ALEXANDER HAMILTON - From the American Revolution to the Duel at Weehawken

Favorite Son, a new documentary about Alexander Hamilton, is licensed for public display by The Cinema Guild and can be purchased for personal use online at George Washington's Mount Vernon. Viewers in the New York metropolitan area may see it at the 'Hamilton Grange' in Manhattan, a National Park Service site.

Favorite Son chronicles Alexander Hamilton's role in the American Revolution, in the ratification of the Constitution, and in creating the financial structure of the United States while acting as President Washington's Secretary of the Treasury. His conflicts with Thomas Jefferson- over every issue that divided the young Republic- echo throughout American history. But Hamilton's life had much to do with the New York area. He first settled in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and spent much of the American Revolution in the state. In 1791 he founded the city of Paterson, and in 1804 he was fatally wounded in his infamous duel with Aaron Burr at Weehawken. New Yorkers poured into the streets to mourn him, the great Founding Father they had given to the nation.

Although the title Favorite Son refers to Alexander Hamilton- in his relationship with George Washington- the film is not a traditional biography. It is freely episodic in form, telling some of the stories that took place in New Jersey and New York during the American Revolution and the early Federalist era. It is more interested in considering complex questions- slavery and racism, capitalism and industrialization- than in providing the pat, ready answers that dominate much documentary fare. Dramatic scenes move the story forward; they do not "illustrate" the narrative or simply re-enact it. Contemporary fictional characters, footage from D.W. Griffith's America, and time-lapse landscapes are all part of the mixture.

Julia Lowe Walker is 'Nyla,' a reporter whose ability to imagine the young Hamilton is exceeded only by her diligence in exploring his life and work. Jesse Pennington displays great instincts in embracing the role of Hamilton. Michael Emerson, an Emmy Award winner, is the voice of George Washington.