"Which ACW Movie Needs to Be Made?" Topic

Can you think of a battle or incident or character from the American Civil War that needs to be the focus of a film?

The Last Full Measure, not a particular battle or character but it needs to be made.

The Battle of Chickamauga/Thomas ! ! !

First Bull Run. Lots of side plots. My house belonged to a congressman that was captured with a woman not his wife – link and spent months in Libby Prison

I would like to see a movie about Raphael Semmes and his exploits as the most successful commerce raider in maritime history.

Mark

Patrick Cleburne

Ironclads?

I think a gritty movie about the 1864 Virginia campaign---maybe following a few generals and a grunt or two---would be really good.

Battle of St. Albans

A St. Albans movie was made. Made in 1954, called, appropriately, "The Raid". Saw it as a teenager on T.V., not very hollywood, not accurate, but still based on the raid.

Morning at Willoughby Run.

> Ironclads?

There was a TV movie some time back about the Monitor and the Merrimac (don't bother trying to "correct" me). No great but not bad.

YouTube link

A movie version of "Cain at Gettysburg" or a movie on Antietam. How about a movie on the Alabama vs Kearsarge fight. Another good naval movie would be Robert Smalls exploits turning the CSS Planter over to the US Navy

I'd say that any stand alone movie most likely would try to cover too much and as a result be fairly bad. My pipe dream is for an ACW mini-series such as HBO's Band of Brothers. Can't you see it: HBO presents "Iron Brigade".

The last week of the war in Virginia, from Five Forks to Appomattox.

The California Column.

It could be done with generic locations, less than a multitude of extras, and free rein with characters and dialogue.

Pvt. Albert Cashier, 95th Illinois Infantry.
link

Shiloh

Fort Gregg obviously, or it can be in Last full measure.

agree, The Ironclads.

Mobile Bay or follow the story of Sam Watkins.

Another vote for Robert Smalls. He needs a bio pic, went from slave via daring escape to US Congressman and owning his former Master's home. He even went to Ben Tillman's SC Constitutional Convention which must have been difficult. An amazing man!

Anything that can include the great Dalton snowball fight of 1864

Antietam

The 'Gettysburg of the West' – Glorieta Pass would be cool. I always thought that the 'Good, the Bad, and the Ugly' did a fairly well job on the war in the West but there needs to be movie on it.

Also, it would be nice to see a movie on 'Bampson's Legion'.

A movie about Grant, who comes from obscurity to become the commander of the entire Union Army. The movie would focus on his early military successes in what was called "the west" at the time.

Shiloh – definitely. But with thousands of extras like the Waterloo film not just a few hundred. To really get a true idea of the epic scale of the encounter.

Or following Jackson during the Valley Campaign. ( No soppy sub plots or speeches like in Gods & Generals!)

I always thought the Wilderness would play well as a movie, featuring the first confrontation between Grant and Lee as well as the Meade-Grant dynamic, against the backdrop of the battle, which presents a number of highly cinematic scenes on each side…ending with well-bloodied Union troops on the road cheering Grant as they realize they're marching forward toward Spotsylvania Court House instead of retreating by way of Fredericksburg.

Jim Bundy.

The Mule Shoe Salient at Spottsylvania. Nothing but hours of fighting in the mud and rain.

Missionary Ridge--The Army of the Cumberland's assault is perhaps the most visually stunning battle of the entire war.

Grelber

The one where they make the distinction between the various flags of the Confederacy and the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia (not Lee's command flag, you know the one I mean) and Confederate naval jack?

ACW Events …?

* The Notorious card game trial in Parkersburg, (W)Va
* Defense of Cincinnati
* Morgan's Raid
* Temecula (the pursuit of Showalter)
* Buffington Island
* Hogg's Pirates
* Philippi
* Cheat Mountain

Morgan's Raid! That would be a great movie, and could be told on a smaller, more intimate scale than another big battle CGI fest.

I'd also enjoy a nautical film that centered on blockade runners and derring-do -- perhaps something based in Galveston and its role in the CSA.

PETERSBURG with emphasis on the last minute change of the order of battle that sealed the fate of the attack and extended the war.

I'm in agreement with Piper909 about Morgan. After seeing Tombstone, I always pictured Val Kilmer in the role. On a more ambitious note, I'd like to see a film about N.B.Forrest. He is a fascinating character and quite possibly the best American cavalry general – a larger-than-life figure, warts and all.

Rebel in Time – a Harry Harrison story, lots of which is set in the ACW.

With sten guns
…

I'm going with Shiloh too. It was a brutal fight that really showed everyone just what this nasty little war was going to cost. Plus it comes with the A Team for the Union: Sherman and Grant and how close these two came to being sacked during their first, serious outing.

I would also point to the Battle of the Crater during Petersburg too. What a FUBAR, but a fascinating story of ingenuity and courage.

An account of Grierson's Raid that is more historical than John Wayne's The Horse Soldiers.

Chickamauga.