Military History Films– Part 3 The Age of muskets, sailing ships, and cavalry - 1700 & 1800’s

Great period movies make you feel as if you've stepped into a magic time machine and visited another era. And the farther back in time the movie takes us, the trickier it is to maintain the magic and avoid anachronisms. Flipping back only one hundred or two hundred years, the mannerisms, clothing, and speech are so different; it is almost alien to the modern eye and ear. This article is about a special collection of films that skillfully capture a bygone era in military history when soldiers in brightly colored uniforms marched into battle shoulder-to-shoulder with bayonets fixed on smoothbore muskets, or later in the 1860s, singe-shot, black powder rifles. The infantry lines or columns were usually led by mounted officers, a Colonel or General, with drums beating and flags waving. The offensive doctrine reigned supreme and called for head-on attacks, counting on élan and gallantry to win the day. While these tactics may seem absurd, or suicidal, to the modern movie fan, that’s the way it was for over two hundred years. These tactics were so beloved, engrained, and tattooed on the military mind that despite the rapid increase of firepower in the 1900’s, the tactics remained frozen in time as though heavy machine guns and quick-fire artillery were harmless toys. In 1914 the military grandees, of all major powers, worshiped dead generals and were fiercely dedicated to re-fighting the last war. It took the unprecedented slaughter of the First World War to force a change in tactics on the military caste.
 
The eleven movies featured in this article cover a full range of warfare; from mere skirmishes to huge battles. Whether large or small, the battle scenes in all these films are visually stunning and stand out, as they should, in a military history film. The acting is top notch including several career best performances. And best of all, you do not have to be a History expert to enjoy these movies.    
 
Reviews are in order of period setting; beginning in 1776 and then time traveling to the Napoleonic Wars (1805-1815), the Texas Revolution of 1836, The American Civil War (1861-65), American Indian Wars, and Japanese civil wars of the 1880s. 

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1.       The Patriot   2000   drama war

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: D
STAR power: A
Narrative/story: C 
 
The definitive film about the American Revolution remains to be made. This film took a shot, and missed. Starring an Aussie, it is a fictional story ungrounded in the more interesting REAL events. There was no need to demonize the British army with fake war crimes. The church burning with Americans trapped inside did not happen. The Patriot isn't a bad movie, in fact it is technically well done with plenty of acting talent, but the false storyline ruins it. That said it is light years better than "Revolution", a real turkey from 1985 starring Al Pacino.

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2.       Queimada! (aka Burn!)   1969   drama war   

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: C
STAR power: A+
Narrative/story: A 
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Set during the Age of Empires, circa 1800, Marlon Brando plays the role of a battle hardened British mercenary with perfection. Queimada is a fictitious Caribbean island that is a proxy for all the dozens of New World islands that fell into the European colonial orbit. The film peddles an anti-colonial message that was trendy in the 1960s, but also teaches important lessons on power politics and unconventional military strategy. The genius of Brando’s character is that he understands how to fight and win guerilla wars. And that is no light matter to me: It is something a pentagon full of American generals fails to understand, and struggles with to this day. The camera never flinches from the harshness of war, and neither does Brando. Yes, he is a hired gun, but with grace, a 20/20 vision, brass balls and pure honesty. A smart, much underrated movie that is not to be missed by Brando fans. It is his career best performance while still in his prime. Marlon was never more bloody dashing than his role as Sir William Walker.  

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3.       Master and Commander   2003   drama war  

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: C
STAR power: A
Narrative/story: B 
 
Circa 1805 … One British warship (H.M.S. Surprise), 200 men, over 4,500 miles from home port in pursuit of a French warship twice the firepower. No retreat. This is a sea faring tale of the Napoleonic wars when ships were made of wood, and the men were made of iron. You hear the wind snap the sails, and can almost taste the saltwater as the drums beat to quarters. Hollywood has long had a talent for capturing the beauty and majesty of the big sailing ships, and the camera truly loves the Surprise. The movie is also full of old-school sea faring clichés – the obligatory flogging scene, the raging storm with a sailor overboard, the officers boozing and Yo-ho-hoing at the dinner table, and the brave and noble Captain. No problem; that is exactly what we expect and want.

