The Civil War On Film – 31 in a series – …the heroism slathered on the men who survived Gettysburg…”

The Civil War On Film - 31 in a series - ...the heroism slathered on the men who survived Gettysburg...

Much of the heroism slathered on the men who survived Gettysburg on both sides, but mostly regarding the Confederates, came from the literary work of their wives and widows published for years after the war. For example, in 1913 La Salle Corbell Pickett published The Heart of a Soldier As revealed in the Intimate Letters of Genl. George E. Pickett C.S.A. Due to his wife’s efforts, his reckless and ill-conceived charge became synonymous with heroism – and with her husband and her husband alone – despite the fact that two Confederate divisions charged up Cemetery Ridge that day.

Movies profiled in this book:

The Civil War On Film – 30 in a series – “… some took issue with the way a movie about black soldiers focused on the regiment’s white colonel.”

The Civil War On Film - 30 in a series -

Film critics universally embraced Glory as both a cinematic success and social justice tour de force. Leonard Maltin called it “breathtakingly filmed” and “faultlessly performed” (Maltin 2008). Historians liked the film nearly as much, though some took issue with the way a movie about black soldiers focused on the regiment’s white colonel, but most critics tempered their criticisms with some discussion of the need to make movies for diverse audiences.

Movies profiled in this book:

The Civil War On Film – 29 in a series – “…his attitude about the futility and ridiculousness of war comes from his own experiences as a child during World War II.”

The Civil War On Film - 29 in a series -

Many film historians attribute anti-Vietnam war sentiment to Sergio Leone personally, but this is not particularly accurate. Leone is Italian and he wasn’t making films for the American market, at least not until United Artists approached his producer with a film deal, at which point the first two films in the trilogy had already been made. Leone’s attitude about the futility and ridiculousness of war comes from his own experiences as a child during World War II.

Movies profiled in this book:

The Civil War On Film – 28 in a series – “…except for them it was a conflict of beliefs.”

The Civil War On Film - 28 in a series -

In terms of the American Civil War, the Friends experienced the same conflicts of brother against brother that infused the North and the South, except for them it was a conflict of beliefs. They had declared their adamant opposition to the importation of slaves as early as 1696 at their Society of Friends (Quaker) Yearly Meeting. As slavery took hold of the South anyway, many became fervent abolitionists willingly breaking the law to aid enslaved people on their escapes via the Underground Railroad.

Movies profiled in this book:

The Civil War On Film – 27 in a series – “Nativists in New York City showed particular disdain for being conscripted into the army to fight a war that would free yet another minority group…”

The Civil War On Film - 27 in a series -

Nativists in New York City showed particular disdain for being conscripted into the army to fight a war that would free yet another minority group they feared would force them out of their jobs. Likewise, while some newly-arrived impoverished immigrants appreciated the military’s promise of regular meals, others resented when they learned that rich men could buy their way out of the draft for a fee of $300. This number further insulted white working class men who knew enslaved people in the South sold for three or more times that fee so they felt it denigrated their own worth.

Movies profiled in this book:

The Civil War On Film – 26 in a series – “…the movie is greatly esteemed by persons sympathetic with the Confederacy…”

The Civil War On Film - 26 in a series -

Ang Lee and writer James Schamus’s thesis for Ride with the Devil, suggests there was no right and wrong in the Civil War and that both sides were equally violent in their dealings with the other. While the movie is greatly esteemed by persons sympathetic with the Confederacy, viewers and movie critics were considerably less enthusiastic.

Movies profiled in this book:

The Civil War On Film – 25 in a series – “Not surprisingly, few Civil War movies explore the prisoner of war experience…”

The Civil War On Film - 25 in a series -

Andersonville tells the story of Camp Sumter, better known as Andersonville Prison. Not surprisingly, few Civil War movies explore the prisoner of war experience, probably because the topic is so unremittingly unpleasant. Set in 1864, the film is grimly unpitying and while it contains historical inaccuracies, it gets closer to Civil War prison camp realities than any film before or after.

Movies profiled in this book:

The Civil War On Film – 24 in a series – “…to be filmed on the actual Gettysburg battlefield itself…”

The Civil War On Film - 24 in a series -

Realizing the location would be as much a character as any person, Turner negotiated for some of the scenes to be filmed on the actual Gettysburg battlefield itself, an unprecedented National Park Service allowance, though strict federal regulations ruled out any scenes showing opposing fire or combat. In this way, Turner can be compared to David O. Selznick in terms of the way he too obsessed over every detail of the production in ways producers do not always do.

Movies profiled in this book:

The Civil War On Film – 23 in a series – “Many historians and critics consider Glory the best American Civil War movie ever made.”

The Civil War On Film - 22 in a series -

Many historians and critics consider Glory the best American Civil War movie ever made. The film shatters the great taboo of Civil War movies—making race and slavery central to the story and using black characters to do so (Chadwick 2001).

Movies profiled in this book:

The Civil War On Film – 22 in a series – “…but allowed filmmakers to avoid the contentious issue of slavery.”

The Civil War On Film - 22 in a series -

In the decades before World War II, Civil War films were largely set in the Eastern theater, but as the center for movie making shifted west to California and studios built permanent western sets (so as to make a great number of inexpensive western films), filmmakers began combining the two film genres. The innovation not only expanded the kind of movie stories that could be told, but allowed filmmakers to avoid the contentious issue of slavery.

Movies profiled in this book: