Best Civil War movies

[lc69hunter]

Sorry, sometimes there are co-incidences that make me wonder who or what is really running this universe. Like this was published yesterday.

https://collider.com/best-movies-about-american-civil-war-imdb/#39-cold-mountain-39-2003

The weird thing is that my Geek Pride entry is, in the main setting, about the filming of a Civil War movie. I've only seen two of the ten all the way through, but both are mentioned in the story. A digression: I'm surprised that 1951's The Red Badge of Courage didn't make the list.

Outlaw Josey Wells

 

[gunhilltrain]

I must needs disagree with your insistence on the misuse of the word "heinous". It was used appropriately. One of the synonyms for "heinous" is "odious". If you prefer substitute the latter for the former. I too can lack logic in my opinions. While recognizing I do, I can't see it in myself while clearly seeing it in others. Nothing like being a flawed complicated human huh?

Comshaw

I was being tongue-in-cheek. Anyway, I'd prefer the word "ridiculous," which describes most of the mass media, including - oh, yeah, IMDb.com opinion pieces. In any case, I've never seen The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, although I had already figured out it was more of a Western than a war movie.

Almost everybody doesn't recognize in themselves what they see in others. It's called projection.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Outlaw Josey Wells

That was on the list. There are a lot of Clint Eastwood fans on here. I've seen more of his cop movies than his Westerns. His Inspector Callahan gig was too successful to stop, so it got a bit tiresome after a while.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I'll just leave this link to an extremely informative American Civil War playlist here.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwCiRao53J1y_gqJJOH6Rcgpb-vaW9wF0

I've seen those guys, although not all of their videos. It is informative although they ham it up a bit. Helps attract more viewers that way, I'm sure.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I've got some contrary opinions.

The General is a great movie and definitely belongs on the list. If you don't think comedies can be great war movies, watch MASH or Good Morning, Vietnam.

Cold Mountain was a terrific book, but imo, a mediocre movie. Completely miscast, from top to bottom.

Proposed addition to the list: Ang Lee's Ride With The Devil.

 

[GlennJenko]

You have to realize that I'm 68 (today!), so I've lost track (and interest) in much of popular culture after about 2010 or even earlier. I think it's inevitable.

Understandable. And happy (belated) birthday! Hope you had a good one.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Understandable. And happy (belated) birthday! Hope you had a good one.

Thank you. It was pretty good. I spent a lot of it writing and editing material for this site.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I've got some contrary opinions.

The General is a great movie and definitely belongs on the list. If you don't think comedies can be great war movies, watch MASH or Good Morning, Vietnam.

Cold Mountain was a terrific book, but imo, a mediocre movie. Completely miscast, from top to bottom.

Proposed addition to the list: Ang Lee's Ride With The Devil.

I agree about The General. I've never read the book. Probably it was miscast, but I'd have a hard time imagining who would have been better.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Then there is The Battle of the Crater. Directed by Greg Meeker, released by Apollo Productions. Starring, among others, Calvin Broadus (aka, Snoop Dogg). Release date: spring, 2018. Special thanks to the the town and people of Doswell, VA, for their cooperation.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Wow, the English Civil War. I'm sure that most Americans have never heard of it. I think I studied it in college, but I'm not up to speed on that one. I haven't seen Cromwell either.

Funny how that war (or three wars) ended up as "The English Civil War" when there were so many others before it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_civil_wars

One of the earlier ones is the backdrop for the Brother Cadfael series; it doesn't follow the progress of the war closely, but the lawlessness and strife of that period provides plenty of drama to keep Brother C. busy.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Funny how that war (or three wars) ended up as "The English Civil War" when there were so many others before it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_civil_wars

One of the earlier ones is the backdrop for the Brother Cadfael series; it doesn't follow the progress of the war closely, but the lawlessness and strife of that period provides plenty of drama to keep Brother C. busy.

Until the Wars of the Roses, which had a cooler name, all those involved various now-French regions - Normandy, Anjou, Blois etc. The Anarchy is probably a better description for the Stephen vs Matilda period - the amount of actual fighting was low and regional, and it was more 'who can get the support of the most nobles'. You need a civil society before you can have a civil war.

The Cadfael books and TV series are great, though.

 

[jsmiam]

For once, I searched first (unless someone mentioned this on page 2), but even though it’s partly off topic, the multi-part Ken Burns civil war documentary that originally aired on PBS is so very very good, it’s a must-see. To me better than most, maybe all movies.

Btw, you could also put on a pair of mental blinders, watch “all quiet on the western front” on Netflix, and pretend it’s about the civil war. (To me, it was quite good, although it would have been better with about 40 minutes LESS of it.

 

[jsmiam]

Someone else has done the 'which Civil War' joke (the play 55 Days would be my nomination for the English one).

Cold Mountain is the only one of those films I've both seen and liked.

And when the rebel alliance fought back against the empire, in, umm, Star Wars, it was like a civil war.

Kumquat’s rule.

Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Some kind of force made me do it. ;-)

 

[HordHolm]

Until the Wars of the Roses, which had a cooler name, all those involved various now-French regions - Normandy, Anjou, Blois etc. The Anarchy is probably a better description for the Stephen vs Matilda period - the amount of actual fighting was low and regional, and it was more 'who can get the support of the most nobles'. You need a civil society before you can have a civil war.

