National Treasure (film): Difference between revisions
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The first clue, given to Ben by his grandfather, and passed down from [[Charles Carroll of Carrollton]] - one of the last of the sworn protectors and last living signer of the Declaration of Independence - stated that "The secret lies with Charlotte". |
The first clue, given to Ben by his grandfather, and passed down from [[Charles Carroll of Carrollton]] - one of the last of the sworn protectors and last living signer of the Declaration of Independence - stated that "The secret lies with Charlotte". |
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By use of charting water currents and the freezing tendencies of the northern waters of the [[Arctic Circle]], the group finds the wreckage of an old Colonial-era ship, the ''Charlotte'' from Boston, Massachusetts |
By use of charting water currents and the freezing tendencies of the northern waters of the [[Arctic Circle]], the group finds the wreckage of an old Colonial-era ship, the ''Charlotte'' from Boston, Massachusetts. Inside, Ben finds an ancient [[Meerschaum|pipe]] and a piece of blank paper. Ben uses his blood to uncover a riddle carved into the pipe. After examining the riddle, Ben deduces that the next clue is on the back of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]]. However, Ian (Ben's erstwhile partner) and Ben fight over the true purpose of the quest, with Ian wanting to steal the Declaration and Ben not wanting to do anything of the sort. A standoff ensues which results in Ian and his men escaping and the ''Charlotte'' exploding from the gunpowder strewn about its remains. Ben and Riley crawl out of the remnants of the ship while Ian and his team race away to procure the Declaration, believing the other two to be dead. |
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When Ben and Riley reach the United States, they attempt to warn the authorities about Ian's planned theft of the Declaration. They try to inform the [[DHS]], [[FBI]] and finally Abigail Chase ([[Diane Kruger]]), who works at the [[National Archives and Records Administration|National Archives]], but all assure them that the document is so heavily guarded there's no way someone could steal it anyway. Ben thinks otherwise, however, and decides that in order to protect the document he is going to have to steal it first. |
When Ben and Riley reach the United States, they attempt to warn the authorities about Ian's planned theft of the Declaration. They try to inform the [[DHS]], [[FBI]] and finally Abigail Chase ([[Diane Kruger]]), who works at the [[National Archives and Records Administration|National Archives]], but all assure them that the document is so heavily guarded there's no way someone could steal it anyway. Ben thinks otherwise, however, and decides that in order to protect the document he is going to have to steal it first. |
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When Ian has gone, Ben then explains that another exit would have been built in case of cave-ins, most likely located in the treasure room. Ben and his comrades find a hidden passageway that leads into a treasury chamber. To their disappointment, they find it empty, and assume that the treasure was moved yet again for its protection. Ben's father consoles him by telling him that at least they found evidence the treasure exists. Riley then reminds them that they have yet to find the second exit, so they continue to examine the walls. Ben manages to find a hole, with a shape resembling that of the ancient pipe found on ''The Charlotte''. Ben puts the pipe in the imprint and turns it with the stem of the pipe and the wall opens into the true treasure chamber. When Ben initially sees the treasure, he seems disappointed that it wasn't as extravagant as he had hoped. But he soon uses a torch to light a flammable powder that runs throughout the room, revealing how vast the room really is, and also revealing much more treasure. Among the riches are artifacts from [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]], [[Ancient Rome|Rome]] and Britain, with both "intrinsic and historic" value (treasures, such as scrolls from the [[Library of Alexandria]]). |
When Ian has gone, Ben then explains that another exit would have been built in case of cave-ins, most likely located in the treasure room. Ben and his comrades find a hidden passageway that leads into a treasury chamber. To their disappointment, they find it empty, and assume that the treasure was moved yet again for its protection. Ben's father consoles him by telling him that at least they found evidence the treasure exists. Riley then reminds them that they have yet to find the second exit, so they continue to examine the walls. Ben manages to find a hole, with a shape resembling that of the ancient pipe found on ''The Charlotte''. Ben puts the pipe in the imprint and turns it with the stem of the pipe and the wall opens into the true treasure chamber. When Ben initially sees the treasure, he seems disappointed that it wasn't as extravagant as he had hoped. But he soon uses a torch to light a flammable powder that runs throughout the room, revealing how vast the room really is, and also revealing much more treasure. Among the riches are artifacts from [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]], [[Ancient Rome|Rome]] and Britain, with both "intrinsic and historic" value (treasures, such as scrolls from the [[Library of Alexandria]]). |
