The Essentials: American Civil War Movies
Americans have always been good at war and while it seems our own politicians have gotten in the way in recent decades and handcuffed the U.S. military during wartime, we used to be pretty good at killing people. You could easily look back at American leadership at pivotal battles like Bunker Hill, Saratoga, or Yorktown to do an in-depth study on the tactics and strategic importance of small victories but I think the greatest military minds of U.S. history were truly convened for the war against one another.
Any war is a tragedy and a civil war becomes that magnified as it really is “brother vs brother”. Let’s take a look at my favorite American Civil War movies and just remember that being entertained by a film does not mean that you have to agree with everything that happens in it.
Glory (1989)
I would find it difficult to point to another performance by an actor and say that it was better than Denzel Washington in Glory. Flanked by legend Morgan Freeman and sharing the screen with a game Mathew Broderick, Denzel delivers something that is unmistakably amazing to watch. Glory tells a story that is so rarely told and one that needed to be portrayed on screen at that time. I have to consider Glory to be the greatest American Civil War movie ever made.
Gettysburg (1993)
An absolute epic film both in runtime and stunning visuals. Gettysburg gives me that Ken Burns documentary feeling when I watch it and I’m not ashamed to say that I studied this film very intently as a war-obsessed little boy. The movie features an unbelievable soundtrack and career-making performances from Jeff Daniels, Tom Berenger, and Martin Sheen. Gettysburg set out to make an epic film and, in my opinion, it was a rousing success.
Ride with the Devil (1999)
It really feels like you are watching this film from the perspective of an outsider. Maybe that is because it was directed by Taiwanese born Ang Lee. It also does little to educate the viewer on what exactly is happening in the grander scheme of the war and takes its time to make you feel and appreciate the main characters of the film. I think it is a standout Civil War film simply because of its portrayal of life in Kansas and Missouri during the war but also because who would have ever thought that Tobey Maguire would make a great Civil War movie?
Cold Mountain (2003)
Leave it to a couple of non-Americans to deliver an excellent American Civil War film full of unlikely and wonderful performances. Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger all came out of this movie smelling like roses but it is often forgotten amongst the other great Civil War movies on this list. Cold Mountain showed the struggles of families left behind who experienced a war of their own on the homefront.
Lincoln (2012)
Seeing Daniel Day-Lewis morph into Abraham Lincoln was a dream come true for this red-blooded American. He has always been my favorite actor of all time and seeing him sink his teeth into the greatest President of all time was like a match made in heaven. Unlike most of the films on this list, Lincoln spends less time in the shoes of its combatants and far more time in the back rooms and around the war table. Give this one a watch simply because it is a masterpiece and deserves it!
The Red Badge of Courage (1951)
Adapted from that 1895 novel that you may have read in grade school, The Red Badge of Courage starred actual war hero Audie Murphy and dealt with the mental and psychological effects of war. If any man alive could understand those types of things it would have been Audie Murphy after having just returned from WW2 a few years earlier. The film was heavily cut by the studio and would have been a top contender for the “Zack Synder treatment” had it been released 70 years later.
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
I have left off the dozen or so John Wayne films that could have made the list but I just couldn’t stop from mentioning Clint Eastwood’s epic Civil War revenge film, The Outlaw Josey Wales. Another one that deals with the bushwhackers and redlegs killing innocents on the western front of the war and you just have to love any performance from Clint Eastwood where he gets to shake off that Man With No Name character that he had perfected to that point in his career.
Dances with Wolves (1990)
One could argue that this film is less about the Civil War than it is about the western frontier but I have to include it simply because it is magnificent. Kevin Costner’s performance is one for the record books and is genuinely considered to be one of his best films of all time.
Gods and Generals (2003)
Not as good as Gettysburg and suffering from that slightly creepy feeling that these Confederates rarely mention slavery and appear to be such good people, Gods and Generals is still a fine movie that has expert performances from Stephen Lang and a returning Jeff Daniels. It still has wonderfully choreographed battle scenes and a fantastic soundtrack and is well worth the watch for any Civil War buffs.
