NF Casting a Shiloh movie?

Non-Fiction

OldReliable1862

First Sergeant
Joined
Jul 2, 2017
Location
Georgia
Assuming for a moment that a movie is made about the battle of Shiloh, what choices would you make casting-wise? I hadn't thought it would be so difficult until I sat down and began thinking about it, but maybe some of you have a clearer idea. One niggling issue to me anyway is who you would get for Sidney Johnston.
 
Whoever would be cast in a part should be in the right age group. Always been a stickler for me, such as a man in his 60's playing John Bell Hood in another movie.

Not really up on current actors, but who comes to mind are the numerous men who play in the different cop shows such as Chicago PD, Bluebloods, etc.
 
Agree. There are some ridiculously talented actors whose names I couldn't tell you if you paid me. Here's a lowering thought. What if casting older men in these roles is a deliberate tactic? What's the median age of an ACW buff? Accepting someone as er, generationally gifted but recognized may be thought a better draw than some terrific actor we've never heard of.

Rats. Now I'll have to watch TV or worse, a movie besides the Star Wars series. The kids forced that on me one long visit and it's amazing.
 
My dream cast. This isn't everyone but these are the ones that stood out to me as perfect. A pet peeve of mine is when historical movies cast actors who are obviously much older than the parts they're playing, so I'm putting the real approximate ages of the generals next to the real actors and tried to stick fairly close in most cases. I hated it how the movie Gettysburg cast the dashing 31-year-old John Bell Hood as someone in his 50s (not that the actor didn't still do a great job), and it was noticeable to me that Robert Duvall was in his 70s in Gods and Generals instead of his 50s.

Anyway....

Ulysses S. Grant (~40)/Leonard DiCaprio (~44)

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William T. Sherman (~42)/Hugh Jackman (~50)

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Albert S. Johnston (~59)/George Clooney (~58)

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Braxton Bragg (~45)/Joaquin Phoenix (~44)

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P.G.T. Beauregard (~44)/Ralph Fiennes (~56)

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Honestly, I wouldn't recommend anyone from hollywood. I would prefer if we use actual military soldiers who graduated from our american military schools to reenact as soldiers especially as officers and generals and to allow thousands to volunteer as privates. For them(the average soldier)to be lean, muscular(not big), tough, rugged looking men who would look authentic. No hollywood pretty boys. lol
 
By the way, when I spoke of no pretty boys from hollywood, there are some who would make great reenactors. I thought the cast for Gettysburg 1993 film was near perfect!
 
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Johnny Depp as Sherman? That's genius! Johnny is brilliant at might-be-crazy...or-not characters. Woody Harrelson, too - he's often under-rated in range but he could do A S Johnston.
 
Wasn't that the role he was announced as for To Appomattox? I remember seeing that and thinking it was great casting. RIP Powers. :frown:

What a fun coincidence. I wasn't aware of that. I had been rewatching Deadwood when I saw this post and thought he was a dead ringer for Johnston.
 
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