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Via the second exit from the treasure room, which Riley finds by tearfully pointing at the exit and commenting,"Look, stairs |
Via the second exit from the treasure room, which Riley finds by tearfully pointing at the exit and commenting, "Look, stairs," Ben and his friends find their way out of the tunnels and back to the church. Ben discovers that the chief investigator, FBI [[Special agent]] Peter Sadusky ([[Harvey Keitel]]), is a [[Freemason]]. However, he does not attempt to suppress the discovery of the treasure, and Ben proposes to give it to various museums around the world. Ben assures Sadusky that Abigail had nothing to do with the theft of the Declaration and asks that credit for the finding of the treasure be given to the Gates family with Riley as an associate. Sadusky thanks Ben for all this, but still insists that "someone has got to go to prison" for this. Ben replies, "Well, if you've got a helicopter, I think I can help you with that." He helps him plan a stakeout at the Old North Church, Boston, where Ian and his team are apprehended. As Ian is thrown to his car, he looks up and there's Ben, standing in the doorway of a house. Ian looks at him. Ben just shrugs. |
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The [[U.S. government]] offers Ben and his friends 10% of the treasure, but Ben takes only 1% of it, splitting that with Riley. The final scene sees Ben and Abigail together, living in a historic mansion they have just bought. Riley is last seen driving off in his brand new red [[Ferrari 360 Spider]], scoffing at his "unbelievable" 0.5% of the treasure (which would presumably still be more than 50 million dollars - based on Ben's offer of bribe to Sadusky. ("How about a bribe, say, uh, 10 billion dollars?") As Riley drives away saying,"You could have had a bigger house.", Abigail hands Ben a piece of paper. When Ben asks what it is, she replies, "A map..." Ben asks one very important question: "Well, where does it lead to?" Abigail looks at him, then runs toward the house, Ben in tow, yelling, "You'll figure it out!" |
The [[U.S. government]] offers Ben and his friends 10% of the treasure, but Ben takes only 1% of it, splitting that with Riley. The final scene sees Ben and Abigail together, living in a historic mansion they have just bought. Riley is last seen driving off in his brand new red [[Ferrari 360 Spider]], scoffing at his "unbelievable" 0.5% of the treasure (which would presumably still be more than 50 million dollars - based on Ben's offer of bribe to Sadusky. ("How about a bribe, say, uh, 10 billion dollars?") As Riley drives away saying,"You could have had a bigger house.", Abigail hands Ben a piece of paper. When Ben asks what it is, she replies, "A map..." Ben asks one very important question: "Well, where does it lead to?" Abigail looks at him, then runs toward the house, Ben in tow, yelling, "You'll figure it out!" |
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Revision as of 00:52, 13 December 2007
| National Treasure | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Jon Turteltaub |
| Written by | Story by Jim Kouf Marianne & Cormac Wibberley Screenplay by Jim Kouf Oren Aviv Charles Segars |
| Produced by | Jerry Bruckheimer John Turteltaub |
| Starring | Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Christopher Plummer, Yves Michel-Beneche, Jason Earles |
| Cinematography | Caleb Deschanel |
| Edited by | William Goldenberg |
| Music by | Trevor Rabin |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista International |
Release date | November 19 2004 |
Running time | 131 min approx. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | US$100,000,000[1] |
| Box office | US$347,451,894 (worldwide) |
National Treasure is a 2004 movie from Walt Disney Pictures written by Jim Kouf, Cormac Wibberley and Marianne Wibberley, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and directed by Jon Turteltaub. It stars Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel and Christopher Plummer. It is an adventure movie set in the USA about a search for lost treasure, involving stealing the Declaration of Independence, which leads to a trail of clues and a back-story intertwined with the Knights Templar and the Masons.
