Movie · documentary, drama
An Empire of Reason
1988 · 58m
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Is it worth watching? An Empire of Reason
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What is it about? An Empire of Reason
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.
Genres: documentary, drama, history. Themes: new york state, usa history, media & politics.
Cast and crew An Empire of Reason
All
Creators
- Directed byEllen Hovde
- Directed byMuffie Meyer
- ScreenplayRonald Blumer
- MusicArnold Black
- CinematographyEd Marritz
- EditingAlison Ellwood
Full cast and crew34 cast members, 27 crew
Cast:
- Cokie Roberts · Self - Host
- William F. Buckley Jr. · Self
- Walter Cronkite · Self
- John Chancellor · Self
- Phil Donahue · Self
- Robert MacNeil · Self
- Andrea Mitchell · Self
- Al Roker · Self
- Forrest Sawyer · Self
- Jamey Sheridan · Daniel Shays
- Ed Koch · Mayor
- James Rebhorn · Jesse Woodhull
- Mario Cuomo · Self
- Charlayne Hunter-Gault · Self
- François Giroday · Alexander Hamilton
- Christopher Curry · John Lansing, Jr.
- Nesbitt Blaisdell · Gov. George Clinton
- Sol Wachtler · John Jay
- Drew Snyder · Demonstrator
- Joseph Warren · Robert Yates
- John C. Vennema · Robert R. Livingston
- E.G. Marshall · Federalist Spokesman
- Rex Robbins · Isaac Roosevelt
- Edwin McDonough · Donahue Audience Member
- Richard Bright · Donahue Audience Member
- Richard Seff · Donahue Audience Member
- William Duell · Donahue Audience Member
- MacIntyre Dixon · Donahue Audience Member
- Patrick Clear · Donahue Audience Member
- Eli Wallach · Anti-Federalist Spokesman
- Roberts Blossom · Melancton Smith
- Guy Paul · Convention Secretary
- Jonathan Bolt · Anti-Federalist Delegate
- Stu Daly · Voice-over Announcer
Crew:
- Ellen Hovde · Director
- Muffie Meyer · Director
- Muffie Meyer · Producer
- Ellen Hovde · Producer
- Ed Marritz · Director of Photography
- Alison Ellwood · Editor
- Arnold Black · Original Music Composer
- Ronald Blumer · Writer
- Nicole A. Gordon · Executive Producer
Movies like this An Empire of Reason
Details An Empire of Reason
- First theatrical release
- July 3, 1988
- Country
- United States
- Original language
- English
- Studio
- Middlemarch Films
Frequently asked questions
How long is An Empire of Reason?
58 minutes.
Who’s in An Empire of Reason?
Cokie Roberts, William F. Buckley Jr., Walter Cronkite, John Chancellor, Phil Donahue, Robert MacNeil, Andrea Mitchell, Al Roker, Forrest Sawyer, and Jamey Sheridan. Directed by Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer.
Sources: TMDB (title data, images). As of November 13, 2026. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. · Ta strona po polsku