Summary
In an intricate narrative tapestry woven across generations, 'My Own United States' unfurls a poignant saga of duty, betrayal, and ultimate redemption. The film opens on a contemporary impasse: Philip Nolan III, a scion of a storied American lineage, stands recalcitrant against the call to military service, his democratic fervor conspicuously absent. His father, Philip Nolan II, burdened by the echoes of a family disgrace, endeavors to dislodge his son's intellectualized apathy. With a profound sense of historical imperative, the elder Nolan recounts the ignominious tale of their progenitor, the original Philip Nolan, infamously dubbed 'The Man Without a Country.' This searing familial chronicle details Nolan I's entanglement with the treacherous Aaron Burr, a narrative thread that meticulously re-examines the fraught political landscape of early America: the contentious presidential election that saw Thomas Jefferson triumph over Burr, Alexander Hamilton's pivotal intervention thwarting Burr's gubernatorial ambitions in New York, and the tragic, definitive duel that ensued. The story culminates in Nolan I's wedding night arrest for complicity in Burr's audacious conspiracy to carve out a rival Southern empire, culminating in his excommunication from American soil for a defiant utterance. His subsequent life, a stark testament to the profound pangs of national severance, concludes with a deeply symbolic embrace of the very flag he once spurned. This ancestral confession, steeped in the bitter lessons of history and the enduring power of national identity, profoundly transforms Philip Nolan III, propelling him from cynical detachment to impassioned commitment, as he finally answers the nation's summons.
Synopsis
Philip Nolan III refuses to fight for the cause of democracy. His father, Philip Nolan II, who has failed in his efforts to convince his son of the fallacy of arguments, then lays bare all the details of the shameful treason of his own ancestor, the first Philip Nolan, "The Man Without a Country." The father's story shows how the first Philip Nolan played into the hands of Aaron Burr; how Thomas Jefferson was elected president over Burr; how Alexander Hamilton prevented the conscienceless Burr becoming governor of New York; the duel between Hamilton and Burr; how Philip Nolan was later arrested on his wedding night for aiding Burr, who had conspired to start a rival government in the south to wage war against the United States, and how he was later banished from the United States for saying "Damn the United States! I wish I might never hear its name again," and how Philip Nolan died kissing the flag of the country he had execrated. Deeply moved, Philip Nolan III loses no time in joining the boys in khaki.
Review Excerpt
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The Enduring Echoes of Patriotism: A Deep Dive into 'My Own United States'
In the annals of early American cinema, few films tackle the very essence of national identity and the profound weight of legacy with the gravitas and narrative ambition of Anthony Paul Kelly's 1918 production, My Own United States. More than a mere historical drama, this film serves as a compelling, multi-generational interrogation of what it means to be an American, particularly when faced with the cal..."