Plot summary
The story centers around a young man named Benjamin "Ben" Franklin Gates, whose family believes in the legend of a fantastic treasure trove of artifacts and gold, hidden by the Founding Fathers of the United States. Accumulated through centuries of plundering and conquering, the treasure eventually becomes too large, and is deemed too much for any one man to possess. Therefore, through time, it has been hidden and protected, and forgotten to all but a few.
In the present, Ben with his friend Riley Poole enlists the aid of a treasure-hunter Ian Howe and his comrades to find the clues that lead to this treasure. Both Ben and Riley are enthusiastic "treasure protectors," but Ben is especially a history fanatic. Their talents come in handy on their adventure: Ben has degrees in American history and mechanical engineering (the former from Georgetown University, the latter from MIT) and is an expert diver. He is a cryptologist, while Riley is a computer specialist.
The first clue, given to Ben by his grandfather, and passed down from Charles Carroll of Carrollton - one of the last of the sworn protectors and last living signer of the Declaration of Independence - stated that "The secret lies with Charlotte".
By use of charting water currents and the freezing tendencies of the northern waters of the Arctic Circle, the group finds the wreckage of an old Colonial-era ship, the Charlotte from Boston, Massachusetts. Inside, Ben finds an ancient pipe and a piece of blank paper. Ben uses his blood to uncover a riddle carved into the pipe. After examining the riddle, Ben deduces that the next clue is on the back of the Declaration of Independence. However, Ian (Ben's erstwhile partner) and Ben fight over the true purpose of the quest, with Ian wanting to steal the Declaration and Ben not wanting to do anything of the sort. A standoff ensues which results in Ian and his men escaping and the Charlotte exploding from the gunpowder strewn about its remains. Ben and Riley crawl out of the remnants of the ship while Ian and his team race away to procure the Declaration, believing the other two to be dead.
When Ben and Riley reach the United States, they attempt to warn the authorities about Ian's planned theft of the Declaration. They try to inform the DHS, FBI and finally Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), who works at the National Archives, but all assure them that the document is so heavily guarded there's no way someone could steal it anyway. Ben thinks otherwise, however, and decides that in order to protect the document he is going to have to steal it first.
Ben and Riley use a series of tricks to get inside the preservation room, where the Declaration is being kept during an 70th anniversary-gala. Ben takes the Declaration but runs into Ian, who entered through sewage and with shot guns and tranquilizers, barely escaping. As Ben is exiting the building, however, Abigail catches them in the crime and refuses to let the document be taken. Ian shows up again and kidnaps Abigail, who is holding the Declaration from Ben, and a high-speed car chase ensues across Washington D.C. Ben successfully rescues her, at the same time managing to trick Ian into thinking a souvenir copy is the true Declaration. Since Abigail won't leave without the document, Ben and Riley are forced to kidnap her. Also, a credit card slip from Ben gives the FBI Ben's identity, preventing Ben from returning to his apartment to examine the document.
Ben and Riley agree that the only safe place to go would be to Ben's father's house in Maryland. Upon arriving, Ben's father chastises him for the quest, believing the treasure to be nothing more than a hoax, invented to keep the British occupied during the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. Despite this, Ben manages to reveal a series of codes on the back of the Declaration. Ben deduces that they refer to the Silence Dogood letters.
Ben, Abigail and Riley head to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, where the letters are being shown.
