"AWI: I Wish They Would Make a Movie About..." Topic

Winston,
Mercer would be played by Sean Bean.

You need a human interest story with the battle as a scene in the movie.

I say again, the Northwest Indian War, Shay's Rebellion, and The Whiskey Rebellion. Unfortunately, you will end up with the same complaints as Godzilla 2014 for those.

Saratoga Campaign and/or The Southern Campaign.

Honestly, I just want to see a major battle that is historically accurate with enough extras to approximate the actual numbers involved. I am not that picky.

I should like to see a movie based on the adventures of my great-great-great-great grand pappy, an orphan who arrived off Staten Island a lowly 'volunteer' with the 71st in 1776 and by 1781 was an ADC mentioned in Rawdon's dispatches after Hobkirk's Hill. Long Island, Jersey forage war, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth CH, Bloody James Baird and Old Tappan, Virginia raids and Charleston.

Somewhere along the line he caught malaria. Perhaps he was tended by a sympathetic southern bell, while he struggled to remain faithful to his sweetheart at home.

Riding out between the armies, at the right hand of that valiant old dragoon, Sir William Erskine.

Saved his general from being brained by a Oneida tomahawk, when "silent on the war path as the very shadows of night, the Indians had stolen past the sentries and surprised the camp" and "when all seemed lost, so rallied the regiment as to avert the attack and kill the Red Chief" – although damned if I know how or when. But then, would that matter?

I'd watch it….

A movie tracing Cornwallis' campaign from coming to South Carolina in 1779 to Yorktown would make a great yarn. Not sure how to bring in romance…this is a work in progress.

I am afraid like war of the worlds the AWI is cursed and a decent film will never be made !

Gene Barry will be turning in his elegant grave!

I think a movie about the war between in no mans land (between the lines ) in Westchester county ,NY . Violence ,sex , a part of the war most know nothing about so less "expert" complaints , Heroes and villains on both sides with place names most recognize. Plus money available fro the state of NY.

Quick, someone give Winston some smelling salts! Something is terribly, terribly wrong. He actually made a sensible comment about making a movie. It's a travesty, sure.

Yes, a central character that a contemporary audience can relate to is essential to the process – but it would certainly have to be an action movie and thus the pace required likely to offend most all of the TMP crowd. Adding romance is easy. Finding a central conflict, now that is hard. And, no, folks, the conflict doesn't mean the war or the battle or fisticuffs. It is the battle of wills between hero and antagonist. Damn hard to find.

And I still think something focused on Eutaw Springs – small enough battle to be able to be brought to life reasonably on the screen (reasonably does not mean thousands of extras – do you have the extra millions to pay for the, well, extras – and their costumes and equipment, for that authenticity you want? No, didn't think so). A hundred or two extras, maybe. Film can convince you it is a much higher number.

But same challenge – the central characters. Though I think a guardsman versus maybe Maryland or Delaware stalwart if any such be left. Maybe Marjoribanks ('the ugliest man in the army') and Wade Hampton? They might have even come fact to face – and even if they didn't, it's a movie and rearranging for dramatic purposes is the name of the game. Like it or not.

I want to see something like Gettysburg but on a major battle of the AWI. Or even cover a campaign, like Long Island.

H'm. Think, "The Longest Day' versus 'Saving Private Ryan."

Actually -a very interesting One that would could be made (and one was starting to be filmed a few years ago )would be the politics and political fighting of the British supporters and opponents of the colonists insurgency. Like a 18th century Lincoln -

I wish they would make a series about the American Spy ring vs British intelligence during the AWI. perhaps they could have a subplot where Benedict Arnold gets played by a spymaster and joins the British side. perhaps the spy could be a guy named Culpepper and……

I still like the "Patriot". I wish someone would make a movie showing why some of the British and many of the Hessians deserted and chose to live in the now free colonies.

Did many 'Hessians' desert or did they simply not return to the ranks from captivity at the end of the war?

The opportunity to settle, or join communities in the New World must have been persuasive, particularly among their own folk in Pennsylvania.

I think Brunswick allowed their soldiers to take their discharge in America. Odd. But it saved on transporting them back. That's a good cheap excuse.
There were also at least 3 mass captures of German soldiers. Satatoga, Trenton and Yorktown. Captors just turn a blind eye to someone walking away.

Doug – In the case of many British soldiers, it was falling in love with a local woman and then the force moving away from the area. Thomas Sullivan of the 49th Foot is one example. In researching the rank-and-file of the 23rd Foot, I came across quite a few examples of deserted men returning to the ranks, so the "grass is greener" view did not always remain.

The German troops were positively wooed, compared to British prisoners; the latter were mistreated and often killed arbitrarily (and by and large, they made themselves a major PITA to the Rebels in return).

On threads like this I keep seeing "The Battle of (insert favorite battle here) would make a great movie.
No. It wouldn't. Hollywood would not touch it. You need a human interest story with the battle as a scene in the movie.

As an example, there was no "Battle of Gaugamela" movie. It was a well done scene in a dopey movie about Alexander.

Even "Midway" or "Pearl Harbor" had to have dopey romances thrown it, for the Ladies.

The topic is "I WISH they would make a movie… Not what topic could get made into a movie. They already did that one it's called "The Patriot".

You can make a movie about a single battle with some human interest. Such as "Waterloo", "Gettysburg" "Zulu" and "Midway".

Then you have "Tora! Tora! Tora!" which had just a little human interest, but nevertheless was very compelling. The movie "Pearl Harbor" had all of young Hollywood in it and had a ton of human interest in it. Which do you think is the better movie? Here's a hint it's "Tora! Tora! Tora!"

For the AWI I would rather see a movie about the Saratoga Campaign and other on the Southern Campaign. Plenty of human interest there, if your into that sort of thing. Since we are whishing.