Civil War Project

As part of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, I plan on viewing thirteen (my lucky number) television and film works that have The Civil War as the subject or as a meaningful storyline element (as detailed here in this post). While the real war lasted almost four years, I plan to wrap this up by the end of 2011. I may post something on each, but I’m undecided on the format, or the aspect it’ll take (it may only be a quiet acknowledgement). We’ll see.

Here is my screening list which includes a mix of seen/unseen works for the project [☆ star outline denotes a film not yet watched this year and a solid ★ means it has]:

☆ The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – Sergio Leone’s 1966 spaghetti western is a sweeping culmination to the Man With No Name trilogy. While the story covers the exploits of three gunslingers vying for their fortunes, it does so through the backdrop of Civil War battles and prison camps while chasing Confederate gold.
☆ The Red Badge of Courage – John Huston’s 1951 feature adaptation of Stephen Crane’s great war novel (required reading in my day) is considered, sadly, a mutilated film (cut down to barely 70 minutes by the studio). It is faithful to the story, nevertheless.
☆ The Andersonville Trial – George C. Scott (yes, the actor) directs the dramatic 1970 teleplay of the trial of Henry Wirz, the notorious commander of the Confederate POW camp in Andersonville, Georgia. The Broadway play by Saul Levitt served as its basis (like Burns’ documentary, it was originally shown on PBS).
☆ The Horse Soldiers – John Ford’s 1959 Union cavalry tale covers the historic Grierson’s Raid of 1863, that climaxes at the Battle of  Newton Station, and is an underrated classic. While overly melodramatic in spots, it nonetheless examines the effect of the war on the South through the eyes of Union and Confederate soldiers.
☆ The General – Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton’s 1926 film will be the only comedy and silent film on this project’s docket. Based upon another real military raid, the 1862 Andrews Raid, the story’s perspective is shown distinctly through Confederate eyes. I’ve never seen it, but it is considered one of the greatest films ever made.
☆ Ride With The Devil – Ang Lee’s 1999 drama, based upon Daniel Woodrell’s Woe to Live On novel, detailing some of the aspects of the clannish border war between Missouri guerrillas and Jayhawk Union soldiers of Kansas. It is one of a small handful of films by this director I’ve not yet seen.
☆ The Outlaw Josey Wales – Clint Eastwood’s seminal 1976 western covers similar feuding ground in Missouri, like the above film, but examines the post-war period as it follows the saga of the revenge-filled Josey Wales as he makes his way to Texas, and ultimately a settling of debts and forgiveness.
☆ Gods & Generals – Ron F. Maxwell’s 2003 prequel to the next film on the list that primarily examines General Stonewall Jackson brief and brilliant war career as a Confederate officer. It’s based upon a Jeffrey Shaara (Michael’s son) novel of the same name. This will be my first viewing.
☆ Gettysburg – Ron F. Maxwell’s 1993 depiction of the decisive battle of the war at Gettysburg, PA. The film is based upon Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novel, The Killer Angels, and takes the perspective of the commanding officers involved in this pivotal engagement.
☆ Shenandoah – Andrew V. McLaughlin’s 1965 anti-war story centering upon a Virginia farmer trying not in get involved, but in the end caught in the middle of the Civil War. This will be the last of my first screenings.
☆ The Beguiled – Don Siegel’s 1971 survival drama of a wounded Union soldier falling into the hands of an all-girl boarding house in Louisiana remains an odd but effective film. It’ll be interesting to see how my children view and handle the ambiguity presented in this southern gothic tale.
☆ Glory – Edward Zwick’s remarkable 1989 film that chronicles the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers, the first black soldier infantry regiment. The real Colonel Shaw’s letters, and the two books by Lincoln Kirstein (Lay This Laurel) and Peter Burchard (One Gallant Rush), were the foundation.  This one will undoubtably be the most emotional of this screening project.
☆ The Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns – though PBS just finished its re-broadcast of this documentary series, I’m saving this for summer when things like homework won’t get in the way of my children’s first viewing. I hope to recreate the presentation by screening it over consecutive days.