Williamsburg: the Story of a Patriot (1957) 

As a Williamsburg Tour Director, I have seen this film so many times and am so pleased it has been preserved. RIP Jack Lord!

From a 67 year old Williamsburg born boy I love that you all have such fond memories of this wonderful film!

When I visited Williamsburg in the mid 2000s the hotel had a dedicated channel for this. For some reason dad obsessed over it and just kept watching it.

I first saw the film on my honeymoon. October 1978. Everytime I go to Williamsburg I must go to the Visitor center to watch. 👍🇺🇸

I love it and Jack Lord is so articulate and elegant, perfect role for him, I am obsessed with all his films and tv.

I grew up on The Story of a Patriot, starting when I was 9 years old. I can't count how many times I saw it between 1965 and 1979. (During that time I also worked for CW and went to school at W&M.) The thing is, all of those times and years, not once did I see the opening credits; I didn't know they even existed, coupled with Bernard Hermann's wonderful overture that includes the best orchestral version I've ever heard of Chester. When I started seeing the movie, there was a short narration about Colonial Williamsburg, how to buy tickets and ride the bus, etc., and you were told John Fry was a fictional character and also something along the lines "Let's begin your journey into history, then the film beginning with the scene of the boy running through the field to the plantation, which I believe was filmed in Tuckahoe outside of Richmond. Later on, I don't think they even included that introductory narration. So, when I saw the restored version, sometime in the last 10-15 years, I saw the opening credits/heard the overture for the first time and realized I had missing something in the film for 40 or more years. What I would like to know, is who in CW came up with the dumb idea to cut out the overture/opening credits, I guess sometime in the late 50s/early 60s or did they ever even show them in the first lace when the film came out in 1957?

My awesome grandparents lived in Williamsburg almost their whole lives, spent many of summers roaming Williamsburg, Jamestown etc. This brings back so many memories. "Robert Fryyyyyy....grab a musket, get in rankkkkkk!" Haha loved that part

I saw this film on my first trip to Williamsburg at the visitor center in 1987. I have made many trips back to Williamsburg over the years and seeing this film upon arrival takes me back to "younger" days. It is a historical classic for sure. Thank you for posting this.

I have lived down here in Hampton since February 1968. My Dad retired from Fort Monroe August 28, 1970. My family has always loved this historic film. Jack Lord did a fine job in representing our Commonwealth! Virginia is our home, and we honor those who made our country the mightiest on this Earth…. GOD BLESS OUR FOUNDING FATHERS!!! 🇺🇸🕊️🇺🇸

When will this ,be On The National Film Registry? It's way overdue. Do you agree?

I just returned from a trip to Williamsburg and loved watching the film!

I remember this being on a loop at the Williamsburg Inn when I visited in 2000. I remember drinking Quibell sparkling water and watching it multiple times. What a find!

Thanks so much for posting this!! I remember it playing at the Colonial Williamsburg Welcome Center on loop!!

Having watched this after 40 years. This could have been lengthened into a full length. film

Beautiful restoration

I saw this film in 1977 when my parents and I visited Williamsburg and was so shocked to see Jack Lord in it. I immediately said to my mother, "Hey Mom, that's the guy from Hawaii Five O, Jack Lord. " Then and now am a big H50 fan.

I've always had a soft spot for Bernard Herrmann's superb, atmospheric score, so much so that I recorded the Overture in less than ideal conditions for a compilation CD titled "Americana at the Movies". Herrmann told me that he so enjoyed working on the film that he waived his usual fee. The soundtrack was recorded at Samuel Goldwyn Studios in the 3-track stereo by Todd-AO. Not a bad film. Poor Richard Striker died quiet young of a drug overdose.

My folks took us to Williamsburg in 1973 and I saw this movie for the first time then. It takes me back

this brings back fond memories of visiting with my parents. thanks for keeping those memories alive! .

