The General

(1927) B&W–74 minutes;  Buster Keaton.

Buster Keaton directed and starred in this classic of the silent screen.  The film is loosely based on an actual event that occurred during the Civil War, where Union spies penetrated Confederate lines, stole an engine, and then fled north to their lines, attempting to destroy tracks and bridges as they went.  Keaton plays an engineer who tries to rescue his engine – not out of any sense of honour or duty – but because he really loves his engine.  Even though it may not be historically accurate, it is worth viewing because it highlights the comedic artistry (okay, slapstick) of early film.  These our the films our grandparents and great-grandparents grew-up watching.  See if you can identify the scene where Keaton breaks his neck.  (He was not aware that he had done so until years later when his physician, reading an x-ray, asked him when had he broken his neck!)  Disney retold the story in The Great Locomotive Chase (1956).  [Unrated]

Gettysburg

(1993) Colour–248 minutes;  Ronald Maxwell, director.

Meticulously detailed and highly accurate depiction of the events leading up to,- and transpiring during-, the crucial Battle of Gettysburg:  the "high water mark of the Civil War".  Unfortunately, as a result, it is an excruciatingly long film.  There is no way a movie of this length can be used in its entirety in the classroom, but certainly scenes could be extracted for the purpose of showing what combat was like during the mid-nineteenth century.  I might have been offended by how noble the Confederate leaders are depicted had their Union counterparts not been so equally portrayed.  The movie makes one realize that enemies can possess mutually respectable attributes even if they have differing (and possibly despicable) views regarding issues such as slavery.  It also portrays how intertwined the lives and careers of the contending officer corps' were prior to that epic conflict, emphasizing the "house divided", brother-against-brother" aspect of the War of the Southern Rebellion.  [PG-rated]

The Horse Soldiers

(1959) Colour–119 minutes;  John Ford, director.

This film is loosely-based on an actual series of events during the Civil War – Grierson's Raid – which made Major-General Ulysses S. Grant's subsequent investment and conquest of Vicksburg possible.  John Wayne delivers a standard performance as Colonel Marlowe, ably supported by other veteran actors such as William Holden.  It is not what I would call a great movie, but it does have some merits.  Of value to the history teacher are the scenes towards the end of the film that depict Union cavalrymen destroying railroad tracks, rolling stock, and contraband in an effort to deprive the Confederacy of their use.  It is a graphic portrayal of the concept of total war advocated and later practiced by Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman on his epic campaign through Georgia in 1864.  I grew-up watching this film, and I am a big fan of the Duke, so I always end-up watching it whenever it is on.  [Unrated]

Ride with the Devil

(1999) Colour–139 minutes; Ang Lee, director.

A Civil War-tale set in Missouri and eastern Kansas, it does an excellent job of capturing the internecine guerilla warfare waged between Southern-sympathizing "bushwhackers" (sometimes euphemistically referred to as Missouri Partisan Rangers) and Union-sympathizing "Jayhawks".  Although the bulk of the film follows a group of fictitious Confederate partisans, it succeeds in capturing the nature of warfare on the frontier.  The one actual historical event depicted – Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence, Kansas 21st August 1863 – is faithfully reproduced, down to the hard-shell Baptist preacher riding around town with an American flag tied to the tail of his horse.  Toby Maguire delivers a low-key, believable performance as Jake Roedel, a first-generation German-American who sides with the Confederacy out of loyalty to his childhood friends.  Probably my favorite character is Daniel Holt, portrayed by Jeffery Wright.  [R-rated, for graphic violence]

 Shenandoah

(1965) Colour–105 minutes; Andrew V. McLaglen.

James Stewart, delivers one of his most-memorable performances as Charlie Anderson, a widower-patriarch of a large family working a sprawling farm in northern Virginia during the Civil War.  Try as he might to remain neutral, that conflict eventually intrudes into the daily-life of the family with tragic results.  This film contains many poignant moments, as it provides an intimate portrait of family life in the mid-nineteenth century.  [Unrated]

Red Badge of Courage

(1951) B&W–69 minutes; John Huston, director.

Compelling film-adaptation of the novella by Stephen Crane of the same name.  This film succeeds at communicating the horror of war on a personal level.    Audie Murphy, the United States' most-decorated combat-soldier of World War II, delivers an extremely sensitive performance as the Youth.  Bill  Mauldin, the creator of the famous Willie and Joe comics for Stars & Stripes during World War II, who plays the Loud Soldier, also gives a stellar performance.  What is so amazing about both of their performances is that neither of them were professional actors.  This to be one of the best-cast films ever.  [Unrated]

Glory

(1989) Colour–122 minutes; Edward Zwick, director.

Riveting tale of the young, inexperienced Union Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, ably played by Matthew Broderick,  training and leading the first black infantry regiment into combat during the Civil War.  Apparently the screenplay was based in-part on the letters of Colonel Shaw.  As a result, there is a believability about the way the story is told that makes this one of the best historical dramas ever made.   Denzel Washington won his first academy award (best supporting actor) for his portrayal of Private Trip.  Academy award-winner Morgan Freeman, another highly-respected, veteran African American actor, is also in the film.

[R-rated, primarily for graphic violence]