ironhorse_iv
I have to say, somewhere in this badly-made 1968 civil war western directed by William Hale, there's an decent anti-war story of the same name by author Will Henry, dying for a remake. Perhaps in the right hands like a better director & screenwriter, this movie could had been, American Civil War's version of 1930's 'All Quiet in Western Front'. It had potential of being grand. After all, when the First World War started, young naïve men in both sides had romantic delusions about the glory of serving, the armies of their young nations. It wasn't until the gunfire & mortar started to rein down on them, that many of them, awoken to the horror sites & sounds of war. This movie has a similar story set, during the opening months of the War Between the States with one, such group, known as Concho County Comanches led by Captain Buck Burnett (James Caan), whom sets out from Texas to fight the Yankees in Virginia, unaware of the brutally, in which, they are getting, themselves into. Without spoiling the film, too much, I have to say, sadly, that 'Journey to Shiloh', at its currently state is a film worth seceding from. I have to blame this, on two things: the writer & director. Both men, create poor narrative. One, such example is the opening of the film, which cheesy changed lyrics to the popular old timely song "The Yellow Rose of Texas", so we can get introduced to each of the characters, in an odd way that is never brought up, again, until the end of the film. Whatever, happen to show, don't tell!? When expository information is given out cheaply through out of place narrative, you know that, you made a bad movie. Plus, it didn't really help, that the film, rarely focus on any of the other group members, besides the leader, Buck. In truth, most of the group, had little to no personality. There is no better example than Harrison Ford's blank character, Willie Bill Bearden. He doesn't stand out. They don't even, bother, showing what happen to him, in the end. That's how bad, his character, was. It's sad, because, we know, how well of actor, Ford is, but he isn't given, anything to work with. He barely speaks in the film at all. If he did, it's nothing memorable. It's the same, with most of the other characters in the group. The film could had, at least, give them, more run time for character development like the scenes where they question slavery, than introducing more minor characters for the main character to meet like Sgt. Mercer Barnes (Noah Berry) & Gabrielle DuPrey (Brenda Scott) to fall for. It felt like a lot of time wasting. It really kill the pacing for this movie. It really got slow at parts. It takes them, forever to get to Shiloh. Generally, I wouldn't mind this, if the film show more of the tragic events that questions the men, about their wiliness to fight for the war. Me, personally, I would had love to see, most of the group, unable to make the journey, due to violence, sickness and other problems, with stubborn Buck, fighting the war, he does not know, all by himself. It could be, wonderful message. Instead, the film, quickly eliminated everybody off, in the last couple of minutes, without much sense of tension, motivation or depth. To put it simply, the battle ending was very anticlimax. It doesn't help that, most of the stock battle footage was taken from director Andrew V. McLagen's superior 1965's film, "Shenandoah". It made me, wish, I was watching that, instead. Added to that problem, is the recycled Western sets and gun props. It made the film look like, it was set in the 1880's Wild West, rather than the 1860s Southern States. No matter how you slice it, the locations used for the film, also filmed in Southern California doesn't look like the Deep South, at all! The scenes in Louisiana should look, a little swampy than it does. As for the acting. It was very mediocre. 'Journey to Shiloh" was made in the era, where actors were limited with the range, in which, they can perform in. Seeing, a bunch of Texas rangers, born in the frontier, look and act so 'cartoony gentlemen' was jarring. The film could, at least, make them, talk about violence, sex or cuss, a little bit more. Because of this clear-shaven goodie good shoes image, the actors is performing as; none of them, seems truly historical accurate to frontier men at the time. It doesn't help that most of the actors are wearing some really dodgy wigs. Also, the idea of mid to late 20's actors playing young men, seem a bit too much to suspense my disbelief at. Overall: I was very disappointed with this film. It could had been a really great anti-war piece that parallels with the then current Vietnam War, and the feelings at the times with the Civil Rights movement. Instead, it fell short, of greatness. It's a film that will continue to be long forgotten.
