The Crossing

Based on historian Howard Fast’s novel, this engaging and dramatic film brings General George Washington’s legendary crossing of the Delaware to life. In a role that depicts America’s First President as a daring strategist, Jeff Daniels plays the resolute General George Washington during America’s darkest period of the Revolutionary War. At Christmastime in 1776, warned by Congress and his disheartened advisors to retreat from the fast approaching British Army, the unwavering general leads his greatly diminished, frozen, bedraggled, starving troops across the Delaware River and into Trenton in a surprise attack on the elite, Hessian garrison. In their premier skirmish as aggressors, the Continentals win handily without losing a single man, thus marking the turning point in America’s fight for independence. Producer David Coatsworth and director Robert Harmon bring forth the utter despair and dogged determination of those tension-filled days in December. The team of executive producers consists of Bob Christiansen, Rick Rosenberg and Delia Fine. In connection with the airing of this historical film, A&E conducted a nationwide educational outreach program and contest involving 25,000 middle schools. For enlivening and enriching viewers’ imaginations by fashioning a new, bolder vision of George Washington as the fleshed out, heroic fighting general during a pivotal point in modern America’s formative years, a Peabody Award goes to The Crossing.