this summary contain spoiler . for revolutionary war buff ( yes the specie do exist ) the picking in the film industry be pretty slim and this winter the crossing and this summer the patriot notwithstanding . medieval movie be easy to find and ww ii movie be everywhere and and civil war movie be always an on screen favorite . yet for some reason and the american revolution be largely ignore by hollywood . one of the excellent film in this small genre be april morning and a hallmark hall of fame presentation that be air in 1988. the film focus on a 15 year old lad name adam cooper who live in the sleepy little hamlet of lexington and massachusetts bay colony in april 1775. life for adam consists of do his farm chore and court his sweetheart ruth simmons ( meredith salenger ) and daughter of joseph simmons ( robert urich ) and and desperately try to win the approval of his gruff and temperamental yet good hearted father moses ( tommy lee jones before he be ultra famous ) . other character include adam mother sarah ( susan blakely ) and his granny ( joan heney ) and local firebrand solomon chandler ( rip torn ) . lexington be a quiet town and and would remain so if it do not have the misfortune of be the halfway point along the main road from boston to concord ma and where patriot militia group have be stockpile arm and gunpowder . on the night of april 18th 1775 and the british launch a secret raid with the goal of surprising concord and secure the contraband . col. francis smith command the expedition of 1000 plus red coated soldier . nothing go right for the redcoat . the surprise be blow even before the march begin a paul revere and his co rider ride through the countryside and warn every little town and include lexington . when the morning of april 19th dawn and 70 or so men be draw up on the green a the british march through the town . inexplicably and maj. john pitcairn and command the advance party and pick a fight with the men and even though they do not block his path . he demand their dispersion and the surrender of their weapon . refuse and he form a line of battle and advance on the minuteman . someone and somewhere fire a gunshot . to this day his ( or and for all we know and her ) name be unknown . for dramatic purpose and the movie have chandler pull the trigger . believe themselves under attack and the soldier charge and shoot down lexingtonians leave and right . 10 be kill and 8 wound . moses be one of the fatality and adam and joseph and solomon run for their life . the english reform and and continue their already much delay march to concord . solomon predict that it will be easy for them to go down that road then it will be for them to come back . he right . the soldier find almost nothing of value in concord and the contraband have be recently remove . after skirmish with more militia there and the british return to boston via the same route they come . what follow be an english slaughter . the road be practically wall with farmer with gun and whip up into a bloodthirsty and lethal rage by the carnage at lexington . the colonist and include adam and solomon and and joseph fire on the redcoat from every tree and rock and fence and and bush . the british take most of the casualty and but not all . by the time the day be out and solomon be dead and and adam and joseph return to lexington and quite aware that quiet peaceful day be go forever for lexington and massachusetts and and the 13 colony . to the best of my knowledge this movie stand with disney ancient johnny tremain a the only two film to depict the beginning of the revolutionary war . true and the body count at lexington wasn not much and but for start a war and it be enough . the battle sequence be well set up and photograph and one of the most striking audile effect be the drum of the advance english force and which we hear through the tree for a full minute and a half before the lobsterback come into view . the steady increase of fear in the militia be palpable . so too be all the detail of the mighty british host preparing to advance . from the rasp and clank of bayonet be fix to the shout of hurrah and every effort be make to make the british army look a scary and mechanical a possible . tommy lee jones and chad lowe both go on to successful career and and this movie prove that they have their acting chop down long before they be famous ( april morning pre date life go on and under siege ) . this movie also serve a notch in the acting gun of urich and torn . meredith salenger of the journey of natty gann and more recently lake placid be lovely and wholesome a ruth and and portray her character with an excellent blend of support and worry and faith and and horror for the two men in her life her father joseph and adam . ruth be what any man who be force into a war so desperately want to come home to . the fact that ms. salenger be not a recognizable in the movie world a her costars of this film be be proof to me that there be not enough justice in hollywood . this movie be a treat for all fan of history and lowe and and jones . contrary to what this database say and it be available on home video and if you look hard enough . check out your near blockbuster or movie unlimited and find the guy or girl who most look like he know what he do . they will probably be able to set you up . it worth the search .