Print the Myth

Rating: 3/10 (1 June 2005)

Hollywood has adapted the history of many other nations to the myth of the U.S.A.'s birth many times (e.g. Braveheart, Ben Hur, any other film where a plucky minority battles for independence from a tyrannical empire), so it's interesting to see a film that goes back to the source. I don't immediately want to turn off any American patriots reading this review, so I want to make it clear that I'm not trying to be critical when I use the word "myth". What I mean is that the American revolution did not begin as a group of U.S. patriots fighting against a tyrannical empire, but rather, as a group of citizens fighting for their rights within an empire. That it turned into a war, and that the war ultimately became a rebellion against an empire (the myth is not a lie, but it is an exaggeration), and that the war then gave birth to the U.S.A. is one of history's happiest series of errors and misfortunes (mostly by the British).
The winners get to write the story of what happened, and in the case of the U.S., the story is written in terms of "freedom". It's one of the most powerful, influential, and for the most part, beneficial stories that the world has ever known. The spread of democracy in the world, emancipation and enfranchisement of millions of people, the development of human rights, the growth of capitalism, with all of the benefits that it has brought (lower infant mortality, greater longevity, higher material standard of living) - all of these things have to greater or lesser extent (often greater) been driven by notions of "freedom" that trace back to the U.S.A.'s nation-building, and to its attempts to live up to the ideals that made the rebellion justifiable - to live up to the myth.
U.S. citizens have lots of reasons to feel pride in their country. But criticising this film, and, for that matter, criticising America doesn't necessarily mean being unpatriotic, or mean that you hate America. The reason that patriotism stirs strong emotions is because where you come from is a big part of making you who you are, your opinions and values. Feeling proud of where you come from therefore makes you feel proud about yourself (by the same token, feeling shame about where you come from, or being told you should, tends to provoke a defensive reaction, as it's similar to being told you should feel shame about yourself. This is a lot of the reason why English people find this film so personally offensive). But if you're going to feel pride in your nation you should do it because there's something to be proud of, not just for the sake of feeling good about yourself.
I think that's the main reaon why the historical misrepresentation of this film annoys people from other countries. As I say, Americans have lots of reasons to feel proud without having to make any more up. The U.S.A. is not a fledgling nation any more - it doesn't really need the myth. Its values have become global, and it doesn't need a story to justify them any more - they stand on their own. It certainly doesn't need to take the truth behind the myth and distort it yet further just to feel good. Feeling proud of yourself because of something that isn't true is self-deceit. Doing it when you're already king is hubris.
I should also point out that pretty much every other country in the world has its own myths and self-deceptions, so this isn't an exclusive attack on America. America just has the biggest film industry...