Original subtitles

(crowd cheering)

(bright music)

(tense music)

- [narrator] the british have captured fort mackinac,

And there has been a massacre of u.S. Soldiers

And civilians at fort dearborn.

(tense music)

- More bad news, clay?

- General hall has surrendered detroit.

Our forces outnumbered them two to one,

And that old fool raises the white flag.

(guns firing)

Defeat after defeat after defeat.

(guns firing)

These reverses cannot be sustained, mr. President.

The people fear a return to british rule in america.

- I'll never allow that to happen.

(building dramatic music)

(classical music playing)

- Don't look so downcast, jimmy.

Our troops are making some headway.

- Not enough, dolley.

We've been routed too many times.

Look at them...

Smiling when they see that I'm looking their way,

But whispering and plotting

The second that my back is turned.

- The war of 1812 is the second time the united states

Has declared war against great britain.

And one of the challenges they faced

Was how unprepared, militarily, they were.

And really, the united states are soon wracked

By a series of losses and defeats,

And there's real fear in the united states

That they may lose this war.

- We gotta deal with that blow-hard.

- Mrs. Madison.

Mr. Madison.

- Mr. President, is what I think you mean to say.

- Of course.

So, mr. President, mr. President.

I am surprised to see you so publicly celebrating.

Is there some great victory of which we are yet unaware?

Oh, has canada fallen?

- Well, when that happens, clay,

You'll be the first to know.

- That is a shame.

The people need to be fed a steady diet of victories.

Currently, they're being served scraps.

Pretty soon they may turn on the chef.

- It was often called, "mr. Madison's war,"

Particularly by his enemies.

He's the president, he approved of it.

There's also some sarcasm in it

Because james madison has never heard a shot fired in anger,

And now he's a war leader.

- What in the name of hell?

(tense music)

- Oh, great, more bad news.

I knew that old man was too weak, too old.

(tense music)

- [dolley] from where did you receive this?

(tense music)

- Ladies and gentlemen,

This brave sailor has brought news of a great victory.

The uss united states engaged the british frigate,

Hms macedonian, off the coast of madeira.

Despite being outgunned,

The united states defeated the macedonian

And captured her crew.

Victory!

(crowd applauding)

Long live the united states!

- The funny thing about the war of 1812

Is that the very few victories

That the americans had over the british were naval,

Which was very surprising on both sides, may I say,

Since the british navy was sort of world celebrated,

But there it is.

- That victory really gives americans hopes

That they can beat the british,

That there is a path forward, and that all's not lost.

- Please, excuse me.

(classical music playing)

James...

What did we talk about avoiding the french ambassador?

Well?

Jimmy?

- Seems our moment of triumph is short lived.

The ambassador just told me that napoleon's armies

Are in full retreat in russia.

- Unfortunate for the french, but how does that hurt us?

- 'cause if napoleon falls,

The british will be able to divert all their forces

Away from the french and towards us.

We will face the greatest military power alone.

Keep everyone entertained.

I...

I need a few minutes just for myself, please.

(tense music)

- Oh, it's an outrage.

It's a goddamn war crime, hampton.

Look, "on the night of the 25th of June,

British troops landed near hampton.

The 400 local militiamen gathered to oppose them

Put up a tough but brief resistance

Before being beaten back and compelled to flee

Through the nearby wood.

While rounding up prisoners,

One captured american officer was relieved of his epaulets

By several foreigners and murdered,

While another militiamen man was robbed,

Led into a false sense of security

And then deliberately executed in cold blood."

Goddamn it!

"hot on the heels of the retreating militia,

The british troops quickly moved into hampton,

Dispersing to plunder in every direction.

They inflicted brutal treatment on several peaceable

Inhabitants whose age or infirmities

Rendered them unable to get out of the way,

Therein committing every horror with impunity,

Rape, murder, pillage."

The british are laughing at us!

They think our army men are president are weak.

Madison is living on borrowed time.

- The president is worse today.

- I have to get back to work.

There's so much to do.

The war...

(dolley shushing)

- Your cabinet and the chiefs of the army

And navy have everything under control.

- What day is it?

(tense music)

- Tuesday.

- In the summer of 1813,

James madison is going to fall violently ill.

- [catherine] he has diarrhea,

He's vomiting bile, he's got fevers.

- Congress...

I'm meant to be attending congress.

You need to think of an excuse for me.

(tense music)

- Freeman, please tell mr. Monroe

To draft a letter to congress.

Tell them the president

Won't be able to attend today because...

- What would you like me to tell then, mrs. Madison?

- Tell mr. Monroe to think of a suitable reason.

Come back to me, james.

Please.

I need you.

Our nation needs you.

Please, my love.

(tense music)

- The president must be given more time.

- More time? The president hasn't been seen in weeks.

Where is he?

- I am assured that the president

Is working from the president's house.

- The british are beating us bloody.

We want the truth!

- Rumors of madison's illness spread far and wide.

Even john adams hears that madison

Is taking so much laudanum

That he's delirious and may not live much longer.

And in this war that was already divisive,

His illness only kind of

Strengthen the voices of his opposition.

- [clay] stand out of the way!

- [servant] the president is not admitted visitor, sir.

- [clay] step aside or I'll have you flayed alive!

- What is the meaning of this?

- Mrs. Madison.

So, it is true.

Dear god, he looks half dead.

- You must not judge the president as you see him now.

He suffers badly today,

But most days he is busy at his work.

Please...

Don't ruin him.

- Oh, you misjudge me, mrs. Madison.

James?

