Movie: Glory. I suspect that Gettysburg and Gone With the Wind will receive many votes, but for my money Glory is the most realistic and has the best emotional scenes. These include, among other great ones, the eve of battle campfire, Sgt. Major Rawlings’ impassioned speech after he slaps Tripp, and Colonel Shaw’s boyish grin after he emerges from the Quartermaster who held back shoes.
I liked the old TV Westerns, and virtually all of them had an episode or episodes that touched on or involved the Civil War. Even sci-fi shows like “The Twilight Zone” featured such occasional episodes.
Below are titles of episodes of “The Twilight Zone” that had some connection, slight or otherwise, to the Civil War. For instance, the episode titled “Showdown With Lance McGrew” has Jesse James as a character. You should be able to find actual links to them by simply typing them into your search engine. Wikipedia has several if not all of them listed on their site, with a synopsis of each. “The Passerby” is especially haunting.
Still Valley
The Passerby
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
The 7th is Made Up of Phantoms.
Back There
Long Live Walter Jameson
Showdown With Lance McGrew
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My favorite Civil War movie is either Gettysburg or Lincoln. My favorite civil war show is Civil War Journal. I remember having to get up at like 5 am to watch it before going to school.
Back in the early ’70s, there was a series of “you are there” type documentaries called “Appointment with Destiny.” They had one on the Lincoln assassination narrated by Richard Basehart and one on the surrender at Appomattox narrated by Hal Holbrook. They are available on YouTube and have passed the test of time pretty well. The Lincoln assassination one had the actor who played Les Nessman on “WKRP in Cincinnati” as Dr. Charles Leale and a very young Michael Tucker who played Stuart Markowitz on “LA Law” as Grant.
The Horse Soldiers … loosely based (very loosely) on Grierson’s Raid through Mississippi during the Vicksburg campaign … the 1959 movie gets most of the history wrong, but has great performances by John Wayne, as Colonel Benjamin Grierson of course, William Holden as the brigade’s surgeon, and Constance Towers, as the southern belle and captive of the yankee raiders.
This is tough. I have several. My favs: Glory, Gods and Generals, North and South, and The Red Badge of Courage. Though Glory is my number one pick for so many reasons.
As others have already said Hollywood and accuracy don’t generally go hand in hand.
I am thinking of four, The Horse Soldiers, Glory, Gettysburg, and the fourth, which may result in a scratching of a few heads, Shenandoah with Jimmy Stewart. Released in 1965, at the end of the Centennial, it focuses on a man and his efforts to keep his family out of the war until it touches him personally.
I like Shenandoah as well … the history ain’t great, but the movie has all my favorite actors and actresses (if we still use that term) … and it’s a great story.
Ken Burns’ “The Civil War.” It was the spark that first got me interested in the topic. Hundreds of books read and dozens of battlefield visits later, I still enjoy this incredible (albeit imperfect) film immensely. Also, the 1990’s series “Civil War Journal” was great.
I have enjoyed almost all of the above mentioned, but #1 goes either to Gone With the Wind or Glory. Thanks to those who told about how to get the old tv programs. I now have another goal.
Gone With the Wind. I even named my daughter Ashley because of the character Ashley Wilkes. When I saw the movie for the first time in 8th grade I made the decision, if I ever had a daughter she was going to be named Ashley. If I’d have a second daughter it would have been Melanie. Only had the one, though.
Red Badge of Courage
+1 mine too.
I agree, The Red Badge of Courage gets my vote.
+1 The very best!
Movie: Glory. I suspect that Gettysburg and Gone With the Wind will receive many votes, but for my money Glory is the most realistic and has the best emotional scenes. These include, among other great ones, the eve of battle campfire, Sgt. Major Rawlings’ impassioned speech after he slaps Tripp, and Colonel Shaw’s boyish grin after he emerges from the Quartermaster who held back shoes.
Glory does capture a spirit or authenticity that Civil War media rarely does, imo. Never been quite sure why that is.
