An Empire of Reason (1988)
Docudrama about the debate surrounding New York State's ratification of the United States Constitution. Historical figures wear modern dress and use familiar language to help today's audience understand firsthand the forces that shaped this country two hundred years ago. The argument, characters, passions and debating points are historically accurate, but the language and the medium of the debate is modern in form. Present day newscasters and commentators play themselves, reporting on the events of the 1780s as though they were occurring now.
- Released
- 1988-07-03
- Genres
- Documentary, Drama, History
- Runtime
- 58 min
- Status
- Released
- Directed / written by
- Ellen Hovde, Muffie Meyer
Cast
- Cokie Roberts as Self - Host
- William F. Buckley Jr. as Self
- Walter Cronkite as Self
- John Chancellor as Self
- Phil Donahue as Self
- Robert MacNeil as Self
- Andrea Mitchell as Self
- Al Roker as Self
- Forrest Sawyer as Self
- Jamey Sheridan as Daniel Shays
- Ed Koch as Mayor of New York City, 1788
- James Rebhorn as Jesse Woodhull
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