- Clay...

- There he is.

Hey.

All right, now don't say anything, you just listen now.

There's talk about an amendment to the constitution.

The nation is in peril and many in congress,

Not just your enemies but men in your own party,

They think it's time to act now before the worst happens.

- They think james will die?

- Some think he's already dead

And you're just hiding the fact.

- At the time, the constitution is very clear

On what happens if a president passes away.

It's not clear on what happens

If a president is incapacitated.

And so, the question is very much open about

Who should be leading this war effort

In the absence of the commander in chief.

- James, you need to get well.

Okay?

And to come back to congress

And show those naysayers that you are still

In command of your body, of your faculties.

Gotta fight, james. Fight.

There's a war to be won and we need our commander in chief.

(gentle music)

I will go back to congress.

I'll tell them that I've seen the president,

That he's still alive.

And that will, it'll buy some time,

But you need to rouse him out of that bed.

- I shall.

You're not what I thought, senator.

- I'm a man who loves this country, mrs. Madison.

(tense music)

- Gentlemen, sad to say I have

No new updates on the president's condition,

So we must press...

(tense music)

Mr. President, happy to see you.

(tense music)

- Who would like to begin?

Mr. Monroe...

What news from the atlantic theater?

- The war still isn't going very well.

The ground forces are going nowhere.

With napoleon's defeat, the british can start

To focus more on the united states.

And as part of that, britain starts

To go more of an offensive war.

- John...

Is it true?

- It's true.

The british have landed in benedict.

- And where they heading?

- The president was hoping baltimore, but no.

Looks like they're fixing the head our way.

- And if they March on washington,

How long before they arrive?

- Four days.

Five, tops.

- The british realize that dc may be vulnerable.

It is still a young city.

It does not have the same fortifications or natural defenses

That some other ports in the united states have.

And so they decide to launch an invasion of the capital.

- America's last line.

Local boys with guns and knives.

- During the war of 1812,

The white house really sat as an open target.

It didn't have any of the security

That you'd associate with what is the president's home.

- There is just a small militia force

Guarding the white house.

There was no fence, you could just walk onto the lawn.

- What the hell?

(tense music)

- A message from the british high command.

- Oh?

- What is it?

- It's not for me. It's for you, dolley.

- From admiral sir george cockburn,

Commander, british forces in maryland.

- What does it say?

- That he soon expects to take his bow in my drawing room.

How dare he?

You can tell the admiral we'll see him soon enough.

But he can kneel, not bow.

- Aren't you quakers supposed to be pacifist?

- Yes.

But it never suited me anyway.

You don't have to do this.

You have generals, admirals.

They must fight the battle, and you must guard the nation.

If you are injured or killed,

It will serve no cause other than the british king's.

- Dolley, we've been through this.

Imagine how it would look, me, asking our fellow americans

To lay down their lives if I will not.

Anyways, my lack of height will finally be an advantage,

With all those british bullets flying over my head.

(tense music)

- I love you.

Now, go and kick those british bastards

All the way back into the potomac.

- Yes, ma'am.

- James madison is going out into the field

To try to gather intelligence about

Where the british are going to attack.

(tense music)

- He has to borrow a horse

And he has to borrow a dueling pistol,

'cause he doesn't own any weapons himself.

- James madison becomes the first

And only president to ride into battle.

(cannon firing)

(tense music)

- We're all gonna die, ain't we?

- Yes.

But only the lord above us knows the day.

Maybe he ain't ready for us just yet.

(tense music)

I heard some of the english soldiers

Heading our way is free black folk,

Signed up on the same pay as white soldiers.

Same pension too.

All they gotta do is sign a bit of paper

And there it is, they're free.

(tense music)

Now, I wouldn't judge a man for doing it,

But me, I'm sticking by the mistress.

Make sure she doesn't get into any mischief.

See, mrs. Madison is too damn brave for her own sakes.

If I leave her to her own devices, she'll be running

Towards the red coats with a pair of pistols.

- For many african americans,

It had to be a huge temptation.

But instead of joining with the british

When they invaded washington dc,

The enslaved africans owned by president madison,

They stay with the first lady.

(gentle music)

- But early in the day for stargazing, mrs. Madison.

- I was hoping to catch sight of my husband.

Or maybe the british.

But all I've seen so far

Is a lot of our fellow washingtonians fleeing.

And an impressively randy bull

Having fun in the lower fields.

What's on your mind, john?

- I came up to see if you wanted to continue

With the preparations for dinner tonight?

- Of course. Why ever not?

4:00 pm. It must all be ready for 4:00 pm.

- She's determined that she's going to receive

James madison back in the white house

And they're going to have dinner together that night.

- Well, damn. She wasn't lying about that bull.

(cannons firing)

- Madison's decision to visit the troops,

It's a daring, risky decision.

- He would've seen a ragtag outfit of us militia

Who are trying to put up the best fight they can

Against trained british regulars.

But by about 2:00 o'clock pm, it's very clear

That the american forces are not going to win this battle.

- Will these men stand if the first

Lines of defense are breached?

- [soldier] I can't swear to it, mr. President.

- Well, how far is the president's house

From here would you say? Seven miles?

- [soldier] about that.

- Dolley...

Dolley...

(tense music)

- The blade itself incites the deeds of violence.

- I'll have your head for this! Go!

- Cowards!

British troops are expected to be here in a matter of hours.

- [john] ain't nothing a man wouldn't do

When he's survived being shot at.

- Do you think the english is going to kill us?

- For king george!

(fire roaring)

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