Part Two of HBO’s “John Adams” picks up where Part One left off as Adams has traveled to Philadelphia as a delegate in the second Continental Congress where the decision to declare independence from England will ultimately be decided. More importantly (as far as the mini-series is concerned) this is where we are going to be introduced to a whole new cast of characters. Some big names certainly stand out, but there are a couple of lesser knowns that may really capture your attention.
Recognizable faces you will meet here are Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin, Stephen Dillane as Thomas Jefferson and David Morse as George Washington. Wilkinson presents Franklin as something of a voice of reason for Adams, looking at how each position will be perceived by all parties involved. At times he appears as a man that will have your back while others he is satisfied going with the mob, knowing it will serve as an advantage later on down the line.
Dillane’s portrayal of Jefferson is a subdued one as Jefferson was more of the “quiet one” in the John Adams/Thomas Jefferson team. He says what he means and he means what he says and he doesn’t waste words getting to the point. There is a great scene in the second part where Ben Franklin is admiring a chair in Jefferson’s study. Franklin is spinning around in the chair, fascinated with the invention, and Jefferson plainly tells him how he made it and smiles as Franklin continues to spin.
David Morse as George Washington is almost unrecognizable. His performance, like Dillane’s, is quiet and goes relatively unnoticed until Washington is called on as the Commander-in-Chief of the new Continental Army as attacks on Boston continue to rage on.
Two actors that stand out from the crowd of big names are Zeljko Ivanek as John Dickinson a representative of Pennsylvania and newcomer Clancy O’Connor as South Carolina representative Edward Rutledge. Ivanek recently played a major role in the first season of the FX series “Damages” and at the age of 50 it is hard to believe I am just getting to know him as an actor now. The success of his performance as Dickinson is vital to the second part of this mini-series and he pulls it off with perfection as Dickinson adamantly expressed his opposition to American independence. This is most likely the reason his name hasn’t gone down in history alongside the likes of Adams, Franklin and Jefferson.
O’Connor, on the other hand, is making his acting debut, and while it is a limited role he pulls off his performance as Rutledge so well that it truly stands out among the rest. I can’t imagine this will be the last we hear of him.
The second part begins with a failed session of the Continental Congress and ends with Washington leading a battle in Boston and a declaration of independence adopted by Congress and read aloud to a cheering crowd in Philadelphia. The relationship between Adams and his wife isn’t as central in this piece, but her part in the story isn’t stifled as she is dealing with plenty back on the homestead with disease rearing its ugly face and is even seen in one scene making musket balls around a candle with her three children pitching in. It is quite a scene.
With a running time just over 90 minutes, the second part of “John Adams” air Sunday, March 16 following Part One in a three hour first night event. Get the full synopsis for this episode here.
You can read my review of Part One right here.