The Cadfael books and TV series are great, though.

The only one I'd argue that might better be called the English Civil War before the actual Wars was The Barons' War with Simon de Montfort as the rebel leader. Led to the real beginnings of Parliament as we know it, so that would seem to be particularly fitting.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Probably it was miscast, but I'd have a hard time imagining who would have been better.

Any actor who could manage an acceptable American Southern accent.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

And when the rebel alliance fought back against the empire, in, umm, Star Wars, it was like a civil war.

Kumquat’s rule.

Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Some kind of force made me do it. ;-)

May your light sabre flounder and your next fellatio be from a sarlacc...

Corollary to Kumquat's Law (cf Mike Godwin) - invoking it on purpose doesn't count!

 

[Kumquatqueen]

The only one I'd argue that might better be called the English Civil War before the actual Wars was The Barons' War with Simon de Montfort as the rebel leader. Led to the real beginnings of Parliament as we know it, so that would seem to be particularly fitting.

True, though in school it's only mentioned as the backdrop to the Anglo-French war (not a civil war, clue's in the name!) and mostly as further evidence of John being a wrong'un, after we'd been indoctrinated by Disney's Robin Hood.

It's remarkable how many Brits cite that fox as their first crush...

 

[gunhilltrain]

Any actor who could manage an acceptable American Southern accent.

Except there probably is no such thing as a single American Southern accent: it varies from Virginia to Texas. Also, in 1864 regional accents were pronounced than they are now. But I won't pick nits; as close to rural North Carolina as one can get is good enough.

To digress: why in the film version of A Streetcar Named Desire does Vivian Leigh have an accent but Kim Hunter and Marlon Brando do not? Did I miss something? Leigh did play Scarlett O'Hara once. But Clark Gable doesn't sound different from his usual self. Oh, Hollywood.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Except there probably is no such thing as a single American Southern accent: it varies from Virginia to Texas. Also, in 1864 regional accents were pronounced than they are now. But I won't pick nits; as close to rural North Carolina as one can get is good enough.

To digress: why in the film version of A Streetcar Named Desire does Vivian Leigh have an accent but Kim Hunter and Marlon Brando do not? Did I miss something? Leigh did play Scarlett O'Hara once. But Clark Gable doesn't sound different from his usual self. Oh, Hollywood.

Of course there are many variant Southern accents. But neither Jude Law nor Nicole Kidman came close to any of them. And whatever the hell Renee Zellwegger was doing...it barely sounded like human speech.

Brando not having an accent is understandable, it can be reasonably assumed he was not of a long southern lineage. But, yeah, Blanche and Stella should have compatible accents.

As for Clark Gable, I haven't seen him in much, but what I have seen leaves me unimpressed.

 

[gunhilltrain]

True, though in school it's only mentioned as the backdrop to the Anglo-French war (not a civil war, clue's in the name!) and mostly as further evidence of John being a wrong'un, after we'd been indoctrinated by Disney's Robin Hood.

It's remarkable how many Brits cite that fox as their first crush...

You mean Disney's Robin Hood? If you say so. Since we were talking about Southern accents just above, my first crush was Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker. Of course, it's was very fictionalized. Yet that lady had attitude. She didn't take shit from anybody, including Clyde. But she could back it up with something. Yes, she was a criminal, but she was courageous, fearless almost, and that counted for a lot with me.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.rog...bonnie-and-clyde-1967/Bonnie-Clyde-2017-2.jpg

 

[gunhilltrain]

Of course there are many variant Southern accents. But neither Jude Law nor Nicole Kidman came close to any of them. And whatever the hell Renee Zellwegger was doing...it barely sounded like human speech.

Brando not having an accent is understandable, it can be reasonably assumed he was not of a long southern lineage. But, yeah, Blanche and Stella should have compatible accents.

As for Clark Gable, I haven't seen him in much, but what I have seen leaves me unimpressed.

Yeah, overall, it's an - annoying? - movie. Zellweger was probably the worst because she was trying way too hard.

I've heard that there is - or was - a distinctive New Orleans accent that doesn't sound very Southern. That's all I know about it right now.

I suspect Clark Gable wouldn't be impressed by us either. My life did overlap with his for six years, not that it matters much.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I suspect Clark Gable wouldn't be impressed by us either. My life did overlap with his for six years, not that it matters much.

Perhaps not, but when I say I don't give a damn, everybody knows full fucking well that I mean it...

 

[gunhilltrain]

Perhaps not, but when I say I don't give a damn, everybody knows full fucking well that I mean it...

Well, we're still alive and he's not! For the moment, we're one up on him.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I have fond memories of the TV mini-series North and South. I loved it so much that I ended up reading John Jakes' trilogy. Unfortunately, he passed away recently.

Was that a big hit over there in Ruritania, or wherever it is you say you come from?

 

[gunhilltrain]

Was that a big hit over there in Ruritania, or wherever it is you say you come from?

He's either from Montenegro or Bosnia-Herzegovina. The former hadn't existed as an independent nation since about 1918, but they just had to bring it back. That's The Balkans for you.

P..S: Sorry Tilan, you answered the question for us, about twelve minutes before I could post.