What Civil War Story, Person, Event Would Make A Great Movie?

I want to see a movie that would do for Ulysses Grant what Spielberg's movie did for Lincoln -- make him come alive; a movie where someone (I have no idea who) would incarnate the man -- body, mind and spirit -- the way Daniel Day-Lewis did Lincoln.

Until then, we'll just have to make do with the PBS documentary -- which is good, as far as it goes, but....

Oh, and Jared Harris in the Lincoln movie? He is so not Grant -- the only thing he got right was the cigar.
 
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I'd like to see a "Life of Longstreet" type movie, something that not only covers early life, friendship w/ Sam Grant, & Civil War period, but also his fascinating post war life; becoming a Republican, advocating healing of the nation, his scapegoating and efforts to defend his reputation, etc.

As KansasFreestater says... something that would "make him come alive..."
 
I'd like to see a "Life of Longstreet" type movie, something that not only covers early life, friendship w/ Sam Grant, & Civil War period, but also his fascinating post war life; becoming a Republican, advocating healing of the nation, his scapegoating and efforts to defend his reputation, etc.

As KansasFreestater says... something that would "make him come alive..."
I agree, Longstreet is fascinating! Unfortunately, what enabled Spielberg/Kushner/Day-Lewis to make a viewer feel like Lincoln was right there in the room with you was that it focused in on a very brief period of his life -- less than 4 months -- and, moreover, it was the last period in his life, so that what we were seeing was the final/peak phase of a man who'd grown and changed and deepened tremendously during the course of his life; we were looking at Lincoln fully evolved, "the man complete."

When movies try to take in the huge, broad scope of a person's whole life, there's usually a trade-off in depth. There are some very, very good biopics -- my favorite in this line would probably be Gandhi -- but what I treasure about Lincoln is that intimate close-up that only a story with a limited timeframe can give you.

Still, I agree that Longstreet's life shows a marvelous narrative/character arc, and is a great story -- and one that, unlike the lives of Lee, Jackson and others, has not gotten the attention it deserves.
 
I would love to see a movie about Robert Smalls and his escape from slavery aboard The Planter. He may well have been the most famous southern African American among Union people in 1862, perhaps the entire war. His story no doubt inspired those who advocated for black enlistment in the Union army.

- Alan

Absolutely agree with this one. The possibilities are endless in expanding the story line. The hero would be a black man, his comrades and their families, without any "white" influence like Glory, which covered white families and officers and politics. Successful movies always seem to have clear cut good guys and bad guys.

Also a movie about the Arkansas. A movie from the common sailor/artillerymen viewpoint serving aboard her during her naval career, with a Das Boot theme. To fight against overwhelming odds, the intensity of the banzai-type battle, the sense of fatalism, the vague hint of hope (of victory), the camaraderie, a sense of duty? honor? desperation?, the lack of resources, determination, etc. In a sense it's about the "bad guys".
 
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I agree, Longstreet is fascinating! Unfortunately, what enabled Spielberg/Kushner/Day-Lewis to make a viewer feel like Lincoln was right there in the room with you was that it focused in on a very brief period of his life -- less than 4 months -- and, moreover, it was the last period in his life, so that what we were seeing was the final/peak phase of a man who'd grown and changed and deepened tremendously during the course of his life; we were looking at Lincoln fully evolved, "the man complete."

When movies try to take in the huge, broad scope of a person's whole life, there's usually a trade-off in depth. There are some very, very good biopics -- my favorite in this line would probably be Gandhi -- but what I treasure about Lincoln is that intimate close-up that only a story with a limited timeframe can give you.

Still, I agree that Longstreet's life shows a marvelous narrative/character arc, and is a great story -- and one that, unlike the lives of Lee, Jackson and others, has not gotten the attention it deserves.
Great points... maybe the main focus could be on the postwar years with some flashbacks to key CW episodes...
 
I agree. And this brings up an odd coincidence: Fifteen minutes ago I was leafing through the most current issue (June, 2014) of AMERICAN ART REVIEW. There's a very good, but too brief article about Wilbur G. Kurtz, who was a technical advisor on the Disney version of that story. Also on "Gone With The Wind" and a number of others. Kurtz was a very fine artist. He became familiar with the locomotive chase story early in the 20th century, visited the locales, and interviewed a number of surviving eyewitnesses, including the conductor of the train. He sketched the locales and later produced studio paintings of those and numerous other Southern scenes. This article is well worth seeing, if you can find an issue of the magazine.

I think Gen. JO Shelby is one of the fascinating characters of the war, but I am a little biased because I'm his fellow Missourian. He had numerous exploits that are movie-worthy.

He was very well portrayed (I thought) in an off-beat and probably little known movie called "The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James." He appears at Frank's trial in Gallatin, MO. Now, here's the funny part: He was portrayed by Willie Nelson. Much of his testimony was drawn from the actual trial transcript, which I have read. Willie did an amazingly good job. You just have to see it to understand what I mean.
I agree, Maybe they could pickup the sets and props cheap from the producers if the Lone Ranger. :smile:
 
Great points... maybe the main focus could be on the postwar years with some flashbacks to key CW episodes...
One of my favorite things about Longstreet was his second wife -- who died only a year before JFK! (Weird to think of a Confederate general's widow surviving until the Beatles era!) And it's not like Longstreet married some young bimbo. Helen Dortch was a 34-year-old, never-previously-married, highly educated and accomplished, Assistant State Librarian for the State of Georgia.
 
I would personally love to see a movie about the Western Armies, involving Battle's such as Chckamauga and Missionary Ridge.. such as that. I think with all the drama produced between Bragg and his subordinates......it think it would be a good movie.

I also think a movie of the Atlanta Campaign would be outstanding...I would love to see it.!
 
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