This is usually considered one of the lesser John Ford efforts. Not in my opinion. While technically a Civil War film, I include it in the Western genre. Since this is Ford, it can be considered a "prequel" to his Westerns, since almost all characters during the classic "Western" time period were Civil War veterans.
Here's what I liked:
Now here's what kept it from being better:
By comparison, Duke's legacy is embarrassing. Out of respect to veterans like Stewart, he should have refused war roles.
Here's what I liked:
- Wayne's fantastic in this. I'd love him even more as a war leader if he hadn't dodged real service in WW2 (sorry, Duke fans, just keepin' it real).
- Great story, even greater since it is largely true.
- William Holden does a nice job with a not very glamorous role of the anti-war physician.
- I've read a lot of criticism of Constance Towers as the female lead, but I fell for her character hook, line and sinker. Very sexy and believable.
- Fabulous Ford military fetishism. The silhouetted columns of cavalry are macho poetry.
- Typically wonderful Ford soundtrack, full of authentic period marches and folk songs.
- Nice balance struck between portraying the Union soldiers in a positive light, yet remaining respectful of the Confederates.
Now here's what kept it from being better:
- As mentioned above, I have problems with Wayne playing a war hero. Jimmy Stewart, Duke's peer, volunteered for combat in WW2 and flew dozens of almost suicidal bombing missions over Germany. He survived and vowed never to star in a movie that glorified war. In fact, on several occasions, he played a peacemaker ("Broken Arrow", for example).
By comparison, Duke's legacy is embarrassing. Out of respect to veterans like Stewart, he should have refused war roles.
- As is typical with Duke movies after 1950, he's way too old for the woman playing against him in the romantic subplot. He didn't start playing characters his real age until well into the 1960's.
- There's no well defined heavy. This can be a problem when retelling real events. Also, Ford wasn't out to demonize the South.
- Unusually for Ford, there's no effective comic relief. Guess Walter Brennan and Andy Devine were busy.