Johnny Tremain

Mr. Jonathan Lyte.

- Good day to you, Mr. Lyte. - Good day, Lapham.

I have a commission for you, Lapham. Yes, sir. Your servant, sir.

The teapot to this set was ruined by a careless maid.

I value the piece and wish to replace it,

But I must have it by Monday next.

Monday, sir? It's a mighty short time for such a fine piece.

It looks like one of Revere's best. Why not take it to him, sir?

Revere? Look at the mark. You made that set yourself more than 30 years ago.

So I did. So I did.

Oh, but Monday, sir. I don't know.

It's a long time since I've done anything like this.

Very well then, I shall have to take it to Revere. We can do it, Mr. Lyte.

My master's too modest.

You do not seem overburdened in that direction. Who are you?

Johnny Tremain, sir. My apprentice.

Well, since you allow him to speak for you, on Monday morning then, early.

Yes, sir.

A fine commission, and you'd have let it go out the door.

Beautiful, isn't it? And I made it.

I think I can do most of it, sir.

A fine piece like this? And you not half through your term.

Takes a tall man to cast a great shadow, boy.

Put it away.

But I'm sure I can do it.

Heed holy writ, Proverbs 16:

"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

I think I can do anything, Cilla.

Just about anything, if I get the chance.

Well, grandpa's right about one thing: When the meek inherit the earth,

I doubt you'll get so much as one square foot of sod, Johnny Tremain.

Oh, it's no use. It looked all right when it was cast, but now--

You think I don't know what's wrong?

God's will is playing.

Mr. Lyte will have to find another smith.

I'll go to Mr. Revere in the morning.

He's helped me before, and he'll know what's wrong.

You've let commissions go by before when grandpa didn't feel up to them.

Why are you so anxious about this one, Johnny?

Mr. Lyte's our landlord. Isn't that reason enough? What's this?

Oh, just a mark to sign my silver with when I'm my own master.

Using Mr. Lyte's family crest?

"J" for Johnny, "T" for Tremain. What's the "L" for?

It's a secret I've never told anyone.

... And all's well!

You can tell me.

Promise on your hope of heaven, you would never tell anyone else?

On my hope of heaven.

Well, my mother told me my real name is Jonathan Lyte Tremain.

"Jonathan Lyte Tremain?"

You, a relative of Mr. Lyte ?

What are you to him? I don't know.

Mother wouldn't tell me.

Why? Was she afraid or ashamed? Proud, I think.

She was the proudest woman in the world.

But apprenticing you to grandpa,

And the Lytes almost as rich as John Hancock himself.

She wanted me to learn my trade, make my own way.

Are you crazy? A chance at a big house,

servants, coaches and your own ship sailing the seven seas?

I'd rather be my own master and stand on my own feet.

Johnny, this isn't another one of your tricks,

Is it? Maybe you'll believe this.

This was my mother's christening cup.

If I ever have to go to Mr. Lyte, I'm to show him this.

But she made me promise I wouldn't go to him unless God himself had forsaken me.

And I never will.

Fresh cod, mackerel. Come in this morning, at the head of the ferry way.

I'm looking for Mr. Revere. His shop's down the street.

Yes, I know. His wife told me I'd find him here. He's busy.

I'll wait. If you want to.

"Countrymen! Ships laden with English tea are now bound for this port.

Shun the detested beverage and let none be landed on these shores?"

What's this? The most important piece of news in Boston.

Tea? But I like tea. Almost everyone does.

The English ministry has already collected a tax on this tea and added it to the price.

Now if we let that stuff in, every time we buy a pound of it,

We'll be paying a tax we haven't voted.

That's why we're printing these: To warn everyone of the truth.

- Who is "We"? - The sons of liberty.

- But who are you? - Everyone in Boston who believes...

their liberties are worth fighting for.

You can keep your politics. I'll stick to my trade and mind my own business.

- Rab, you finished yet? - Yes, Uncle Nat.

If they suit Mr. Adams. I'll look at them.

Johnny, what are you doing here? I want to see you.

Oh, in a moment. Yes, sir.

Excellent, Rab. Thank you, Mr. Adams.

Get them out to your liberty boys.

The sooner they're spread through the town, the better.

I'll nail one to the governor's door myself.

Sometimes I wonder why we trouble ourselves.

Liberty is for the young. They have the spirit for it. That's certain.

This lad seems to have business with you, Paul. We'll go on.

Good day, gentlemen.

Dr. Warren, Mr. Adams.

Seems everybody in Boston is interested in tea.

