxj. Y anonymous anonymous cRA do
Frank Strukel ?
I might buy that. But try to think about this.
How many people do you know of from history that lived to be 90 years old like John Adams did in his lifetime? (October 30, 1735 - July 4, 1826)!!!.
Charles Carroll of Carollton is who anonymous is speaking of.
C Pegg Thank you.
The way they built this series up was utter brilliance. You felt for every character. You really felt their fear…felt their emotions…
Historically JA viewed this painting at Faneuil Hall only 2 weeks after his wife had passed and that he gazed silently at it without making comment.
I love how JQ is like... "Oh shit... Shouldn't have asked that."
Even JQA, an elected president, fears his grouchy dad going off on one 😂
@Mr. Graves Even a President. Just because you're 50-60 years old and the Chief of an entire military...you will never escape the wrath that is your Mom and Dad even when they are 90 and knocking on death's door.
“......but other than that, it‘s great.”
lol
I'd really prefer that you be quiet...but yes, you are correct
Reminds me of that Key and Peele sketch.
This is a scene only someone raised in the age of moving pictures could have written. Neither Adams nor anyone of the 18th century would have expected a single painting to capture events that had taken place over time without a heavy dose of artistic license. It was the nature of painting, and thus became part of the culture of painting, that imagined scenes were created by painters to transcend the limits of time by depicting as simultaneous events that had taken place at different times. As one of the most cultured and best educated men on the entire continent, Adams would have appreciated this. Only someone raised in an age of film could impugn a painting for trying to achieve by art that which technology was not yet capable of achieving.
But you must allow the filmmaker certain license…….
❤❤
Except it was absolutely his opinion. The words he expressed here are taken word for word from the letter he wrote to his son John Quincy Adams.
That's not the point of the scene. The show isn't impugning the painting; it's warning the viewer not to take art as history. It's reminding us that we are watching a television show, not actual history. The scene as depicted never occurred, but that's the point.
@@conorford7852I can’t find this letter, could you send me to where it is? All I’ve read is that the scene was entirely fictional
We need a man like him so much these days. The presidency was not his finest hour, but beyond this he truly was a great man. And his son's term in the office was also not a fine hour for him either. But he went on to become one of the fiercely devoted followers of emancipation, the Adams are greatly missed
The times is what made that man. He was seeing an army march ashore on his home in Boston. While killing its citizens.
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was the last signatory of the Declaration of Independence; passing away at the age of 95 in 1832.
Actually James Monroe, Charles Carroll, And James Madison we’re alive at the time, and all out lived Jefferson, and Adams. Charles Carroll was the last founding father to die in 1832. 6 years after Adams, and Jefferson.
True, however a majority of those men I don’t believe John Adams himself had actually interacted with on a significant political level like he had with Jefferson and Franklin. don’t quote me on that, though
James Madison was the last founder father to die in 1836. Monroe in 1831, and Carroll one of founders and signers in the Declaration of Independence and the last surviving one died in 1832
Monroe and Madison didn't sign the Declaration of Independence and therefore weren't in the painting. Madison was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses at the time of the signing but not appointed to the Congress. Monroe was a lieutenant under Washington's command.
The portrait is talking about the signers of the “Declaration of independence” James Monroe and Madison didn’t sign the document. Carroll signed the document. However, he never casted a vote for the document, and only got voted in just in time to sign it. Carroll was never in that big founding father inner circle. It’s unknown if Adams or Carroll ever said 2 words to each other. They might have been cordial to each other if their paths crossed.
"Do not let our posterity be deluded with fictions under the guise of poetical or graphical licences."
I think he says it all with that sentence after the artist tries to justify the work as "artistic licence" which we see all too often today in Hollywood and to an extent even this program about John Adams.
Some want the founders to be holt saints and heroes only. But they were just as much villains and scoundrels on how they treated other human beings, and there very close minded natures. Only a few understood the a portion evil of slavery, and fewer saw anyone but themselves as worthy of rights and liberty. Are history of that time is littered with falsehoods and myths to make us feel better. But the truth, unvarnished and hard to swallow... is that we dont come from noblilty we are only noble when we try to live up to the ideals of freedom and liberty.
