When I was growing up, A&E, the Arts & Entertainment Channel, used to produce TV movies, many on historical events and figures. These films were of course low budget, but many turned out quite good (Shackleton, starring Kenneth Branagh, is one I’d recommend). The Crossing, adapted from a Howard Fast novel, is about the famous crossing of the Delaware River, when General George Washington launched a surprise Christmas attack on a Hessian garrison at Trenton, New Jersey.
In 1776 Washington presided over a series of defeats in New York. By the time his army escaped into winter quarters, enlistments were almost up and morale was horrendous. Washington was desperate to do something to raise morale and also show that the fledgling American nation could win battles. He led an audacious night march in freezing weather, which included the crossing of the Delaware River. He strategically hit the Hessians (German soldiers hired by the British) just after they had partied for Christmas. The result was a clear, one-sided victory wherein the Americans suffered only a few wounded (though a couple died from the cold on the march) and the enemy about a hundred wounded and killed, with hundreds more taken prisoner.
The Crossing removes some of
the mythic elements of the battle. For example, you won’t see Washington
standing dramatically near the prow of a boat as its rowed across the icy Delaware
ala the Emanuel Leutze painting. Still, it celebrates one of Washington’s few innovative
moments of the Revolutionary War. He infamously floundered at many regular
field battles for the first half of the war. Washington himself is portrayed by
Jeff Daniels, the second of his two great historical roles after playing
Colonel Joshua Chamberlain in Gettysburg.
It shows how great an actor he is that he nails the reserved Washington, making
you forget he was in Dumb and Dumber.
He obviously did his research, as Washington was obsessed with looking well-composed
even when angry. I haven’t actually seen too many film portrayals of him, but
I’d be surprised if anybody manages to match him. He somehow stays a human
character while displaying all the traits that helped make him a revered
national hero.
The
rest of the cast is mostly unknowns. Most don’t even have a Wikipedia page.
Reliable British and Shakespearean actor plays General Hugh Mercer,
Washington’s number two for the film. Ned Vukovic does a fine job as General
Henry Knox, the chief of the Continental Army’s artillery. He is accurately fat
and bookish, but skillful at quickly deploying big guns in a heated fight.
Nigel Bennett plays Horatio Gates. This is the first of three movies on my watchlist
where Gates gets absolutely crapped on, the historical figure himself being
infamous for the following three crimes: losing several important battles in
the southern theater of the war, being involved in an anti-Washington plot, and
stealing credit for Benedict Arnold’s victories, thus motivating Arnold to turn
traitor. He shows up for one of the few major inaccuracies of the Crossing,
getting chewed out and made to leave by Washington when in reality he wasn’t
present for a legitimate reason.
The
other major character besides Washington is Colonel John Glover (Sebastian
Roche). Glover was known for forming the Marblehead Militia, a mix of
Massachusetts militia and mariners. With much sea experience mixed in, these
men expertly carried out amphibious operations and river crossings, making them
key to the success of the Battle of Trenton. Strangely, The Crossing doesn’t take advantage of the historical fact that the
unit was heavily integrated, with many blacks, Spanish, and American Indians
present in the unit. They all look white in he movie. Glover himself is
portrayed as an anti-elitist who butts heads with generals and insults
aristocratic civilians with his blunt honesty. On a final note, Alexander
Hamilton does appear in this film as a staff officer (before he was one in real
life). He mostly just writes down messages and doesn’t say much, so don’t
expect much from him.
Washington talks to Alexander Hamilton during the march. (https://televisionheaven.co.uk/reviews/the-crossing if you want a different review)
The
action is fine for a TV film. Near the beginning there’s an early shootout with
British soldiers when the Continentals are escaping to New Jersey. The Battle
of Trenton is well-staged, but the excitement is a bit dimmed because,
accurately, the battle was really one-sided. Among the post-film text readings
there’s a claim that the Continentals suffered no casualties, but this isn’t
quite true (at least there were no deaths or serious wounds). Fun fact, future president
James Monroe was among the five men to suffer a light wound.
The Crossing is a good
low-budget historical film. It’s interesting enough and Jeff Daniels is great
as Washington. I don’t give it the highest rating because thanks to TV
limitations and a lack of time for any intriguing character work, it lacks that
extra oomph to make it a very good or great film. Check it out, though. Hey, by a looser definition this is a Christmas movie!
Rating: 6/10
Here's a long dinner scene that gives a sense of the different historical portrayals.
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