Not tea, Johnny. The principle behind it. What is it this time?

We've been commissioned to replace the teapot on a silver set.

I copied this handle from the creamer and enlarged it,

But it always comes out wrong.

This is the work for a master, not an apprentice.

Mr. Lapham feels he's too old for such work. We need the trade badly, sir.

The fault here is not craftsmanship. I've seldom seen better.

No, it's in your design. Enlargement isn't enough.

Proportion has to be taken into account too.

Now...

We make our curves deeper, like this.

You see?

Enough of work, lad.

Don't you hear the bell ringing for Vespers?

But I've almost finished this pattern. In another hour--

There are things more important than a rich man's silver.

The boy is only trying to do what you can't do yourself.

God granted him a great gift, but he must learn gratitude and humbleness.

But grandpa, only an hour?

It's time that god and his word came first in this house.

We will begin our sabbath tonight as becomes humble people.

Begin with the 19th verse.

"And I will break the pride of your power.

"And I will make your heaven as iron and your earth as brass.

"And your strength shall be spent in vain...

"For your land shall not yield or increase.

Neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits."

Pray God the deacon's meeting lasts extra long, so he won't miss us from our pews.

We could get put in jail for breaking the sabbath. If we get caught.

Fetch a pail of water so we can douse the fire if anyone comes.

Then keep watch down the street.

Hurry up, Johnny! Yes, Mrs. Lapham.

- The constable's coming! - Put it away, quickly! We'll douse the fire.

Johnny !

Oh, Johnny !

Hey, it's you again. Where you been? Around.

What happened to your hand? I burned it.

What's the gun for? The tea I told you about, it's in that ship.

And we're here to stop 'em from landing it. Oh, the tea again.

Good morning, sir. A fine, large day, isn't it?

That it is, lad.

Hmm, if you're gonna carry one of these things,

Learn to carry it right.

Yes, sir.

Who was that? Admiral Montagu of his Majesty's navy.

He's taken quarters for himself over there,

but he can't land the two companies of marines...

He's got in his flagship. What do you mean he can't land them?

You wouldn't be hanging around this tea ship very long if he did.

That's just it. Governor Hutchinson won't let him.

Half of Boston would turn out in a minute if those marines were landed against us.

Why don't you get your master to give you some time off, so you can take a turn with us.

My master's a silversmith, not a troublemaker.

You could have rode to Charleston for that charcoal time you been gone.

There were others ahead of me, and I had to wait my turn.

Since when has Johnny Tremain taken to waitin' when there's work to be done in this shop?

- What's got into you, Johnny? - Let the boy be.

Everything in good time. Oh, time. He's been mopin' about for weeks.

- But, ma, his hand. - Time we looked at that too.

Now, unwrap it, Johnny.

Did you hear me, boy?

Move your fingers.

I can't.

It's no wonder. They've all growed together.

I know.

Well, so, so that's it.

There'll be no more following the trade for you.

Why, we're not bound to his contract after this,

Are we? Johnny's contract is with me. Come here, boy.

I've said nothing about the broken sabbath, Johnny.

God has sent you enough punishment for that.

If you can't serve me, you'll have to find other work.

But I want you to know that, as long as I live,

There will be a place in this house for you.

Not if I can't earn it.

Johnny! Johnny.

Johnny, I don't want you to go off like this.

- Good-bye, Cilla. - But at least stay until you can find something.

You're a stubborn fool, Johnny Tremain !

"Sixteen hundredweight of west indies molasses...

"To the order of Hitchbourne and company...

At Boston in the bay of Massachusetts." Good, boy. Very good.

Lads who can read are hard to come by these days.

Now let me see a sample of your pen.

Well, well, come on, boy.

I'm sorry, boy. We could have used you.

You've sinew on your bones, lad.

Enough to weather a voyage in fine style.

We sail on the Tuesday tide. You'll give me a berth?

Here's my hand on it.

I'm sorry, but who's going to hire a boy with one hand...

When there are dozens to be had with two?

Wait here.

You can bill me for these at the end of the month. Yes, sir. Good day, sir.

By your leave, sir. What is it?

I wanted to talk to you, sir. Oh, aren't you old man Lapham's apprentice?

The young rascal who ruined the silver he was making for me?

Yes, sir, I was. But my name is Jonathan Lyte Tremain.

So, Jonathan Lyte Tremain.

Well, get on with it. There's more to it, isn't there?

Or shall I tell you how it goes ?

Your dying mother told you to come to me in adversity, that you are my relative.

Isn't that it? Why, yes, but I didn't realize you'd know.