"Best movies set during the Civil War" Topic

"Running from 1861 to 1865, the Civil War remains the deadliest war ever fought on American soil. The result of various factors, it was ultimately a struggle over the scourge of slavery, which led to conflicts over states' right that would see seven Southern states secede from the United States. By the time it was over, approximately 620,000 soldiers were dead and millions more injured. Many would attest that the war's ramifications are still being played out to this day. In fact, the country is arguably in the midst of a cultural civil war with direct ties to the historical one.

Oddly enough, the Civil War doesn't often get the Hollywood treatment as a direct subject. Whereas World War II or Vietnam movies frequently go into the heart of battle, those with Civil War themes tend to skirt around the event altogether. A number of classic Westerns, for example, focus instead on the frontier battles between cavalrymen and Native Americans. It would appear that Apache warriors and other tribes made for more palatable common enemies to the audiences of yore. Then again, it could just be that Americans killing Americans in droves—or conjuring the ghosts of slavery—hasn't historically made for good box-office business…."

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Armand

50. Mysterious Island.
1. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

With 3 listing for Little Women.

Piffle.

For me, hard to go past:
- Glory
- Gettysburg (didn't like the Gods & Generals sequel)
- Lincoln
- Dances with Wolves
- Gone with the Wind (of course!!)

I think there were 4 little women in there…
They stretched the Civil War connection pretty tight.

That is a very lose loose list. 🙂

Glory
Gettysburg, even though Sheen was afraid of horses and looked like he cringed whenever on one.
Gone With the Wind

North and South 2 had some decent battle scenes. Otherwise a soap opera.

Buster Keaton's 'The General' may be a comedic portrayal of the Locomotive Chase, but it's great just to see those superb steam locomotives.

The original 'Red Badge of Courage' starring Audie Murphy gets my vote for one of the best portrayals of ACW combat.

Many of the movies on this list have a tenuous connection to the Civil War – if any. What about Birth of a Nation, The Undefeated, Escape From Fort Bravo, Major Dundee, Gods & Generals, The Andersonville Trial (made for TV) and Ride With the Devil?

Also missing Dark Command.

IMO Not very many really good ones except Glory and Lincoln. A lot of just okay ones like Gettysburg. A hard era to do because it seems like the war never quite ended and a movie that works in the North might not work in the South and vice versa. Big battles are expensive.

The stories of slavery, like 12 Years a Slave, are a new dimension though.

What idiot compiled that list? I couldn't be bothered to note all the ones that were not set in the Civil War but when you read captions with things like "set in 1880" you know its just click bait.

Free State of Jones
Red Badge of Courage
Cold Mountain
Lincoln
Gettysburg
The General
Glory

My list out of what's there.

My list: Glory, Gettysburg, Lincoln.

And my favorite starring Clint (not the remake) – The Beguiled!

Thanks.

Armand

Gettysburg for the win for me.

This is a joke. Half the films aren't even about the Civil War. Many are just Westerners. They are missing Ride with the Devil and others that are true Civil War films.

The Horse Soldiers.

Oh forgot Ride with the Devil

I'm surprised no one has mentioned The Hunley

Mike, didn't it "sink" at the box office? 😉 sorry could not resist.

A Time out of War

The Hunley was a made for TV movie, I saw it when it came out on DVD.

Sub, sink. Just making a bad joke. 🙂

i was very fond of a '50s film Cavalry Charge or also called The Last Outpost starring Ronald Reagan bit of a plodding plot set in the South West looking at the work of the confederate cavalry raiding union supply lines, but the cavalry charge against apaches is pretty special.

Ride with the Devil. Gods and Generals?
Ride is, for me, one of the best movies ever.
Also, cannot remember the name, but plot involved Rebs placing a cannon on top of a mountain, that had a cave leading to the top. Decent film. Used to own it on VHS.

The plot you describe Triplecdad sounds vaguely like Menace on the Mountain, a Disney effort from around 1970. As I recall the deserters had armed themselves with Spencers.

Glory, Gettysburg and Lincoln

Ride With the devil and Glory; between them they reveal a lot.

Strange that no one has mentioned "The Horse Soldiers." True, it is a typical John Wayne film, in many ways, and the uniforms are wrong for the era. But, still, it's a pretty good movie.

@donlowry it was a fun movie. I think not mentioned because of its lack of accuracy, would be my guess. It Does have a great rendition of "Bonnie Blue Flag" in it.
Ranks with "Barry Lyndon's", "British Grenadiers", with a good stereo, the drums in that are awesome.

Obviously both must be heard on soundtracks for full effect. Barry Lyndon was a excellent soundtrack

Subject: The Bonnie Blue Flag – From – The Horse Soldiers – YouTube


YouTube link

Subject: Barry Lyndon – British Grenadiers – YouTube


YouTube link

I loved "Horse Soldiers" as a kid until I later read Dee Brown's "Grierson's Raid" which I love to this day. Wayne just sinks every movie he is in for me as an adult.

Thanks 35th! Saves me looking them up, fabulous!

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