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4.       Pride and the Passion    1957    drama war romance

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: C
STAR power: A+
Narrative/story: A 
 
It is 1810... The French legions of Napoleon smash across Spain. This mostly unknown film may be somewhat too melodramatic; however, the three principal stars deliver strong performances. The story is based on the true history of the uneasy military alliance of England and Spain, at war with France. The tension between Spanish patriot (Frank Sinatra) and British naval officer (Cary Grant) is very well done, and sultry Sophia Loren adds plenty of spice to the story. If you enjoy military action, the climactic battle scene with the giant cannon blazing against the walled Spanish city of Avila is unforgettable. The battle of Avila is pure Hollywood fiction, but the walls are real, and so is the famous Cathedral depicted in the film.

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5.       Waterloo  1970  drama war

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: A
STAR power: A+
Narrative/story: B 
 
This underrated film is surprisingly accurate to the actual events of June 1815. While this is not a forensic analysis of the three battles and three armies that marked Napoleon’s final campaign, it does capture the key highlights of the main clash at Waterloo. This movie was made long before CGI, and employed thousands of extras and horses for grand and chaotic battle scenes. The charge of the Scots Greys is one of my favorite scenes and has to be seen to be believed. This film version of the most famous battle in Europe will never be bested. One of the key strengths of the movie is the casting: Christopher Plummer is believable as the confident, dynamic Duke of Wellington, and Rod Steiger perfectly captures the difficult role of Napoleon Bonaparte: a weary, moody, dark warlord who struck fear in the hearts of his enemies. The viewer gets a sense of the natures of both Wellington and Napoleon, so we begin to understand what shaped their battlefield decisions. The film is longer than most, and being familiar with the real events leading up to the epic battle helps to understand this excellent film.     

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​6.       The Alamo 2004 drama war military-history

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: B+
STAR power: A+
Narrative/story: B 
 
This film is a near perfect blend of factual history and Hollywood style with outstanding performances, and detailed, accurate production sets, weapons, and uniforms. Many movie fans are apt to compare this film with the 1960 Alamo starring John Wayne. It is a pointless exercise. The 1960 version of the Alamo story was a classic tale of myth making; while the 2004 movie does a first class job of accurately presenting the Alamo story in the context of important events in Texas History. The 2004 movie also devotes more scenes to developing the character of Mexican Generalissimo Santa Anna, and portrays him as the haughty, cradle robbing hidalgo that he most certainly was. A must see for movie fans with interest and appreciation of real history presented on the big screen. 

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7.       Gettysburg   1993   drama war

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: B
STAR power: A
Narrative/story: C- 
 
July 1863 - the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac clash at a small crossroads town in Pennsylvania. This film tells the story of perhaps the most important battle in American history, and the bloodiest ever fought on American territory. The battle scenes are excellent; Picket's Charge, with over ten thousand volunteer Civil War enactors, is superb; yet the most impressive for my money is the furious battle for Little Round Top on the second day. It is truly one of the most desperate, realistic battle scenes ever filmed, and was actually the key turning point of the battle. You can feel the fear and tension of the 20th Maine led by Joshua Chamberlain as they break charge after charge of the Confederates. Jeff Daniels, in his career best performance, is the standout of the talented cast as he plays Chamberlain, a school teacher turned solder. The film is not without flaws: it was very poorly edited making it way too long (about 4.5 hours). The movie makers inserted far too many lengthy, melodramatic gabfests that seriously bogged down the pace. Sometimes less is better. I ended up watching the movie in segments over a couple of days. 