Lesson: Read some history after you enjoy this fine series. It is pretty interesting. =)
His literal interpretation is pretty harsh. Art is not meant to be a documentary, it is meant to symbolize and to inspire. The messages of unity and cooperation in tough times is a very good symbol for what the Revolutionary War was. I don't think any history is distorted at all just because of a painting. If you are looking to paintings to interpret history, you'll never know a whole lot. That in itself should be common sense.
Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper comes to mind....
Art is meant to evoke many emotions, including reality. For Adams, who lived the events of the painting, he didn't see that the art was interpreting reality, but that reality was being twisted into art and that greatly upset him.
Well, you must remember that Adams was obnoxious and generally disliked.
It doesn't symbolize or inspire, it does just the opposite! Those men that singed that document were scared out of their minds. They had been told they were going to be executed by the King. Yet they signed it anyway in a big FU to the king. Depict THAT! THAT WOULD SYMBOLIZE AND INSPIRE! This painting depicts the exact OPPOSITE of the courage these men had.
It feels like a punch in the heart when he says "I consider the true history of the American Revolution, is lost... Forever.." and he's not wrong.. Too few people then, too few people now don't understand the renaissance that it was, what it meant for human spirituality, and how it swept over the world long after Adam's time..
Not enough people understand it. But that's not the most important thing. It succeeded.
I get the feeling your comments derivea from the a lack of awareness that it was a rich bougi land owners who owned slaves that fought the right not to pay taxes to the king then taxed everyone themselves.
It power shift not and bougois revolution not a new thing fedual Europe was Roman generals ruling land away from Rome.
Their decedenta useing a forced documents declaring they had the Devine right to rule.
Natural law was invoked to justify the revolution saying all men are created equal while simulatiously owning slaves then natural law was dropped untill the end of world war to to punish Germans for awful acts that were not technically illegal.
Their is nothing rightous or good in the revolution on other side of the war
history is history, whether good or bad. it's important and should never be disregarded because men even back then weren't perfect. we should neither glorify nor erase. but respect what they did and gave us in the end; a free country of luxury and privilege. I'd rather have America any day then a messed up country with a corrupted government who doesn't care for its people and lets them fend for themselves like animals while they live on the street without schooling or clean water.
idiotic and uneducated of you to think otherwise
That's not what he was talking about. In fact, your pontificating is exactly the kind of "history being lost" that Adams was talking about. You're doing what Trumbull was doing: papering over the Revolution's imperfections, dirtiness, and moral ambiguity in favor of creating a grand national mythology, one that is more of a comforting lie than an honest assessment of history.
@@leeroberts4850 Wrong on every account.
"Mr. Jefferson's.... hallowed parchment..."
It's sad that they wound up so far apart in the end. He once said he'd "defend every word of it."
Falling to old age is hard. Adams did it with grace. So did Jefferson. I think that's a major reason we love them both. They kept writing even as life slowly faded.
The best part is how the real history is delivered through this. How signatures came whenever this or that person was in town. No matter what messages were being portrayed.
We watched this entire series in school. i enjoyed learning about the american Revolution.
So do I !!!!!
*paints one of the most legendary paintings in American history*
John Fucking Adams:
“shit sucks fam”
That's embarrassing as hell lmao.
Adams knew that the great group of thinkers and characters who had signed that monumental parchment was a unique group, and that there would never be such a coming together of minds like that ever again. He and Jefferson carried that legacy on with the breath in their old lungs and soon the last living memory of that occasion would be lost forever.
utter nonsense.
@@AlbertAlbertB. Sure, Jan.
@Jada Pinkett the world hates you for what you did to Will!
Trumbull deserved a better reception than that.
This was a fascinating series and I'm an Aussie. I wish America would make more shows like this about itself and less silly crap.
I really appreciate the small details here. The later scenes look so much more prosperous than the scenes first taking place in 1770. Better clothing, more elaborate buildings. All of it.
More sources:
Benjamin Franklin.
". . . Some books against Deism fell into my hands. . . It happened that they wrought an effect on my quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soon became a through Deist."
