John Adams: Join or Die

He Said:
Part one of the miniseries, Join or Die, captivated me with the suspense of not knowing until the end whether or not John Adams would ever lend his voice to the cause of freedom for the American colonies. I already knew from history that he would, but I occasionally doubted this fact throughout the viewing of the story. Foreknowledge of the outcome does not in any way diminish the enjoyment of this compelling movie.

John Adams appears initially as a complicated man. At times he seems no more than a country lawyer, without pretense other than to provide for his family and honor his love for justice. Other times, however, we see the gleam of ambition in his eye, as when the attorney general of Massachusetts asks him rhetorically why he moved his legal practice to Boston, anyway: To go unnoticed?

Either way we learn he is a principled man when he agrees to take on the unpopular case of British army troopers accused of murder in the infamous Boston Massacre incident. John states that the last thing any man should be without in a free country is access to fair and impartial legal counsel. Indeed, he feels so strongly about this that he argues publicly with his own cousin, Samuel Adams, in the streets of Boston regarding the matter and needs to be restrained by his wife, Abigail.

He wins that case and garners the attention of everybody, whether he wants it or not, for he is now known as a man of integrity, much sought after by both sides of the colonial conflict. He turns down appointments offered him by both the crown and the Massachusetts assembly, disappointing all. He argues stubbornly that his priority should be to his practice and family.

Finally, something happens to stoke his passions--the Coercive Acts of 1774. The incredulity on his face grows by the second as he witnesses the chastisement of the king read as a proclamation in public. "Are we considered too young and unprincipled to understand justice?" he asks bitterly. Anger is sparked all over the thirteen colonies and the Continental Congress is formed in Philadelphia as a result. Now finally he agrees, at Samuel's pleading, to serve as a Massachusetts delegate to the congress despite his nagging doubts whether the body has any legal authority.

The night before his acceptance speech, he hunches over his desk by the light of a single candle. We see the resolute anger in his eyes as he composes his text. Abigail comes downstairs to give him another candle, and then puts her hand on his head. John looks up and his mood breaks; a pensive look crosses his face, and he leans in to his wife. He appears to be near tears as the weight of his future overwhelms him. We feel overwhelmed, too, because we already appreciate the enormity of what is about to transpire in American history. For me, this is the most emotional moment of an episode filled with them.

The following night, standing in the pulpit of a packed church, John Adams accepts his nomination. His first few words are softly spoken and unintelligible. Someone from the back yells out: "Speak up!" Adams shrugs and resets. In this moment he finds himself and his voice as patriot and leader--founding father. He clears his throat, and his remaining words are loud, clear, and cause his fellow citizens to erupt in standing ovation:

". . . liberty will reign in America!"

She Said:

Iagree with Eric that suspense builds through this entire segment, from the driving snare drums in the opening credits through the triumphant departure of the delegates from Massachusetts in the final scene. I was completely captivated by a story I thought I already knew.

I felt the chill of that lone rider in the first scene--the one who turns out to be John Adams. An odd sort of pride swelled up within me for the people who built this country. It is so easy to forget in 2008 that Massachusetts was once a remote English colony, and life for its inhabitants contained no small dose of toil, hardship, and anxiety for what the future might hold.

Maybe it's a "female" thing, but I was equally captivated by the relationship between John and Abigail Adams. From the first time we see them look into each other's eyes on the snowy street in front of their home, it's obvious their relationship is extraordinary. They convey volumes in a single look or touch or a twinkle in the eye.

John Adams is always soft with Abigail. They are intellectual and emotional equals, and they treat each other with the utmost respect. He interacts with his children in an entirely different manner. He comes across as a sort of lion who loves them fiercely and often tenderly, but if they get in the way while he is attending to business, he roars.

The menacing events of the Boston Massacre unwind around a family reunion and send John back out into the streets to help his neighbors. He witnesses death in what looks to be a very one-sided conflict, but John Adams is a man of integrity and reserves judgment. He is asked to defend the British captain and his men, and even though it is the unpopular choice, he knows it's the right thing to do. Abigail is not convinced he is making the right move, and she tells him so.

"He may be telling the truth," John Adams replies simply.

"All your clients tell the truth, John Adams," Abigail points out a bit sarcastically. "But your prospective client is the most despised man in Boston." Abigail goes on to suggest that it's ambition that leads John to take the case. He argues that counsel is the last thing a man should lack in a free country. Fact, evidence, and the law anchor John Adams to his choices. He yearns to prove his colony is governed by law.

Tensions run high throughout the trial. I found myself on the edge of my seat while John Adams implored witnesses to tell the truth and not succumb to fear of retaliation from the boisterous majority in the courtroom. Tears welled up in my eyes while I watched his sheer determination to do what is right. Again, I was sort of blindsided by a sense of pride. I would like to think that determination is another building block of this country.

John collaborated with Abigail in all things, and one of my favorite scenes is when he paces around their four-poster bed while she quietly reads his closing argument. She starts her review with a compliment, and John is immediately suspicious.

"Abigail, you never charm me, so what you are about to say is cutting."

He was not wrong. She sums up his speech with one word, "Vanity." Then she goes on to state her honest opinion using words that demonstrate her own education and wit. "You have overburdened your argument with ostentatious erudition." Abigail then softens her words and tells him that he doesn't need to quote great men to prove he was one. She believes he can simply argue the truth, and people will believe him. John knows she is right and grudgingly spends the rest of the night rewriting his speech.

This scene is my favorite, not just because it shows the intimacy and intellectual vibrancy that makes John and Abigail such a unique couple, but also for purely theatrical reasons. The sparkling dialogue throughout this series is jaw-dropping, as are the beautifully filmed scenes, and this one in particular is a gem. There are really too many great chapters within Part One to mention within this article. The humanity and the emotional conflict on both sides of the line are poignantly exhibited in scene after scene.

Liberty is the core belief that finally propels John Adams to become a Massachusetts delegate to the first congress in Philadelphia. He knows the gathering is illegal--even treasonous--but he cannot abide the actions of the king. John Adams believes in his soul that liberty is an innate and essential right given by God, not granted to a select few by a king. Liberty must belong to everyone, no matter how lowly their birth.

I joined in John's fear when he whispered his misgivings to a proud Abigail after his acceptance speech--and I know how everything turns out! That is great storytelling. It is so easy to get wrapped up in this tale.

The final scene is simple and heartbreaking. John does not want to be torn from his family, and his children clasp hands to bolster each other up. They don't want to see him go. A pregnant Abigail is strong, but we sense her weariness and worry when she turns back into the house. The future of the country is uncertain, and she has to forge ahead without the help of her dearest friend.

Stay tuned.