Patrick Henry's rousing speech before the Virginia legislature argues for colonial independence.Patrick Henry's rousing speech before the Virginia legislature argues for colonial independence.Patrick Henry's rousing speech before the Virginia legislature argues for colonial independence.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 1 win total
Photos
Ted Osborne
- Randolph Peyton
- (as Theodore Osborne)
Ralph Brooks
- Delegate
- (uncredited)
Carrie Daumery
- Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Jesse Graves
- Moses - Washington's Servant
- (uncredited)
Charles Frederick Lindsley
- Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Jack Mower
- Gentleman
- (uncredited)
Bancroft Owen
- Tom
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaVitaphone production reels #7766-7767.
- GoofsThe guests at General Washington's house are shown dancing to Ludwig van Beethoven's "Minuet in G", which was not composed until 1796. In fact, Beethoven was born in 1770; i.e., five years before the events shown at the beginning of the film.
- Quotes
Patrick Henry: If this be treason, make the most of it!
- Crazy credits[Prelude] Our country's struggle for independence brought forth many great men. Some who earned their greatness by sword ~ others by pen.
One there was, whose name is immortal because he had a gift of oratory and the courage to use it. This is the story of that man ~ Patrick Henry.
Virginia 1765
- ConnectionsEdited into The Bill of Rights (1939)
- SoundtracksLiberty Rules Our Land
(uncredited)
Music by M.K. Jerome
Lyrics by Jack Scholl
Sung by Bancroft Owen (dubbed by Dick Foran) at Patrick Henry's house
Played as background music often
Featured review
"Let George III profit by their example"
Give Me Liberty was the first of three short subjects in which character actor John Litel played the fiery Virginia bred founding father. This one is a competently made film which gives the essence of the real Patrick Henry.
One of the other reviewers mentioned that he thought Litel was old fashionedly flamboyant as Henry. But in point of fact that's what he was in real life. He was indeed the kind of spell binding orator whose words did move men. Henry was one of the leaders of the Virginia bar as well as a Delegate in the Virginia House of Burgesses, his summations to the jury were legendary.
That aroused a lot of jealousy among his contemporaries. Thomas Jefferson whose forte was writing not speaking, trained as a lawyer as a young man. I recall reading Dumas Malone's multi-volume Jefferson biography where Jefferson wrote in his diary about how hard he worked on researching precedents and that all Patrick Henry did was bamboozle juries with bull. Nothing's changed in over 230 years as far as lawyers in this country. Jefferson gave up law practice and it was Patrick Henry's stock in trade.
He was a mercurial man Henry, you never knew which side of an issue he'd wind up on. He was at various stages after the Revolution, a Federalist and an anti-Federalist whatever the mood struck him.
Don't look for consistency with Henry, but this film will give you a good idea what he was like in his glory days of the Revolutionary War.
One of the other reviewers mentioned that he thought Litel was old fashionedly flamboyant as Henry. But in point of fact that's what he was in real life. He was indeed the kind of spell binding orator whose words did move men. Henry was one of the leaders of the Virginia bar as well as a Delegate in the Virginia House of Burgesses, his summations to the jury were legendary.
That aroused a lot of jealousy among his contemporaries. Thomas Jefferson whose forte was writing not speaking, trained as a lawyer as a young man. I recall reading Dumas Malone's multi-volume Jefferson biography where Jefferson wrote in his diary about how hard he worked on researching precedents and that all Patrick Henry did was bamboozle juries with bull. Nothing's changed in over 230 years as far as lawyers in this country. Jefferson gave up law practice and it was Patrick Henry's stock in trade.
He was a mercurial man Henry, you never knew which side of an issue he'd wind up on. He was at various stages after the Revolution, a Federalist and an anti-Federalist whatever the mood struck him.
Don't look for consistency with Henry, but this film will give you a good idea what he was like in his glory days of the Revolutionary War.
helpful•60
- bkoganbing
- Jun 13, 2008
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Broadway Brevities (1936-1937 season) #12: Give Me Liberty
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime22 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content