I love how John Quincy Adams' actor(and let's be honest probably close to the response of real JQA) makes the most uncomfortable groan/cough when the artist asks his "opinion"...for a historical drama that was hilarious! He was probably thinking " oh you poor fool, you should have left whilst you had the chance, you who opened Pandora's box!" Add on top of that how he stepped away quietly. When you've seen the shit hit the fan as many times as he did, you step out of the way.
Regarding this film, which also has inaccuracies in it, what should we then consider? Not everything depicted was accurate. For instance, in reality when Adams saw the painting, his only comment was to point to a door in the background of the painting and state, "When I nominated George Washington of Virginia for Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, he took his hat and rushed out that door." The film seems to contradict itself here in this scene. I still liked the miniseries though.
That's sort of the point. Its a sort of self awareness in the matter of how we mythologize and alter history for the sake of artistic license and promotion of certain values or swaying it to look at history in favor of public perception.
If you want to really learn about history then you have to find good , reliable and unbiased authors. They do exist, people who truly care about presenting history truthfully. Unfortunately documentaries, miniseries’ and films all aim to make a profit for those involved in its filming , acting , production and promotion. It’s just money making. The vision... take a historical theme or event that people find slightly interesting, cut out all the ‘overwhelming mundane stuff’ and simplify it... keep the lofty speeches , dramatic battle scene’s and turbulent romances. Most people like easy viewing and dislike complexity . They want history presented in black and white. Heroes vs villains.
It must have been incredibel to live in those 20 years after the revolution.
incredible
Much more chaotic than you'd think. Might I suggest reading 'Empire of Liberty' for this period :)
Thank God for John Adams.
It seems that John Adams reaction to the painting, would be similar if he encountered the modern day culture and representation of the past, Tom Hooper and the cast was marvelous, seeing a John Adams in his 90s is very endearing to me, reminds me of my grandfather.
He and Jefferson died on the same day, it was also the 4th of July. Adam’s last words were ‘Thomas Jefferson still survives’, which was incorrect, as he had passed away five hours earlier.
The painting is more like a group picture posed at the scene of the event commemorated. It's like a class photo rather the depiction of a moment in time. From this perspective, it is not inaccurate.
Adams was also said to have taken a long time and looking it over. He stopped and looked at the door in the corner saying, "It was that door." They thought the old boy is confused and losing it. That is when Trumbull tried to get Adams back on track and THAT is when Adams famous temper started to show itself again. Adams said, "No, it was that door in the back. That's the door that Washington last walked out of when I nominated him to be the General of the Army and you Mr. Trumbull were on his staff." Adams THEN went about the critique. John Trumbull was a veteran of the revolutionary war and sketched the British Army dispositions in Boston while on Washington's staff. Trumbull later was placed on Gen Gates staff whom he left regarding his date of rank and we went to London to study art. Interestingly Trumbull was then taken prisoner in exchange for the taking of the British spy Maj. John Andre in the Benedict Arnold affair and was charged with treason and could have been hanged but nobody really knows why and it seems suspicious to me. Ultimately John Trumbull is the American Painter of the American Revolution.
I see what you are sayimg, and I do think the criticism of the art is a valid one to be made, but it still disappoints me that Adams could not see the "American" essence of the painting that he fought so hard to create. Adams by this point was concerned that political parties would ruin America and that he would be seen in history as a tyrant. The painting conveys that America can unite with mixtures of different opinions and also shows Adams' unique role in it all. That should be an honor.
I'm not certain that this conversation ever took place. If anyone can confirm or deny, I'd love to read it. But as to the scene, I would suspect that it was crafted to show Adam's ultimate disappointment in how the ideals (which are always lofty, whatever they are) were implemented pragmatically. This, at least, we know to be true from his writings.
I think the paintings of the American Revolution were highly dramatized. I'm pretty sure a lot of these men in this painting were scared for their lives. They also had a lot on their shoulders. They were in death's path, they had an entirely new country to engineer, and they had families. John Adams in this scene was correct, this painting is a singularity. It only shows one scene, and it's too tranquil to call it historically accurate.
2:54 wow. What a telling line that speaks for today.