The decoded message from the letters ("The vision to see the treasured past comes as the timely shadow crosses in front of the house of Pass and Stow") leads them to the Liberty Bell. That in turn leads them to the "house" of the Bell, Independence Hall, where they find special bifocals invented by Benjamin Franklin. Ben examines the back of the Declaration wearing the glasses, to find the next clue. But Ian and his comrades, right behind them the whole time, find them and demand to have the Declaration and the special glasses, leading to a chase around town, ending in Ian getting the Declaration. However, Abigail & Riley escape.
Ben is eventually caught by the FBI, and they try to make him pull an agreement with Ian, to get the Declaration back. He agrees, but Ian has arranged a way to get Ben away from the police — by having him jump from the intended meeting spot, the deck of the USS Intrepid, into the Hudson River.
Ben is forced to help Ian find the treasure, as Ian has captured and brought along Ben's father, Abigail and Riley. The clues lead them to Trinity Church on Wall Street in New York City and then underground, into a network of dungeon-like cellars, centuries old and decaying. There, they arrive at a seemingly dead end. Ian is angry and demands another clue from Ben. Ben's father quickly makes one up, telling him the lanterns are the clue and to go to the Old North Church in Boston, referencing the Midnight ride of Paul Revere. Ian, unfamiliar with the poem, goes with his men to Boston, leaving everyone else to wait or die.
When Ian has gone, Ben then explains that another exit would have been built in case of cave-ins, most likely located in the treasure room. Ben and his comrades find a hidden passageway that leads into a treasury chamber. To their disappointment, they find it empty, and assume that the treasure was moved yet again for its protection. Ben's father consoles him by telling him that at least they found evidence the treasure exists. Riley then reminds them that they have yet to find the second exit, so they continue to examine the walls. Ben manages to find a hole, with a shape resembling that of the ancient pipe found on The Charlotte. Ben puts the pipe in the imprint and turns it with the stem of the pipe and the wall opens into the true treasure chamber. When Ben initially sees the treasure, he seems disappointed that it wasn't as extravagant as he had hoped. But he soon uses a torch to light a flammable powder that runs throughout the room, revealing how vast the room really is, and also revealing much more treasure. Among the riches are artifacts from Egypt, Rome and Britain, with both "intrinsic and historic" value (treasures, such as scrolls from the Library of Alexandria).
Via the second exit from the treasure room, which Riley finds by tearfully pointing at the exit and commenting, "Look, stairs," Ben and his friends find their way out of the tunnels and back to the church. Ben discovers that the chief investigator, FBI Special agent Peter Sadusky (Harvey Keitel), is a Freemason. However, he does not attempt to suppress the discovery of the treasure, and Ben proposes to give it to various museums around the world. Ben assures Sadusky that Abigail had nothing to do with the theft of the Declaration and asks that credit for the finding of the treasure be given to the Gates family with Riley as an associate. Sadusky thanks Ben for all this, but still insists that "someone has got to go to prison" for this. Ben replies, "Well, if you've got a helicopter, I think I can help you with that." He helps him plan a stakeout at the Old North Church, Boston, where Ian and his team are apprehended. As Ian is thrown to his car, he looks up and there's Ben, standing in the doorway of a house. Ian looks at him. Ben just shrugs.
The U.S. government offers Ben and his friends 10% of the treasure, but Ben takes only 1% of it, splitting that with Riley. The final scene sees Ben and Abigail together, living in a historic mansion they have just bought. Riley is last seen driving off in his brand new red Ferrari 360 Spider, scoffing at his "unbelievable" 0.5% of the treasure (which would presumably still be more than 50 million dollars - based on Ben's offer of bribe to Sadusky. ("How about a bribe, say, uh, 10 billion dollars?") As Riley drives away saying,"You could have had a bigger house.", Abigail hands Ben a piece of paper. When Ben asks what it is, she replies, "A map..." Ben asks one very important question: "Well, where does it lead to?" Abigail looks at him, then runs toward the house, Ben in tow, yelling, "You'll figure it out!"
