An Empire of Reason
Documentary
Drama
History
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.
1988-07-03
en
Cast
Director
Ellen Giffard
Director
Muffie Meyer
Cokie Roberts as Self - Host
William F. Buckley Jr. as Self
Walter Cronkite as Self
John Chancellor as Self
Phil Donahue 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
Mario Cuomo as Self
François Giroday as Alexander Hamilton
Christopher Curry as John Lansing, Jr.
Nesbitt Blaisdell as Gov. George Clinton
Drew Snyder as Demonstrator
John C. Vennema as Robert R. Livingston
E.G. Marshall as Federalist Spokesman
Rex Robbins as Isaac Roosevelt
Richard Bright as Donahue Audience Member
William Duell as Donahue Audience Member
MacIntyre Dixon as Donahue Audience Member
Patrick Clear as Donahue Audience Member
Eli Wallach as Anti-Federalist Spokesman
Roberts Blossom as Melancton Smith
Jonathan Bolt as Anti-Federalist Delegate