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.
Directors: Ellen Giffard, Muffie Meyer.
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Cokie Roberts as Self - Host |
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William F. Buckley Jr. as Self |
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Walter Cronkite as Self |
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John Chancellor as Self |
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Phil Donahue as Self |
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Robert MacNeil as Self |
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Andrea Mitchell as Self |
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Al Roker as Self |
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Forrest Sawyer as Self |
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Jamey Sheridan as Daniel Shays |
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Ed Koch as Mayor of New York City, 1788 |
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James Rebhorn as Jesse Woodhull |
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Mario Cuomo as Self |
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Charlayne Hunter-Gault as Self |
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François Giroday as Alexander Hamilton |
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Christopher Curry as John Lansing, Jr. |
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Nesbitt Blaisdell as Gov. George Clinton |
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Sol Wachtler as John Jay |
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Drew Snyder as Demonstrator |
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Joseph Warren as Robert Yates |
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John C. Vennema as Robert R. Livingston |
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E.G. Marshall as Federalist Spokesman |
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Rex Robbins as Isaac Roosevelt |
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Edwin McDonough as Donahue Audience Member |
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Richard Bright as Donahue Audience Member |
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Richard Seff as Donahue Audience Member |
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William Duell as Donahue Audience Member |
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MacIntyre Dixon as Donahue Audience Member |
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Patrick Clear as Donahue Audience Member |
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Eli Wallach as Anti-Federalist Spokesman |
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Roberts Blossom as Melancton Smith |
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Guy Paul as Convention Secretary |
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Jonathan Bolt as Anti-Federalist Delegate |
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Stu Daly as Voice-over Announcer |
| Directing | Ellen Giffard | Director |
| Directing | Muffie Meyer | Director |
| Production | Muffie Meyer | Producer |
| Production | Ellen Giffard | Producer |
| Camera | Ed Marritz | Director of Photography |
| Editing | Alison Ellwood | Editor |
| Sound | Arnold Black | Original Music Composer |
| Production | Lynn Piasecki | Associate Producer |
| Art | John Wright Stevens | Art Direction |
| Production | Barbara Shapiro | Casting Director |
| Production | Eve Battaglia | Casting Assistant |
| Production | Judy Claman | Extras Casting |
| Editing | Lawrence Silk | Additional Editing |
| Art | Margaret Peckham | Assistant Art Director |
| Art | Jeanette Oleksa | Set Decoration |
| Art | Michael Zande | Set Dresser |
| Costume & Make-Up | Mary Jane McCarty | Costume Designer |
| Costume & Make-Up | Susan Douglas | Wardrobe Supervisor |
| Costume & Make-Up | Jo-ann Dumm | Makeup & Hair |
| Production | Amy J. Kaufman | Co-Producer |
| Writing | Ronald Blumer | Writer |
| Production | Nicole A. Gordon | Executive Producer |
| Directing | Brenda Goodman | Assistant Director |
| Directing | Kyle McCarthy | Assistant Director |
| Directing | Terry Benes | Assistant Director |
| Camera | Robert Achs | Additional Photography |
| Camera | James McCalmont | Additional Photography |
