Although I have seen and heard much criticism of this made-for-TV movie and the other John Jakes, "Kent Family Chronicles" made into film, I think this one is undoubtedly the best. Andrew Stevens, whose acting career later declined, plays a very earnest, somewhat naive Philip Kent, and seemingly symbolizes the perceived idealism of many Americans at the time of Revolutionary War. The characters of Judson Fletcher and Eph Tait, were finely portrayed by Don Johnson and Doug McClure, who give the Movie a rousing, period Revolutionary flavor to it. Other fine TV Actors, such as Peter Graves as George Washington, and Tom Bosley as Bejamin Franklin, do a more credible job than you might anticipate. The film was made on a modest budget, as there are no major battles shown, but rather a few small action scenes in the form of smaller skirmishes, intrigues and a duel. As a spoiler, I can tell you that the movie is entirely different from the book. As one example, Kent and Fletcher become best friends in the film, whereas they never even meet one another in the novel. The movie script in my opinion, was an improvement over the book, although I still very much admire John Jakes, having read all his Kent Family Chronicles Books and North and South Series. I wish they would make more films of the former (the latter already having been memorialized into Movies).
Review of The Rebels