Thank you for posting this film! My sister and I were practically weaned on this film and watched it each time we visited Colonial Williamsburg. No doubt nostalgic for me personally, but, nevertheless, this film did an excellent job communicating the issues surrounding the American Revolution.

thank you for the story when all begins from the started

Such a great film!

this is a good movie

This very afternoon, while watching reruns of Hawaii 5-0, I was suddenly and inexplicably reminded of a film I saw at South High School in 1967. The name of the film escaped me, but I remembered it featured a young Jack Lord and the story involved the American Revolution. So I searched RU-vid and shazam - here is the film I last saw in 10th grade government class, 55 years ago! What a great little gem, with an outstanding score, and excellent acting. Thanks so much for posting this. God where did all the years go?

Treasured memories .

Our father had a 16mm print of this film which he ran for us on a Bell & Howell projector one Sunday afternoon at home in our "rec room". I remember recognizing Jack Lord from Hawaii 5-0 on tv. I recall finding the scene involving an effigy hanging to be quite alarming.

Thank you to all for the restoration and Mr. Seaton(Miracle on 34th. St.) forethought in shooting in Vistavision.A 35mm process that gives you a 70mm high definition original negative.I first saw this movie in 1957. I was 13. As soon as we got out of the WB theatre, I told my parents I wanted to make a full-length movie here. All the sets are built.

Went to Colonial Williamsburg as an adult and saw this movie in the visitor's center before you board a bus ride to the town. That Hawaii 5-O guy Jack Lord starred in this film.

I love this film.

I saw this film at Colonial Williamsburg in 1984 when my family went on vacation there for Christmas break.

First saw it in the late '60s at the Visitors Center

I saw this film at the Williamsburg Visitor Center in 1971 as a 6th grader and again in the early 1990's.

Wonderful!!

I remember this film back in 1972 when my parents took me to Williamsburg back in 1972. I remember no credits at the beginning too. When I was in the 4th grade, my teacher showed it to us with the credits but I didn't recognize the film until the the zooming through the forest at the beginning and saying wow this is the film I remember from our trip. I wish a physical copy would be available on blu ray,

Saw this with my parents and brothers when my family visited Williamsburg almost fifty years ago. Quite interesting.

so is all begins

First saw this in 1961 at age 10!

I first saw this movie when I went to Williamsburg on an 8th grade field trip. It was the fall of 1971. I’ve been fortunate to have traveled (domestically and internationally) widely in my lifetime. But there is something about Williamsburg that draws me back over and over.

This movie was available at a hotel in Williamsburg I went to in Jan 2004. It was VHS and unwatchable. But Patrick Henry was memorable.

ellen and jim coyle you have to see this movie back i the 1776 !

Jack Lord!

16:18 snatches the case of tea and chucks it through the window! That's classic lmao :D :D 16:28, that's a sad waste of wine, I would have at least poured some of it into a jug and snuck it out before smashing the barrel. 16:48 cider makes you that happily drunk, I got to try it lol. :D

So obvious why CW closed the Visitor's Center and stopped showing this last year. Of course CW has been going downhill financially for years because no one cares about history. But for today's Patriots and those finally waking up to how we were sold back to the British Crown in 1871 and are rightfully fighting for our independence again now, this film is INCENDIARY. I might sound crazy but the spirit of Patrick Henry has been with me for some months now encouraging me to use my voice and to help get that damn British flag off the Capitol building once and for all. Why do they still fly it there?? Why not fly the original 13 colonies one as they did in this film after the "unanimous" vote for independence? Ask yourself who restored Williamsburg... Rockefeller, a key part of the Kab0l. Controlling the narrative, including our history, since the 1930s. Having grown up in Williamsburg, worked for CWF, and seen this dear movie so many times I could still quote it 25 years later, it finally occurred to me to look it up and watch it again. I will be sharing this far and wide. It's past time we took our country back once and for all.

The 3 Worlds of Gulliver like

Was this originally planned to be aired on the big screen in 1957? I assume this is 3-reeler.

Dr. Zworkin (aka the father of electronic television - if you believe RCA) doesn’t know how to spell his own first name!

The BEST of Colonial Williamsburg. CWF STOPPED showing this at the Info Center when they began to #HateAmericanValues & got #WOKE

Started attending Williamsburg in 1971. Once I had a child we continued the education. Love this movie. I am now in Texas and have heard Williamsburg has lost its objectivity - is Williamsburg going woke?

Planters wouldn't stay in an ordinary sleeping three to a bed. They would stay with another rich friend in comfort.