Michael Douglas is excellent.

this is SO MUCH better than "Manhunt" which is a travesty to actual history.

Fantastic cinematography, costumes, accents (they actually use French people!) and the acting is top notch.
stays true to history

5 stars so far

LMCane said:

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Michael Douglas is excellent.

this is SO MUCH better than "Manhunt" which is a travesty to actual history.

Fantastic cinematography, costumes, accents (they actually use French people!) and the acting is top notch.
stays true to history

5 stars so far

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I was in and hooked until he opened a chain of 5 and dime stores across the country

There seems to be a stark difference between this and HBO's John Adams. It's been a while, since I saw that one, but I remember it presenting Franklin as a guy who just wanted to party with the local French. That he wasn't a serious person. And that John Adams was the guy who brought gravitas to the situation.

I have not read anything about this mission, but it seems that this show's portrayal would be much closer to reality.

Article on Franklin's time in France

https://theamericanscholar.org/franklin-in-paris/

aTmAg said:

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There seems to be a stark difference between this and HBO's John Adams. It's been a while, since I saw that one, but I remember it presenting Franklin as a guy who just wanted to party with the local French. That he wasn't a serious person. And that John Adams was the guy who brought gravitas to the situation.

I have not read anything about this mission, but it seems that this show's portrayal would be much closer to reality.

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I believe you are 100% spot on.

Franklin was known for his dalliances with young women but he was still the foremost American "scientist" and inventor of his day. he was no dummy.

he was also in France for much longer than John Adams was. of course the Biography of Adams is going to make him seem to be the center of all positive developments. but it was really the entire American delegation including Thomas Jefferson.

the French knew and liked Franklin much more than they knew and cared for John Adams.

If you're interested in the Revolutionary War and our Founding Fathers I highly recommend reading "Our First Civil War" by H.W. Brands.

LMCane said:

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aTmAg said:

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There seems to be a stark difference between this and HBO's John Adams. It's been a while, since I saw that one, but I remember it presenting Franklin as a guy who just wanted to party with the local French. That he wasn't a serious person. And that John Adams was the guy who brought gravitas to the situation.

I have not read anything about this mission, but it seems that this show's portrayal would be much closer to reality.

---

I believe you are 100% spot on.

Franklin was known for his dalliances with young women but he was still the foremost American "scientist" and inventor of his day. he was no dummy.

he was also in France for much longer than John Adams was. of course the Biography of Adams is going to make him seem to be the center of all positive developments. but it was really the entire American delegation including Thomas Jefferson.

the French knew and liked Franklin much more than they knew and cared for John Adams.

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The Adams series definitely shows that the French liked Franklin a great more…. As a matter of fact, the Adams series really shows John Adams as a pretty well globally unliked character, but also misunderstood to a degree. It did show his importance, but definitely was not shy about his weaknesses either.

And it also portrayed Jefferson as a key cog in France.

I think it was fair to Franklin from the standpoint that he wasn't the focus of the series. It showed Franklin to very much be a politician in that he played both sides, even though he had a definite opinion on how things should go; he attempted to sway things in that favor. But, I also think it made him almost a comical character in France. A little too much so. He did have the reputation for being a ladies man…. But it made it comical in how it was portrayed to a degree.

Sit down, John
Sit down, John
For God's sake, John
Sit down

*Will someone shut this man up?!*

Franklin knew it was good diplomacy to be liked by the ruling class, so he had fun and did things to enhance his celebrity.

John Adams… didn't quite understand that if people like you, that helps in politics and diplomacy. He was over serious and I think I recall there being a jealousy of Franklin as well.

If I ever wrote a book about Adams, it would be titled "Everyone Hates John Adams"

Aggie_Journalist said:

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Franklin knew it was good diplomacy to be liked by the ruling class, so he had fun and did things to enhance his celebrity.

John Adams… didn't quite understand that if people like you, that helps in politics and diplomacy. He was over serious and I think I recall there being a jealousy of Franklin as well.

If I ever wrote a book about Adams, it would be titled "Everyone Hates John Adams"

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it's still crazy to think that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died within a few hours of each other on the exact same day!

and it was American Independence Day!

that is just bizarre.

James Monroe (pres No. 5) also died July 4.

I'll be checking the show out becuase I find this part of history endless interesting. From the trailer, it seems like he isnt really making much of an effort to alter his way of talking. Maybe it wont matter

I'm two episodes in and personally delighted that the writers are giving a bit of screen time to the Marquis de Lafayette. I've been obsessed with his life's story for years and years and have always thought it would make an excellent film or series.

aglaohfour said:

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I'm two episodes in and personally delighted that the writers are giving a bit of screen time to the Marquis de Lafayette. I've been obsessed with his life's story for years and years and have always thought it would make an excellent film or series.

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Someone told me about a good book about him, but I dont remember which one it was. Dont want to waste time on a bad book.

I recently read The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. He was so intelligent, always looking for ways to improve society, current inventions, etc. Very good book if you're interested in his life story.

Two episodes in. So far so good. Admittedly, my knowledge of Franklin is surface level stuff that is often referenced in popular culture. So this has been a good look at an important character from the era.

PatAg said:

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aglaohfour said:

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I'm two episodes in and personally delighted that the writers are giving a bit of screen time to the Marquis de Lafayette. I've been obsessed with his life's story for years and years and have always thought it would make an excellent film or series.

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Someone told me about a good book about him, but I dont remember which one it was. Dont want to waste time on a bad book.

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It's probably this one. It's the best one I've found.

LMCane said:

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Aggie_Journalist said:

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Franklin knew it was good diplomacy to be liked by the ruling class, so he had fun and did things to enhance his celebrity.

John Adams… didn't quite understand that if people like you, that helps in politics and diplomacy. He was over serious and I think I recall there being a jealousy of Franklin as well.

If I ever wrote a book about Adams, it would be titled "Everyone Hates John Adams"

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it's still crazy to think that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died within a few hours of each other on the exact same day!

and it was American Independence Day!

that is just bizarre.

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And Adams's last words were supposedly "Thomas Jefferson still lives", not knowing that Jefferson had died a few hours earlier.

aglaohfour said:

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I'm two episodes in and personally delighted that the writers are giving a bit of screen time to the Marquis de Lafayette. I've been obsessed with his life's story for years and years and have always thought it would make an excellent film or series.

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Lafayette we are here!

That guy and many other Europeans really did play a huge role in us winning the war. Von Steuben!
I know the Marquis lived long enough to return to the USA in the 1800s and write a book about the country.

batchuser said:

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LMCane said:

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Michael Douglas is excellent.

this is SO MUCH better than "Manhunt" which is a travesty to actual history.

Fantastic cinematography, costumes, accents (they actually use French people!) and the acting is top notch.
stays true to history

5 stars so far

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I was in and hooked until he opened a chain of 5 and dime stores across the country

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I'm old enough to get that reference