They were not all died. In fact, Charles Carroll lived until he was 95.
*“Fame is a bee. It has a song. It has a sting. Ah, too, it has a wing”* -Emily Dickinson
Some could argue our founding fathers would react strongly this way towards Hamilton the Musical (which I enjoyed)
This would have been his reaction to the Hamilton musical. This is mine as well.
+anonymous anonymous Feel free to explain? (only curious, not mad or judgemental)
Michael Ybarra Very bad history, deluded for poetical licenses.
+Michael Ybarra Without putting words in anonymous anonymous's mouth. I would surmise that he means that Hamilton is to historical accuracy, what Salvador Dali's works are to realism and portraiture.
Joe Moore Pretty much, yes.
it is relatively accurate. Name the biggest thing Lin got wrong
I realized that John Adams in the painting was changed to make it look more like Paul Giamatti's John Adams. As John Adams on the real painting didn't look like that...
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, JOHN SIT DOWN!"
(The very observant will understand COMPLETELY)
Better open up a window.
JOHN YOU’RE A BORE, WE’VE HEARD THIS BEFORE!! NOW FOR GOD SAKES JOHN, SIT DOWN!!!!
I enjoy this scene because it challenges the viewer. We've just watched this show for multiple episodes to be reminded, this isn't real. Nothing that was just told is accurate, or it's accurate as we want it to be. I applauded the film makers to make that distinction.
yeah this TV is golden, it really shows what Mr Adams was all about. A poetic, philosophical realist. Ironically, scenes of grandeur seemed to bother him alot (and for good reason, of course)
A man we need in these crazy times
Art has many purposes. In this case I feel that John Adam's response is completely justified. This "Art" claims itself to be historic, and he is upset because he knows that future generations will see this "Historic" moment as truth when in fact it never happened. What some call artistic liberties, unless they labeled as fiction, cannot ever be taken as truthful or historic because changes have already been made to an otherwise historical situation.
It's irrelevant weather they were all there at the same time. So I disagree.
@@dalepeto9620 I disagree completely. We should respect what the founders did for the country. We should seek to understand the issues they faced and how they faced them and form our own opinions accordingly. We should never deify them. They were humans just like the rest of us. Paintings like this, while pretty, are skirting the line of deification. The problem with deification is that subsequent generations don't recognize it as such and believe it to be the truth. It has taken us 200 years to acknowledge the flaws of our founders.
@@JB-gw7xf The painting doesn't deify them or cover up their flaws
@@dalepeto9620 yes it does. there was no peace, it was chaos to get that document signed by a majority of the founding fathers
It has been said that, “ The Past is a Foreign Country....They do things differently there”. History is like the Frankenstein monster.....the parts are all there but where is the spark that brings it to life?
Who said that??
@@dalepeto9620 English author L.P. Hartley
lronically in that painting which isn't totally real or true Lol !!!!!
@@IanP1963 your point is totally correct....
Perhaps the director was poking fun at some of the "creative license" they had used in this certain parts of this mini-series? Great scene!
How iconic that image would become. Amazing scene
This is my favorite scene of the miniseries
History is a subject which has no end. Not until the very end, that is.
Such great men, doing the best they could, under tremendous difficulties. They started it all, it is up to us to continue it. Or, at least, defend it long enough for others to continue the tradition. Give others the opportunity to correct what we may have gotten wrong, just as we have corrected mistakes of those who came before us.
Agree or disagree, we must pull together thinking not just of our present circumstances, but of the next generation. Each generation depends on the last. As we depended on theirs, others will depend on ours. We must depend on one another.
Love John Adams. A man of integrity
I still love the painting
This is such a powerful scene.
they portray trumball to be way too young in this. he would have 70 in 1826
One of the best scenes in all of history.
"all dead excerpt me and Jefferson" . . .I thought Benjamin Harrison was the last signer to pass.
David Osterman Charles Carrol was the last
a great movie! before i saw this movie i knew very little of john adams and afterwards found out what an interesting and amazing man he was. he was right in scenes of the movie though he seemed very hard on himself about not being remembered for his accomplishments. But after all hes done for our country and got the shaft almost everytime. if only we had a little of john adams in all our politicians
2:32 chills from that line.