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8.       Gods and Generals   2003   drama war

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: B
STAR power: B
Narrative/story: F 
 
This is a big budget war film made by the same film makers that produced Gettysburg in 1993. The movie was made in the same old-fashioned epic style as Gettysburg with even more stagey speeches, Bible quotes and ancient poetry that seems contrived and fake to the modern ear. I almost expected to see Errol Flynn dash by on a horse, waving his sword. Overall the movie is a love letter to Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson. The legendary Rebel soldier is well played by Stephen Lang. Lang is the main star and in the most dramatic, and longest scenes. As a historian, I was baffled by the storyline. The highlight of the movie was the reenactment of the Battle of Fredericksburg, set in the National Park of Harper’s Ferry. The scenes were very impressive, but this set piece battle was not Jackson at his finest. He excelled at maneuver, so how could they make a movie about Stonewall Jackson and not highlight the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, his military masterpiece? Some interesting military history was left out to make room for several creaky gabfests. The casting was hit or miss: Robert Duvall portrays Robert E Lee with the stiffness of a statue, and so much reverence it was laughable. In the superior film, Gettysburg, Martin Sheen played the fiery Rebel field commander with force and energy, as he rose up in the stirrups and exclaimed, “The enemy is here, and we must fight them.” And fight he did.    

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9.       Ride with the Devil   1999   drama war  

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: B
STAR power: B+
Narrative/story: B 
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This Civil War film is set in Missouri which was neither a slave state nor Union state. Missouri was a true border state with neighbor against neighbor. It was hell on earth and unprecedented in America. The entire cast is outstanding, although Tobey Maguire as Dutchie has the most screen time. This production is a true work of art that engaged hundreds of Civil War re-enactors in thrilling cavalry battles. Great care was taken in costumes, sets, and scenery. Finally, why wasn't this film a box office hit? Well, maybe because the famous Civil War battlefields, legendary generals, and fancy plantation houses made popular by Hollywood are nowhere to be seen here. Instead we see a gritty, guerrilla war in the backwoods. It is unglamorous, hard, bitter, and perhaps too realistic for the modern pop movie fan. What makes this movie outstanding is the refusal to over-dramatize, or demonize one side or the other. The film is even-handed in its judgments about all the Civil War combatants.

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10.       Ulzana’s Raid   1972   western drama war

Production quality: A
Historical accuracy: B+
STAR power: B
Narrative/story: A 
 
This film is a proxy for the dozens of American westerns – cavalry vs Indians, and is one of the best Westerns ever produced by Hollywood. The movie rings true and does not stumble into a “message” movie, so cheap and fake and common in modern cinema. Based on a true story about an Apache uprising in 1885, this is one of those rare movies driven by a straightforward plot with no annoying diversions. I was most surprised by the portrayal of the Apaches. The Apache war party is violent, ruthless, and cruel--however the movie doesn't make them monsters. They're just the adversary. At one point the army scout (Burt Lancaster) says, "Hating the Apache is like hating the desert because there isn't any water in it." The movie pits two small groups of men from vastly different cultures using their stamina, wiles, and skills in a fight to the finish. Of course, this film contains violence and some rather gruesome scenes, but the body count is low compared to modern action flicks. This movie convinced me that Burt Lancaster was one of best actors of the Western genre. He carries the whole movie, and is convincing as the veteran warrior who knows the ropes of Indian fighting. 

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11.       The Last Samurai   2003   drama war

Production quality: A+
Historical accuracy: D
STAR power: C
Narrative/story: F 
 
This is a flashy, big budget movie with the pretense of being an accurate historical drama about Americans leading the modernization of the Japanese army, circa 1880. WAIT A MINUTE. This is simply rewriting history with a fairy tale invented by Hollywood. The French played the key role in modernizing the Japanese army. The Japanese favored the excellent French-made Chassepot breech loading, bolt-action rifle. The money is in the big arms contracts, so the officers are thrown in as freebies for the training program. The French sent Jules Brunet to Japan, and he was the real Last Samurai. After hitting a jarring false note, the movie turns melodramatic and predictable. The worst part is the magical transformation where Tom Cruise masters the samurai arts, learns to speak Japanese, and becomes a Shogun leader (all in one winter). What an insult to Japanese culture and pride. Never mind, the movie made tons of cash in Japan. This movie is recommended only for dedicated Tom Cruise fans.  

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• Historically Accurate War Movies (Part 1)​
• Historically Accurate War Movies - The World Wars (Part 2)​

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