John Paul Jones (1959)

John Paul Jones: The swashbuckling adventures of the Revolutionary War naval hero.
	Dramatis Personnae(partial): Robert Stack .... John Paul Jones Jean-Pierre Aumont .... King Louis XVI Bruce Cabot (I) .... Gunner Lowrie Susana Canales .... Marie Antoinette Macdonald Carey .... Patrick Henry Charles Coburn .... Benjamin Franklin Peter Cushing .... Captain Pearson Bette Davis .... Empress Catherine the Great David Farrar (I) .... John Wilkes John Charles Farrow .... John Paul Mia Farrow Director: John Farrow Writers: John Farrow * * * * * * * Jesse Lasky Jr.
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In American Naval annals Jones looms as a character larger than life. Yet the real Jone Paul who adopted the name Jones to skate on a murder charge stood about 5'6" tall, hardly NBA material today but in his time perhaps slightly taller than average.

Size was hardly the only obstacle Jones had to overcome. Not favored by birth into a poor large Scottish Clan or by the circumstances in which Scotland found itself swarming with Red Coats spoiling for a fight with the natives, young John Paul at age 14 signs on to go sea as ship's boy.

Rising to wealth in the colonial trade as a prosperous as a ship owner in the West Indies, John Paul (Robert Stack) kills a mutinous crewman. The British magistrate offers friendly advise: flee to America rather than wait a year or two in jail for an Admiralty Court. "And," the magistrate cautions, "..change your name before you go - Smith, Brown, Jones."

In Virginia, Jones inherits the family farm and with it a place in an America seething with resentment toward the Redcoats and veering into revolution.

When Revolution explodes, Jones accepts a commission as second in command of the ship Alfred and a mission to raid a British fortification in the West Indies to appropriate gunpowder for the American cause.

In his next command The Providence, Jones takes 18 British vessels with his tiny ship, sending their badly needed stores home to the Continetal Army. Despite all the prizes won, the Continental Congress lands Jones at the bottom of their list of naval commanders.

Robert Stack's stately appearance and mellifluous voice carry the air of command, even if they do not capture a Scottish burr. Stack plays Jones as the committed hero, unshakable in battle, despite a justifiably anger at the ingratitude Congress would show almost all its talented land and sea commanders.

Yet despite the rage General George Washington (Jack Crawford) persuades Jones to return to sea to break the British blockade. Jones promises to steal the derelict Ranger docked at Portsmouth, refit it, raise a crew, and set to sea.

On the briny, the French greet The Ranger (according to the movie) with the first salute given to the flag of the United States.

History usually gives the honour of the first salute to US colors to the Dutch at St. Eustis.

Rushing to Doctor Franklin (Charles Coburn), Jones has a plan to invade the British Isles with a tiny ship. While distracting the entire British Navy with incursions and raids, Jones will force insurance rates to skyrocket. As insane as the plan was, at Whitehaven, Jone's landing party sneaks into the British fort and, without opposition captures ammunition,destroys war materiel. The locals offer no resistence. Jones brazenly marches through town and back to the Ranger.

Fullosia Press Index The Benedict Arnold Story - RPPS -- The society - Truth In Media Review - The Patriot Stephen Decatur - Originally From Inditer Dot Com The Tragic Odyssey of Robert Goldstein - The Sad Tale of the Father of the Revolution in the Cinema	:	Sir Harry Sir Harrison Alfred Andrews describes himself as a Briton gone native in a wild, primitive, exotic and dangerous country called the US. Elected Commandant of the RPPS Military Sciences Division, Sir Harry assists in maintaining the RPPS Cultural Service as he says "if it amuses you people to call yourself a culture." His writings often appear in Fullosia Press. (http://rpps_fullosia_press.tripod.com).
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Although the mission was successful, a disgruntled crewman's charges lead to the relief of Jones. Ranger is withdrawn to America. High and Dry in France with only the comfort of his beloved aimee, Aimee Jones regrets his inability to build an American Navy above politics and privateering.

Although the King of France cannot provide a ship for Jones, the Queen privately invests in the Bon Homme Richard named after Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac." Asea under the American flag, meets the HMS Serapis in an attack so fierce that the two ships are grappled together and firing point blank. Refusing to surrender, Jones declares the famous words, "I have not yet begun to fight." The British surrender just in time for the Americans to transfer to the captured vessel before the good ship Bonhomme flounders.

The movie turns to a somber note when Jones asks the defeated British captain join in funeral prayers. Ashore a delighted King Louis awards Jones the title "chevalier."

The movie does miss a point about the extent of Jone's victory. When the SERAPIS docked in the Dutch port of Texel days later, under American red, white and blue stripes, the British protest of an act of piracy was rejected by the Dutch government, winning for Jones a second reaffirmation in the recognition of US colors. And of course Jone's design for the stars and stripes was one of a kind.

First in war and first asea, Jones finishes last in love. Despite honors and acclaim Jone's girl Aimee is of the blood royale who cannot marry a commoner.

Peace brings a let down. The young republic cannot afford a naval fleet with competent seamen. The Real life Jones warned accurately of future trouble with the Barbary coast.The newly installed Republic would pay dearly ($2000 per seaman captured by Arab pirates) for ignoring Jone's prophesy.

Jones had helped beat the English the real life Jones hated, but his country cannot afford to pay.

Jones departed for Russia to accept a commision as rear admiral in the Czarist Imperial Navy from Catherine the Great (Bette Davis). In the movie, Jones is on assignment from the US government to study the building of a real navy; in reality Jones was out of work and needed a job. While the Empress is less interested in war than playthings, Jones prefers the sea and his command.

The real life Jones found the Czarina's navy in worse shape than the American Navy with conscripted serfs unable to perform minimal tasks of seamanship. Jone's reports of such resulted in trumped up charges. Luckily Jones was permitted to leave for France.

The movie version is kinder to the Russians. Despite constant interference and poor ships, Jones has won great battles in the Black Sea for the czarina. However, Jones has fallen critically ill.

On return from Russia, Jones is attended by Franklin and Aimee. In real life Jones died alone. Franklin had departed for America long before.

Jones probably would have enjoyed the uniqueness of his burial: the first unnoticed almost without ceremony in the foreign cemetary in Paris seething with its own revolution. The remains would probably have crumbled into dust except that an American counsular official thought that America might wake up sometime in the future and recasll its hero home. The body was placed in a leadened coffin.

In 1906 the US emerging as a superpower located the grave now under a Paris street and disinterned Jones for reburial in the chapel at Annapolis, Md. All the pomp lacking in 1792 was found over 100 years later.

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