A masterpiece on a masterpiece.
Honestly, that was eloquently put, I had similar feelings growing up when looking at these painting in high school history textbook. There’s a spirit to it them yes yet it seemed overly fabricated.
I approve of this.
I noticed something three times throughout the series, one of which occurs here around 4:08... historical paintings were slightly altered to resemble the actors more than their actual counterparts do. At 4:08 here, Adams' face has been changed to something closer to Giamatti's, Jefferson's to Dillane's, Franklin's to Wilkinson's, etc.
Whats funny is, the painting is not meant to show the signing. Trumbull was very clear that he wanted to depict the committee that drafted it introducing the document to the congress, not it's signing.
Adams blasted Turnbull on screen as Churchill blasted the painter of his infamous 80th birthday portrait. It is ironic that the character of that painter was portrayed in "The Crown" was played by the same actor who acted as Thomas Jefferson in "Adams," Stephen Tillane, I believe.
The only thing I didn't like about this miniseries was that it didn't show John Adams during the war of 1812. I would have liked to know what he was doing during it.
117rebel probably there wasn't any recorded documents about John Adams opinion or reaction to the War of 1812?
Or documents may have been destroyed.
Probably yes. After he left the White House in 1800, he completely retired from public life. And it was during the 1810s that he was corresponding with Jefferson about past mistakes and hopes for the future of the U.S.
busy being retired most likely
He had most likely retired from politics entirely by that point. Just wore him down by the time he left office a decade prior
Other have remarked about the irony that this scene never did happen in real life which is true….. but this fictional scene more accurately portrays the true and factual OPINION of John Adams upon seeing this picture
This episode makes me terrified of old age, I genuinely hope there is a heaven
Phenomenal actor
All Adams asks is that you turn history into a cartoon. You’ve got to be for freakin real.
sad looking at something when your old & you watched all your friends get old & die off one by one slowly over time then when your about 80 or 70 something then get walked in & see a big painting of everyone you knew was gone.
Cool. Thanks!
Historic ideation of how we want history because real history is never clean and ugly ridden in its detail prospects.
No one ever claimed Adams was gracious or merciful.
I wonder what Adams would think about our current situations in the world and with this particular administration. Very powerful movie
I think he would have been happy to see the US become the 'shining city on the hill'
I doubt that John Adams, even in his old age, would have been so ungracious.
2:54... "do not let our posterity be deluded with fictions under the guise of poetical or graphical licenses." Love it... and I'm one of those that was deluded. Thank you Mr. Adams... no... thank you President Adams for setting me straight and opening my eyes about this painting and confirming that i do indeed live in a world of lies.
Duh! You just now figuring that out?
I wonder what Jefferson thought of the painting...?
If you figure it out, let me know, haha.
In the painting Adams is front and center. Adams SHOULD have been a very happy and contented man
The painting isn't of the signing, but of the committee of five, consisting of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston, merely presenting their draft of the declaration to the congress.
@Nallii Perrajou its a mini series not a movie
I think this is a commentary from the show authors towards our regard for the founding fathers in the present. Historical accuracy aside, I believe the show is talking about how history often times overlooks the details for the grander picture that never actually existed. So often in today's politics and law we talk about the founding fathers and their "intentions", when in reality this show spent a majority of the time showing that their intent was at times simply not to fail.
In today's times, perhaps it is a lesson we can all take to account. To look towards the ghosts of the past for answers and pray that we hear their whispers while our present is left in inaction and dissolution. We partake in revolution at the ballot box one that rips down the a set upon course for perhaps a new one. We should not forget that the Republic we take for granted is not a thing of the past creation that we simply have to tend to. But one that we must continue to create anew.
You think Adams got pissed off about a painting?! I’d love to see his reaction to what our Republic became.
@@NoNo-ro9gx Wrong. Trump is more of a constitutional president than our most recent.
What would think about using king dopey joe the first
@@ronaldholden7551 Ha ha ha ha ha ha.... I needed a good laugh. Thanks
@@KevinVang1000 You realize more then a few of the founders weren't christian right? When they speak of God in their writing they mean "natural God", not your religious god.
