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But the thing is, Ford was interested in myth and legend, not strict history (which he knew by the way, he devoured history books and cinematographer Bill Clothier said Ford knew more about the Civil War than any man he'd met); putting in military academy thing made it a much richer picture and gave Ford the opprotunity to show the sacrifices the rebels were prepared to make and brings forth great emotion (and even turns the trick for a little humor too); can you forget Anna Lee's plaintive cry of "Johhny" as her last son sneaks out the window and off to what (he thinks is) the adventure of war?
I certainly agree that it was good filmmaking. Ford had a weakness for letting some corny stuff make the final cut, but you could always count on excellent and imaginative cinematography, as in the scene you reference above. The first we learn of the kid's escape is when we see his drum come dropping out the window and rolling away.
You mentioned Sgt. Rutledge, so I'm guessing that you were a closet Constance Towers fan. Those two films pretty much were her career.
You mentioned Sgt. Rutledge, so I'm guessing that you were a closet Constance Towers fan. Those two films pretty much were her career.
She also made a picture for Sam Fuller, The Naked Kiss. The scene where she brains a guy with a telephone handset is kind'a famous, with movie nuts anyway.
She also made a picture for Sam Fuller, The Naked Kiss. The scene where she brains a guy with a telephone handset is kind'a famous, with movie nuts anyway.
Otherwise most of her career was on TV. She semi-retired after marrying John Gavin.
I liked Gettysburg. True all those beards & wool uniforms in July, made me hot just watchin! If the real participants were filmed, they would have probably mumbled a lot and looked far worse! Real life is hard to watch... we want to escape real life... and watch a movie!
This is probably not going to make a lot of sense to some people, but it occurred to me the other day that "Gone With the Wind," in SOME respects, is probably one of the most accurate depictions of the Civil War on film, at least as it concerns civilian life in the cities of the South.
The way that slavery was depicted, of course, is grossly glossed-over, but an awful lot about the movie rings true during the scenes where Scarlet and her Atlanta friends are keeping the home fires burning, nursing soldiers, finding out about their relatives killed in action, etc.
This is probably not going to make a lot of sense to some people, but it occurred to me the other day that "Gone With the Wind," in SOME respects, is probably one of the most accurate depictions of the Civil War on film, at least as it concerns civilian life in the cities of the South.
The way that slavery was depicted, of course, is grossly glossed-over, but an awful lot about the movie rings true during the scenes where Scarlet and her Atlanta friends are keeping the home fires burning, nursing soldiers, finding out about their relatives killed in action, etc.
..It also explained alot of things that came directly out of the war...like the KKK..not to say it was right, but understandable...at least in the book
Yeah, I forgot about the KKK stuff. A lot about Reconstruction has been forgotten or passed over when people are thinking about the Civil War. You do have to work hard to ignore the movie's subtle attitude toward "them uppity n----s" during Reconstruction but at least you get the whole panorama of what happened before, during and after the war - from the white Georgian point of view at least.
I don't even know if they teach kids in school today anything about the Civil War era other than "started in 1861, then there was Gettysburg, then Lincoln was assassinated, the end."
Location: Finally escaped The People's Republic of California
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John Ford had a remarkable ability to make both sides in his movies "Good Guys". For instance at the end of "Horse Soldiers" while John Wayne is leading his band of hero's over the bridge to safety, The Confederate Officer rides up to Holden Character and asks if he could use the help of his regimental surgeon for the Yank Wounded.........
Wonder if we'll ever get the full 5 hour release on a DVD ???
Wonder if Grandstander and Irishtom would care to watch it if they did?
Definately interested in the Antietam scenes...
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..It also explained alot of things that came directly out of the war...like the KKK..not to say it was right, but understandable...at least in the book 
