When I watched the movie, I was really impressed by the choice, especially the subtlety of it. The liberal nationalist obsession with traditional mythology, the strongly anti-slavery worldview, his very educated-middle-class former profession of dentistry, his age, and, of course, the fact that he was very obviously a German immigrant.
Never outright stated, but traced so perfectly that those who know the history of 48ers could make the connection.
When I watched the movie, I was really impressed by the choice, especially the subtlety of it. The liberal nationalist obsession with traditional mythology, the strongly anti-slavery worldview, his very educated-middle-class former profession of dentistry, his age, and, of course, the fact that he was very obviously a German immigrant.
Never outright stated, but traced so perfectly that those who know the history of 48ers could make the connection.