@@jedison2441 Trump was a far better president than the globalist sellouts. And Trump won.
Great painting, bad history. "You are no Rubens".
The funny thing about history is that it is never historical. We all perceive the world around us differently and view history with rose tinted glasses. We all have our own biases and prejudices, the trick is recognizing what those are and make a conscience effort to not let them influence our thoughts and actions. I like to see myself as a amateur historian, and to that degree I often criticize others portrayal of the past. For instance, every year we have a local Renaissance Festival where they portray the idealistic society of the 1500's. The nobility, the peasantry, even the cutthroats are viewed as a happy-go-lucky rabble. When ever I take any friends to this event I am quick to point out that these times were not as carefree as they seem to be. While I do understand that the purpose of this gathering is to have fun and loose yourself for a day, the fact remains that those who never learn the past as it was can never truly appreciate the what we have now and see that we, now, are not far better than our ancestors. It is we, the common folk are the ones who make history by our thoughts and reactions to major events and people. If the people portrayed apathy to this declaration what do you think may have happened? If no one payed attention to Gandhi, or Napoleon what happens? It is up to us to find the truth of history no matter how good or bad to learn the lessons of our forebears and we must never forget no matter how much it pains us.
Very well said. Personally I regard "history" as an amusing mistake in the spelling of the phrase "His story", because of course history is built on archeology and words, not pure fact.
There comes a point in society's existence that the factual difference between what happened and what didn't is moot, because what good is history if the lessons we derive from it about what should and shouldn't be done in the future, are basically useless? What good are stories if they don't enlighten us as to what we should do on at least a spiritual and psychological level in response to the trials the future has for us? I gained more inspired strength for the virtues of compassion and learning from Harry Potter than I did from reading the Bible my school provided. Of course history is written by the victors and if John Adams was as decietfully disgraced by his portrayers during his life, as he appears to be in this show, I consider his anguish justifiable, however mere credit where credit is due, shouldn't be the main purpose of the telling of stories such as this. What should be the main purpose of the telling of these stories is the successful attempt at inspiring sincere devotion to equal, noble and reasonable liberty for the human race.
If Adams were to see what America is now, and if they were at least characteristically as this show portrays him, motivated by social decency rather than greed or sheer vanity, then I would respectfully hazard a guess that he'd be embarrassed by the nation he helped create in terms of whom and what it is being led by, whilst at the same time deeply sympathetic to those who came after who fought for liberty of the kinds that he never could.
So let us not concern ourselves with the "who really did what" in the lives of people long since dead, and focus on trying to find ways to make values such as liberty, compassion, courage, humility and honour, more popular, because what good is going to come from the dead of such historical giants if we can't find sufficient motivation to make the world a better place than it once was?
the irony
I am a British Unionist who disagrees with what at the time was separation from the mother country and the civil war that followed but have the utmost respect for John Adams. Just wished he was on our side.
I always thought they all signed it on the same day (July 4th) but was later told only Hancock signed it that day while everyone else signed it days or even weeks later, when they could, as stated in this video clip.
It was approved on July 2nd. The announcement to the public was made July 4th.
Adams certainly became a depressing person to be around at the end, didn't he?
no, he was evermore clearer
Getting old, the death of friends and family; knowing the events of your life are in the past and you have no future...this happens to everyone.
Frankly, life sucks.
Adams in old age didn't hesitate to say what he was thinking. Bracing clarity rather than social pleasantries would characterize conversation with him.
Yes, it was depressing for the artist here depicted.
Adams was an extraordinary and inspiring person at the end of his life. Look up the scene also from this episode called "Rejoice, Evermore". You'll see what I mean, or simply read the Jefferson-Adams letters written between 1814-1826. Inspiring men who had a way with words that only their experience of the past 50 years could have given them.
At that age buddy, everyone is. Lol.
Life tends to wear us all down.
imagine photography had been around in those days, i have seen photos of presidents and other famous people like everyone else
Adams' family proud! 😁 my great grandfather was actually named George Washington Adams. Too cool.