National Treasure (film)

National Treasure is a 2004 American discoveryadventureheist film produced and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was written by Jim Kouf, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, and The Wibberleys, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and directed by Jon Turteltaub. It is the first film in the National Treasure franchise and stars Nicolas Cage, Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight, Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, Justin Bartha, and Christopher Plummer.

Benjamin Franklin Gates is an American historian, amateur cryptologist, and the youngest descendant of a long line of treasure hunters whose first and middle names are based on American historical figures. As a child, Ben is discouraged from following the family line by his father, Patrick Henry Gates. Young Ben is driven on by a story told by his grandfather, John Adams Gates. According to John, a clue the phrase The secret lies with Charlotte was entrusted to the family by Charles Carroll of Carrollton in 1832, and will lead to the fabled national treasure, a wealth of artifacts dating from Ancient Egypt and secretly hidden by the Founding Fathers and the Freemasons during the American Revolutionary War.Thirty years later, Ben leads an expedition along with Ian Howe, computer expert Riley Poole, and Ians accomplice Shaw to find the Charlotte, a ship trapped in Arctic ice, which is believed to be referenced in the clue. The group discovers a meerschaum pipe hidden in a barrel of gunpowder in the cargo hold. Ben discovers a clue is engraved on the stem of the pipe, which he concludes indicates the next clue to be on the back of the Declaration of Independence. When Ian suggests they steal the Declaration, a fight ensues, during which spilled gunpowder is ignited. Ian and Shaw escape the ship, trapping Ben and Riley, who escape through a smugglers hold. ........

Source: Wikipedia