The Patriot (2000)
A great example of why Hollywood is so reluctant to take a chance on movies about The Revolution. During development, “Saving Private Ryan” screenwriter Robert Rodat had intended this to be a gritty portrayal of Francis Marion, who had combated the British with what we would now recognize as guerilla tactics. But when mega-star Mel Gibson got involved, he transformed it into “Braveheart in Tricorns,” leading to an outcry that he was portraying the British as more sadistic monsters than historical records reflect. It does feature Gibson stabbing another man with an American flag, something I’m pretty sure no other film on this list has.
