As both a Civil War and a movie buff, the release of Gettysburg put me in seventh heaven. However, after seeing it a couple of dozen times, I was ready for other ACW films. Classics such as Glory, Major Dundee, The Red Badge of Courage, The Horse Soldiers, Shenandoah and Gone with the Wind were obvious choices. But I was curious to see what else might turn up. So, turning to my trusty movie and video guides, I began a methodical search. My quest turned up a lot that I had forgotten, and a few I had never heard of.

Unfortunately, most of the Civil War era movies use the conflict only as a background for a formula western. It's not surprising, because I am reasonably sure that more westerns have been made than any other type of movie. Usually, these follow one of three plot lines:

1. brothers (or friends) who fought on opposite sides during the war meet in the post-Civil War west;
2. violence-weary veteran returns home looking for peace, but finds he must fight to preserve it (also known as The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth, But They're Going To Have To Fight For It plot) and;
3. Cowboys fight the Civil War in between fighting the Indians. My favorite western star, Randolph Scott, made a good many of these.

Movies such as Gettysburg and Glory, which involve action east of the Mississippi, are few and far between. Considering the importance of the war to American history, and of the opportunities for action, drama, tragedy and irony, I think Hollywood has blown this one big-time.

In the following list, I have included only those movies in which a good portion of the action takes place during the Civil War; hence, movies such as The Undefeated do not qualify. Also, I have listed only those available on video, or ones that I have seen on channels such as Turner Network Television, American Movie Classics, or Arts & Entertainment.

The List of American Civil War Movies

Alvarez Kelly (1966) Stars William Holden, Richard Widmark. Cattle driver sells to Yankees, is kidnapped by Rebels. Not bad.

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974) Stars Cicely Tyson. 110-year-old former slave recalls life. Very Good.

Bad Company (1972) Stars Jeff Bridges. Two drifters head west during the Civil War.

The Beguiled (1971) Stars Clint Eastwood. Wounded soldier is tormented inside girls school. Weird.

The Birth of a Nation (1915) Stars Lillian Gish. Landmark film by D.W. Griffith tells the story of two families during the Civil War and Reconstruction. To my regret, I have not seen this one.

Bugles in the Afternoon (1952) Stars Ray Milland. Civil War coward meets end at Little Bighorn.

Dances With Wolves (1990) Stars Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell. Costner also directed this film about a Civil War soldier who makes friends with the Sioux. Visually, a stunning film, but hidden political messages ruined it for me.

The Desperados (1969) Stars Jack Palance. Deserters ride the west.

Drums in the Deep South (1951) Stars James Craig, Guy Madison. West Point graduates fight on opposite sides.

Friendly Persuasion (1956) Stars Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins. Quaker family is caught up in Civil War. Excellent.

The General (1927) Stars Buster Keaton. Keaton also directed this comedy about the Andrews Raid. A comedy classic.

Gettysburg (1993) Stars Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen, Tom Berenger, etc. Ted Turner's adaptation of The Killer Angels. A fantastic film marred only by cheesy-looking beards on some of the stars.

Glory (1989) Stars Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman. One of the finest Civil War movies ever made, Glory is the story of the 54th Massachusetts. Washington won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Excellent.

Gone With the Wind (1939) Stars Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard. The Great American Classic. Enough said.

The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) Stars Fess Parker, Jeffrey Hunter. Disney film about the Andrews Raid. Enjoyable.

The Horse Soldiers (1959) Stars John Wayne, William Holden. John Ford directed this Civil War piece about Union Cavalry that strikes deep into Rebel territory. One of my favorites.

Ironclads (1991) Stars Virginia Madsen. Made-for-cable story of a southern belle trying to spy for the Yankees. Worth watching for the battle scenes. Frequently on TNT.

Jack McCall, Desperado (1953) Stars George Montgomery, Jay Silverheels. Southerner goes after spy who framed him.

Johnny Shiloh (1963) Stars Kevin Corcoran, Brian Keith. Disney fare about boy who follows army. Actually not too bad.

Journey to Shiloh (1968) Stars Noah Beery, James Cann and Harrison Ford. Young Texans prepare for battle.

Kansas Raiders (1950) Stars Audie Murphy, Tony Curtis. Jesse James joins Quantrill's Raiders.

The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come (1961) Stars Jimmie Rodgers, George Kennedy. Boy who fights in Civil War returns to farm home in North.

The Littlest Rebel (1935) Stars Shirley Temple. Temple dances and sings through the Civil War. One of her best, for whatever that's worth.

Love Me Tender (1956) Stars Elvis Presley. Elvis sings his way through the Civil War west.

Macho Callahan (1970) Stars David Janssen. Civil War POW escapes to get man who framed him.

Major Dundee (1965) Stars Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, James Coburn. Sam Peckinpah directed this story of a Union officer who leads prison guards and rebel prisoners against the Apache. There's a wild scene at the end where the Americans are attacked by French lancers.

No Drums, No Bugles (1971) Stars Martin Sheen. Conscientious objector lives in West Virginia cave.

Raintree County (1957) Stars Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift. MGM's answer to Gone with the Wind. Not bad, despite reviews.

Rebel Love (1984) No appreciable stars. Rebel spy and Yankee widow fall in love.

The Red Badge of Courage (1951) Stars Audie Murphy. John Huston version of the novel. Great battle scenes.

The Red Badge of Courage (1974) Stars Richard Thomas. Television remake of Stephen Crane novel. If you can get over the John-boy thing Thomas does a good job.

The Rose and the Jackal (1990) Stars Christopher Reeves. Made for cable story of Allan Pinkerton.

Shenandoah (1965) Stars James Stewart, Doug McClure, Patrick Wayne, Katharine Ross, Denver Pyle, George Kennedy, Harry Carey, Jr., and Strother Martin. Pacifist family is caught in the Civil War. Oscar for Sound. Excellent.

Sommersby (1993) Stars Richard Gere, Jodie Foster. Remake of The Return of Martin Guerre. None of the action actually takes place during the war, but it is so central to the story that I included this one anyway.

A Southern Yankee (1948) Stars Red Skelton. Comedy about a Yankee spy.

Two Flags West (1950) Stars Joseph Cotton, Jeff Chandler, Noah Beery, Jr. Civil War western directed by Robert Wise. I haven't seen it, but with Wise's other credits (editor for Citizen Kane; director of West Side Story, The Day The Earth Stood Still, The Sound of Music, and Run Silent, Run Deep) it practically has to be good.

Virginia City (1940) Stars Errol Flynn, Randolph Scott, Humphrey Bogart, Alan Hale. Civil War western. Bogart looks a little silly as Mexican bandito.

War Drums (1957) Stars Lex Barker and Ben Johnson. A Civil War-era western featuring Indian uprisings.

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© Copyright 1995 The American Civil War Society

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