The Presidents in Movies: The Crossing
The Crossing is a 2000 television movie which aired on the A&E (Arts and Entertainment) Network on January 10, 2000. The film is about George Washington crossing the Delaware River and the Battle of Trenton. It was directed by Robert Harmon and is based on the novel of the same name by Howard Fast. The film stars Jeff Daniels as George Washington.
The film opens with the retreat of the Continental Army across New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War, after a series losses and defeats during the campaign of 1776. After the army narrowly escapes across the river to the Pennsylvania shore, Washington, realized that something must be done or the Revolution will collapse. He conceives a plan to cross the river and conduct a surprise attack on the Hessian garrison at Trenton. Despite fatigue and the winter weather, Washington manages to lift his weary soldiers' spirits, allowing the army to cross the river on the night of December 25–26, 1776. The crossing is done in one night, allowing the troops to attack Trenton at eight o' clock on December 26, 1776, and gain a stunning victory, capturing almost all the Hessians.
Other cast members include Roger Rees as General Hugh Mercer, Sebastian Roché as Colonel John Glover, Steven McCarthy as Alexander Hamilton, John Henry Canavan as General Henry Knox, Ned Vukovic as Lord Stirling, David Ferry as General Nathaniel Greene, and Nigel Bennett as General Horatio Gates
The Crossing won a Peabody Award for excellence in 2001. Cinematographer Rene Ohashi won the 2001 ASC Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Movies of the Week/Mini-Series/Pilot", and the film's sound team was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special".
Following is an excerpt from the film:
The film opens with the retreat of the Continental Army across New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War, after a series losses and defeats during the campaign of 1776. After the army narrowly escapes across the river to the Pennsylvania shore, Washington, realized that something must be done or the Revolution will collapse. He conceives a plan to cross the river and conduct a surprise attack on the Hessian garrison at Trenton. Despite fatigue and the winter weather, Washington manages to lift his weary soldiers' spirits, allowing the army to cross the river on the night of December 25–26, 1776. The crossing is done in one night, allowing the troops to attack Trenton at eight o' clock on December 26, 1776, and gain a stunning victory, capturing almost all the Hessians.
Other cast members include Roger Rees as General Hugh Mercer, Sebastian Roché as Colonel John Glover, Steven McCarthy as Alexander Hamilton, John Henry Canavan as General Henry Knox, Ned Vukovic as Lord Stirling, David Ferry as General Nathaniel Greene, and Nigel Bennett as General Horatio Gates
The Crossing won a Peabody Award for excellence in 2001. Cinematographer Rene Ohashi won the 2001 ASC Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Movies of the Week/Mini-Series/Pilot", and the film's sound team was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special".
Following is an excerpt from the film: