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SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Grimerlana Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

krburditt My husband asked me if this was a Disney movie, and I wasn't sure. It was a little too lite for a serious drama and then had some moments that were definitely to dark for Disney. Jimmy Stewart is good at chewing up the corn rows but most of the supporting younger actors were working with undeveloped characters and said little and woodenly when they did talk. A few complaints: Why did the Father take seven of his kids, including a daughter, to find the lost son, and leave the homestead protected by only one son, with a wife and baby. It would have been wildly dangerous to be traveling back and forth across battle lines at the end of the war. Better to have a few riders, and certainly not a young woman along. More dangerous was to leave such a wealthy home insufficiently protected. A fine home like that would have been ransacked and burned by both sides. Speaking of the house. That was one very fine home for that era and location. A single farmer who had to clear his own land with a growing family would have had a more modest farmhouse with more common interiors. That was mansion for a man who was a politician or lawyer. Fine millwork, big rooms, nice furniture. Were there really mansions like that in the Shenandoah in the 1860's for a farmer? I'm surprised that the Confederate Army hadn't already seized his stock and crops earlier in the war. Cold Mountain was more realistic. So was Friendly Persuasion for that matter. The scene where the scavenger trio go after the young wife was dark for a movie that up to that point had treated the female characters with delicacy. Again, it was the middle of the war, both armies are in the Valley. Yet the door is unlocked, and she didn't have a gun at hand to protect her baby? Costumes were nice, and close to realistic, for a Hollywood film, no hoop skirts. It just felt like a made for TV movie, or a John Wayne movie.

hannahma57 I remember seeing this film when it came out, seated next to my father. The scene came along when the son lies wounded and a black Union soldier is about to bayonet him -- when suddenly they realize! He's a former slave of the white family! The faithful old-- oops, I mean young-- retainer spares his massa's life, etc etc. As he stands poised over the fallen kid with his bayonet and his eyes light up, my father muttered, "The Long Arm of Coincidence."A reviewer at the time felt no deeply religious guy of the time would address his late wife by staring at her tombstone. He would consider her to be up in heaven.Other than that, a predictable script full of dirty-faced but brave Confederates and clean but alien Yankees.

denis888 This is a very lovely movie, quite unusual for the Civil War genre as it is of course about war, but mostly about the Virginina family, the Andersons, who try to sit out the war in their beautiful farm, but the war is here, and all its cruelty and atrocities bring up misery and losses, deaths, and tears, suffering and toil. This is very stellar role James Stewart who is a force here, and his character is great - old, cantankerous, wild, rough, proud, loud, cynical man of great dignity, whose life is torn by deaths of his nearest and dearest. All the parts in the movie are excellent choices - James Stewart as Charlie Anderson Doug McClure as Sam Glenn Corbett as Jacob Anderson Patrick Wayne as James Anderson Rosemary Forsyth as Jennie Anderson Phillip Alford as Boy Anderson Katharine Ross as Ann Anderson Charles Robinson as Nathan Anderson Jim McMullan as John Anderson Tim McIntire as Henry Anderson Eugene Jackson as Gabriel (as Eugene Jackson Jr.) Paul Fix as Dr. Tom Witherspoon Denver Pyle as Pastor Bjoerling George Kennedy as Col. Fairchild James Best as Carter, Rebel Soldier Tom Simcox as Lt. Johnson Berkeley Harris as Capt. Richards Harry Carey, Jr. as Jenkins (rebel soldier) Kevin Hagen as Mule (rebel deserter) Dabbs Greer as Abernathy Strother Martin as Train Engineer Kelly Thordsen as Federal Purchasing Agent Carroll and some real warm humor is a great plus, it softens the dry and somewhat deeply tragic pace of the story. Another big asset is a very positive outlook on Negro soldiers and slaves. They are shown as good, warm and strong people, who are valiant and heroic. Many smaller parts in the story are very nice, too, and whole 2 hours fly like one minute. This film is very good, but a bit dry at places. Still, it is highly recommended

garyldibert Shenandoah was released in movie theaters on June 3, 1965; it was a western that contained Drama and war. Shenandoah was a 1965 American Civil War film starring James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, and Patrick Wayne. Andrew V. Mclaglen directed this film. Though set during the American Civil War, the film's strong antiwar and humanitarian themes resonated with audiences in later years as attitudes began to change toward the Vietnam War. Upon its release, the film was praised for its message, as well as its technical production. In 1966, the film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound. For her part in Shenandoah, Rosemary Forsyth was nominated for a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer - Female.Summary: Set in the state of Virginia during the American Civil War, James Stewart plays the role of family patriarch, Charlie Anderson. He and his six sons run the family farm, while his daughter, Jenny (Rosemary Forsyth), and daughter-in-law, Ann (Katherine Ross) take care of the housework. Charlie's oldest son, Jacob (Glenn Corbett) wants to join the war, but Charlie repeatedly tells his family that they won't join the war until it concerns them. Although a few of the boys want to join, they respect their father's wishes, and remain on the farm. Charlie's daughter, Jenny, is courting a young soldier, Sam (Doug McClure). He wants to marry Jenny, and when Charlie gives his permission, the wedding occurs a few days later. As soon as the vows are said, a young lieutenant rides up and announces that Sam is wanted beck immediately. Sam leaves, much to the sorrow of his new bride. While out hunting raccoon, Charlie's youngest son and his friend stumble onto a confederate ambush. They run away, and stop for a drink at a pond. The boy is wearing an old rebel soldier cap that he found at the river. When a union patrol comes on them, the boy is takes as a prisoner of war. His young friend, Gabriel (Eugene Jackson), runs to tell the Andersons what happened. When Charlie hears the news, he and his sons, and his daughter Jenny leave to look for the boy, leaving James (Patrick Wayne) and his wife, Ann at the farm with their young baby. Meanwhile, the boy is taken to a prisoner of war camp. He finds a man (James Best) who is going to escape, and decides to let the boy come along. They and a few other men successfully make it out of the camp, and start heading south. Not long after, they come onto a confederate camp, and are soon involved in a skirmish. The boy's friend is killed, and the boy himself is shot in the leg. When a union soldier comes along about to kill him, the boy looks up into the face of his friend, Gabriel. Gabriel helps him off into a bush to hide until after the battle.Questions: Who is looking for a boy? Who is this boy? Why did the boy leave on his horse? Who overjoyed when she sees what? Whom does Sam leave with? What does Sam tell the boys to do? What happens on the farm? Who takes shots at Jacob? What happen to James and Ann? Who starts there day with a prayer? Who hears church bells ringing in the distance? Who is the Pastor? My Thoughts: I don't like war pictures but this one was different. Usually in war pictures, the audience goes to war right from the beginning. However, in this picture the war comes to the Andersons. The Andersons did everything to stay away from the war but the war came to them. I thought Jimmy Stewart was excellent in his role as Mr. Anderson. I love the filming of the farm and how the Andersons work the farm. I thought Rosemary Forsyth was also excellent in her role as Jennie Mr. Anderson daughter. I also thought that Katherine Ross was great playing the role of Mr. Anderson daughter in law. I usually don't like war pictures but I make an exception in this case. Because of the great acting and the beautiful scenery of the Anderson farm, I give this movie 8 weasel stars. You can also get this movie at Amazon.com