Glory for the same reasons.
‘Glory’ gets my vote also.
I liked the old TV Westerns, and virtually all of them had an episode or episodes that touched on or involved the Civil War. Even sci-fi shows like “The Twilight Zone” featured such occasional episodes.
The Twilight Zone? Any links to those episodes you could share?
emergingcivilwar.com /2024/02/05/at-the-signpost-up-ahead-its-the-civil-war-in-the-twilight-zone/
Below are titles of episodes of “The Twilight Zone” that had some connection, slight or otherwise, to the Civil War. For instance, the episode titled “Showdown With Lance McGrew” has Jesse James as a character. You should be able to find actual links to them by simply typing them into your search engine. Wikipedia has several if not all of them listed on their site, with a synopsis of each. “The Passerby” is especially haunting.
Still Valley
The Passerby
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
The 7th is Made Up of Phantoms.
Back There
Long Live Walter Jameson
Showdown With Lance McGrew
My favorite Civil War movie is either Gettysburg or Lincoln. My favorite civil war show is Civil War Journal. I remember having to get up at like 5 am to watch it before going to school.
North and South TV series for it’s entertainment.
Back in the early ’70s, there was a series of “you are there” type documentaries called “Appointment with Destiny.” They had one on the Lincoln assassination narrated by Richard Basehart and one on the surrender at Appomattox narrated by Hal Holbrook. They are available on YouTube and have passed the test of time pretty well. The Lincoln assassination one had the actor who played Les Nessman on “WKRP in Cincinnati” as Dr. Charles Leale and a very young Michael Tucker who played Stuart Markowitz on “LA Law” as Grant.
Glory
The Outlaw Josey Wells…
Thrilled to see some “Red Badge of Courage” votes in these comments 🙂
The Horse Soldiers … loosely based (very loosely) on Grierson’s Raid through Mississippi during the Vicksburg campaign … the 1959 movie gets most of the history wrong, but has great performances by John Wayne, as Colonel Benjamin Grierson of course, William Holden as the brigade’s surgeon, and Constance Towers, as the southern belle and captive of the yankee raiders.
Glory. Great story, lots of emotion.
I always appreciated Morgan Freeman’s protrayal of a 1st Sergeant’s role in battle. You don’t see that detail much in Civil War films.
This is tough. I have several. My favs: Glory, Gods and Generals, North and South, and The Red Badge of Courage. Though Glory is my number one pick for so many reasons.
Ride with the Devil
“Ride With the Devil.”
Gettysburg
Gettysburg
As others have already said Hollywood and accuracy don’t generally go hand in hand.
I am thinking of four, The Horse Soldiers, Glory, Gettysburg, and the fourth, which may result in a scratching of a few heads, Shenandoah with Jimmy Stewart. Released in 1965, at the end of the Centennial, it focuses on a man and his efforts to keep his family out of the war until it touches him personally.
I like Shenandoah as well … the history ain’t great, but the movie has all my favorite actors and actresses (if we still use that term) … and it’s a great story.
Gettysburg with 2 caveats: Chamberlain’s role was overdone and Sheen miscast as Lee.
Ken Burns’ “The Civil War.” It was the spark that first got me interested in the topic. Hundreds of books read and dozens of battlefield visits later, I still enjoy this incredible (albeit imperfect) film immensely. Also, the 1990’s series “Civil War Journal” was great.
The original 1950 version of Red Badge of Courage. Next is Ride with The Devil
I have enjoyed almost all of the above mentioned, but #1 goes either to Gone With the Wind or Glory. Thanks to those who told about how to get the old tv programs. I now have another goal.
Glory, with Lincoln a close second
Gone With the Wind. I even named my daughter Ashley because of the character Ashley Wilkes. When I saw the movie for the first time in 8th grade I made the decision, if I ever had a daughter she was going to be named Ashley. If I’d have a second daughter it would have been Melanie. Only had the one, though.
Favorite movie is “Gone with the Wind”