The Washingtonians (2007) Plot Summary Explained

Mike becomes obsessed because the letter was hidden by his grandmother andSamuel Madison III aggressively tries to take it from him immediately after the funeral. The combination of the document's disturbing content (a threat to skin and eat children), its possible connection to his grandmother, and the aggressive pursuit by strangers makes Mike determined to understand what the letter means and why others want it so badly.

Foreshadowing: The letter was hidden behind a portrait, suggesting the grandmother knew its danger and kept it secret for decades.

• mike franks
• letter
• obsession
• grandmother

The Washingtonians are a colonial-era reenactment troupe who actually preserve a dark secret, they are cannibals who believe George Washington practiced cannibalism. They want the letter because it contains evidence of their historical tradition and they will kill anyone who might expose their secret.

Foreshadowing: The group is first introduced wearing wooden teeth and powdered wigs, immediately marking them as more than typical reenactors.

• washingtonians
• cannibalism
• secret society
• patriots

Samuel Madison III is revealed to be a member of the Washingtonians, which is how they know about Mike's grandmother and the letter. After the grandmother's death, Samuel approaches Mike directly to demand the letter, then the group begins stalking the family to pressure them into handing it over.

Foreshadowing: Samuel arrives at the funeral specifically to speak with Mike about the letter, indicating prior knowledge of its existence.

• samuel madison
• stalking
• surveillance
• tracking

The Washingtonians abduct Mike, his wife Pam, and daughter Amy, taking them to Mount Vernon. There, the family is forced to witness a horrifying dinner scene where the Washingtonians feast on a mutilated human body, confirming the group's cannibalistic nature and revealing they operate as a secret society with historical roots.

Foreshadowing: The bone fork accompanying the letter foreshadows the cannibalistic purpose of the group.

• mount vernon
• cannibalism
• abduction
• dinner scene

The ending is a satirical commentary suggesting that the exposure of Washington's dark secret leads to a complete restructuring of American historical mythology. By replacing Washington with George W. Bush on the dollar bill, the film implies that history is rewritten to serve those in power and that one presidential scandal simply replaces another in the national consciousness.

Foreshadowing: Professor Harkinson explains that history has been crafted to hide the truth, setting up the idea that historical narratives are malleable.

• dollar bill
• george w bush
• satire
• ending
• history

Harkinson is aware of the Washingtonians as a historical conspiracy and explains to Mike that history has been manipulated to hide uncomfortable truths. He knows about claims that Washington engaged in cannibalism and that Benjamin Franklin is a composite figure. His knowledge suggests he has studied suppressed historical documents and understands the danger the letter poses.

• harkinson
• conspiracy
• history
• professor

Samuel Madison III is a member of the Washingtonians and serves as their initial representative to recover the letter. He wants the letter to prevent exposure of the secret cannibalistic tradition that the group has maintained since colonial times. His presence at the grandmother's funeral suggests he has been watching her for years, waiting for her death so he could retrieve the document.

Foreshadowing: Samuel arrives immediately after the funeral, indicating he was already aware the grandmother had the letter.

• samuel madison
• member
• letter
• demand

The bone fork serves as physical evidence of the Washingtonians' practices, it was likely made from human bone, matching the letter's threat to fashion utensils from children's bones. The fork connects the written threat to the actual cannibalistic rituals the group performs, making the letter more than just an idle threat.

Foreshadowing: The bone fork foreshadows the dining room scene at Mount Vernon where the group uses similar implements.

• bone fork
• letter
• evidence
• cannibalism

Professor Harkinson escapes during the abduction and presumably contacts the FBI, providing them with information about the Washingtonians and their likely destination. This allows Harkinson and federal agents to track the group to Mount Vernon and stage a rescue before the family is harmed.

Foreshadowing: Harkinson escapes with the letter during the abduction, giving him time to alert authorities.

• fbi
• rescue
• harkinson
• mount vernon

After witnessing the cannibalistic feast at Mount Vernon, the Franks adopt vegetarianism as a psychological response to the trauma. The ending suggests they can no longer view meat consumption without remembering the horror they witnessed, so they reject all meat as a way to distance themselves from the traumatic experience.

• vegetarianism
• trauma
• family
• ending