In 1776, Benjamin Franklin hoped to convince France to do just that when the British colonies in America declared their independence from England and were in need of a serious infusion of money, men and supplies. France was no friend of Britain’s and vice versa, so why not try to leverage that to America’s advantage? “Franklin,” on Apple TV+ starring Michael Douglas in the title role, depicts that delicate and complicated years-long process.
Tagging along as Franklin’s personal secretary is his teenage grandson Temple , who provides a window into the lives of the young and well-off — his diversions are mainly drinking, gambling, fighting and screwing — but every time the action switches to Temple, the story grinds to a halt. He’s too tedious to warrant this much screen time. It’s France’s foreign minister who becomes the most complex and intriguing character of the narrative. He’s a cunning strategist, but with a human touch.
There is no decisive moment when France agrees to back the United States, but rather incremental agreements to send support. The intrigue of slippery negotiations is amplified by espionage that is always happening just out of sight. But the end result is a foregone conclusion. Franklin’s successful efforts would plunge France into debt and precipitate a bloody revolution of its own a decade later, and this hindsight hangs like a malodorous cloud over the proceedings.
From left: Michael Douglas and Noah Jupe as Benjamin Franklin and his grandson Temple in “Franklin.”
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