List of all clues and their meanings
- "The Secret Lies With Charlotte" — refers to a ship that ended up in the Arctic Circle through the quick freezing and melting of the northern ice, resulting in a semi-solid landmass. The pipe, found in a cask containing gun powder guarded by a skeletal captain, acts as a key and fits into an imprint in the ante-room of the treasure room, allowing access to the real treasure room.
- "The legend writ, the stain affected. The key in Silence undetected. Fifty-five in iron pen, Mr. Matlack can't offend" — Written on the stem of a meerschaum pipe. The stem needed to be dipped in ink or a similar substance (in the film, blood is used) and then rolled across paper to read the clue, in the manner of a cylinder seal. The clue refers to the Declaration of Independence as well as the Silence Dogood Letters.
- Ottendorf cipher on back of Declaration of Independence — Cipher where the key is the Silence Dogood letters. This piece of information is withheld from Ian at the beginning of the movie.
- Ottendorf cipher solution — "The vision to see the treasured past, comes as the timely shadow crosses in front of the house of Pass and Stow" — refers to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
- $100 bill — supplies the specific time (2:22 p.m.) to be at Independence Hall to find the next clue.
- Ocular Device — Found in a hollow brick carved with the Masonic square and compasses when the shadow from Independence Hall points to a specific brick in a nearby wall, the Ocular Device is needed to see the map in its entirety.
- "Heere At The Wall" and the Trinity Church symbol — Found on the map when viewed through the Ocular Device, refers to Trinity Church in New York City on the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway.
- "Beneath Parkington Lane" — Found on the map when viewed through the Ocular Device when the lenses are adjusted. This refers to a Master Mason entombed in the Trinity Church Mausoleum, his tomb concealing the entrance to the underground location where the treasure was hidden: a secret temple of the Masons.
- The Pipe — The final clue, the pipe was not only a clue to the Declaration of Independence, but it is also the key to unlock the treasure room. The bowl of the pipe needed to be placed inside an imprint in the wall, which then allowed the stem of the pipe to turn the "lock". The pipe bowl was then pushed to unlock the room.
Cast
- Nicolas Cage as Benjamin Franklin Gates
- Justin Bartha as Riley Poole
- Diane Kruger as Abigail Chase
- Sean Bean as Ian Howe
- Jon Voight as Patrick Henry Gates
- Harvey Keitel as FBI Special Agent Peter Sadusky
- Christopher Plummer as John Adams Gates
- Yves Michel-Beneche as Museum Kid
- Jason Earles as Thomas Gates, ancestor of Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage)
Blu-Ray
Disney has announced that they will be releasing Blu-Ray Disc versions of certain films in 2008, including National Treasure that summer. (The others include The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Sleeping Beauty, and Finding Nemo.) It has been reported that additional features will be included on the platinum editions.[2]
Collector's Edition
A special collector's edition, two-disc DVD set of the movie is being released on December 18, 2007. It is not specified what is on the second DVD, but it is most likely additional special features, such as more deleted scenes, more "making of" features, a sneak peek at National Treasure: Book of Secrets, etc. It is available for pre-order on Amazon.com.
Sequel
Although the audio commentary says that there were no plans for a sequel, the popularity of the first film ($347.5 million worldwide) warranted a sequel, which was given a go-ahead in 2005. National Treasure: Book of Secrets is coming to theaters December 21, 2007.
See also
References
- ^ "Box office statistics for National Treasure (2004)". BoxOfficeMojo.com. Retrieved April 10 2007.
- ^ "Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Announces the Disney Blu-Ray Title Wave Coming 2008". High-Def Digest. August 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
External links
- National Treasure at IMDb
- Download the trailer at Jurassic Punk
- National Treasure at Rotten Tomatoes
- National Treasure at Box Office Mojo
- The National Archives "Our National Treasure" website
- National Treasure mistakes at Nitpickers.com
- Nicolas Cage interview for National Treasure at Movie Hole
- Secret Methods and Techniques - Intelligence letters - From the collections at Clements Library
- On Baron Ottendorf