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Shenandoah 
Actors : James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne, Rosemary Forsyth
Director : Andrew V. McLaglen
Studio : Universal Studios
by Universal Studios
Release Date : 2003-05-06
Publisher : Universal Studios
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780783276793
UPC : 025192262029
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 48 reviews)
List Price : $9.99
Our Price : $4.48
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Americancivilwar.com |
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Shenandoah, a film well-liked in its day, recalls Friendly Persuasion and foreshadows The Patriot as it tells of an American clan traumatized by war on native soil. Virginia farmer James Stewart has never owned slaves, owes allegiance to no one beyond his own kin, and adamantly disregards the North-South strife rumbling just over the hill: "This war is not mine and I take no note of it." That changes when youngest son Philip Alford (To Kill a Mockingbird's Jem) is carried off by Yankees, and the family must ride out to reclaim him. Shenandoah has several affecting moments--notably a homefront atrocity--but much of it is lit and played like a television show. Script and direction are formulaic, Stewart falls back on cozy shtick, and the supporting cast is a collection of bland studio contract players. As the closing credit says: "filmed entirely at Universal City." --Richard T. Jameson |
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An individualist who finds himself unwillingly at war |
This Jimmy Stewart star vehicle was released in 1965, so I could have seen it as a kid. But I didn't. Usually we attended blockbuster musicals and comedies.
When I say this is a star vehicle for Stewart, I mean that he gets more lines than anyone else, and he gets all the good lines. There are a fair number of good lines in this movie, which tells the story of a Virginia farmer who tries to keep himself and his sons out of the Civil War raging all around him. He is successful at tending his own business exclusively (he doesn't believe in slavery and finds no reason he or any of his should fight for it) until the war finds him. The South tries to requisition ("steal") his animals, which leads to an altercation. His youngest boy is carried off by mistake by the North as a prisoner of war. Dad sets off to find his son. The family does not remain unscathed, due to bad men and bad luck.
Shenandoah is probably one of the last Hollywood films that is unabashedly religious in underlying orientation, in the old style of the 1940s and 50's. Though Stewart's character has, shall we say, a strained relationship with God, he keeps his family tied to the church -- to fulfill his wife's final wishes. There's a very effective scene at the end where he talks to his wife Martha at her grave, longing for her to be there to give him some comforting words to help him deal with the tragedy he has just endured.
It's a simple story, effectively told. You could say it was an anti-war movie, but without the trappings of modern anti-war films, which tend to end up being anti-American. This film is more anti-government, in my opinion. Libertarian in outlook.
A fine film that is true to its era and still holds up today. Stewart knew how to pick his projects. |
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Stewart's patriarach |
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This film proven to be perhaps the last big hit for Stewart but what an heartfelt one!! It has endured in various screenings on TV and also resulted in a musical with John McCullum in the role Jimmy created memorably here. Although he was to make a few more films in this genre (Firecreek, Bandolero,The Rare Breed, Cheyenne Social Club), none of them held a candle to this family oriented Western. Stewart gives one of his best performances as a patriarch of a large family in the South who tries to hold on to his pacifist ways despite the fact a Civil War is brewing and that his family will be torn apart from it. This film may not appeal to Stewart fans used to seeing him in the rough edged films he did with Anthony Mann since this film is extremely sentimental and non-edgy but still powerful in its message of tolerance and forgiveness in troubled times. In a sense, then, this film is timeless regardless of the fact that's it's a Civil War western. Andrew V. McLaglan may not be Anthony Mann or John Ford (or Delmar Davies for that matter) but he does bring a lot of warmth to this material that William Wyler brought to a very similiar film, "Friendly Persuasion". I know this film will appeal to women as well as men so prepare to shed some tears on this when viewed. A fitting sonata to Stewart's long career in film. |
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Classic!!! |
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Shenandoah is a classic Jimmy Stewart Western. There's not a whole lot to say other than it's just an awesome movie!! |
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One of his BEST films! |
Absolutely stumped... when I read some of these reviews on Shenandoah.
I was certain that all the reviews would have been ALL 5 stars. Shenandoah was a beautiful movie, and the acting was just superb.
Not many movies of today make you want to boil your eyes out crying, and send your humour or emotions flying. Clearly alot of people cannot appreciate alot of movies from jimmy's era. My advise is, dont post reviews if you do not know what your talking about!!! |
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Common Sense with a Twist |
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If you like westerns and civil war stories, have a passion for James Stewart and want to enjoy a good movie- this is the one. You become part of this family as they search for "the boy". The hardships they endure will bring tears to your eyes (happy and sad) as they scour the south during the Civil War looking for him. |
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