On N List of Movie Reviews
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North and South: Book I (1985)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
9/15, 6/24
9/15:
Forget The Blue and the Gray and also
Gone with the Wind.
The real deal is North and South: Book I. It's by far the best movie about the Civil War, and after nine hours, I
haven't gotten there yet. What's remarkable about it is the foreshadowing that acts like a scaffolding
which leads to the inevitable.
If shown in history classes, the chance of learning the causes of the Civil War is exceedingly high as it
covers a lot of relevant events such as John C. Calhoun's nullification talk, the Fugitive Slave Law, the treatment of
slaves (I'm looking at you, David O. Selznick), abolitionism, West Point training, state rights (although it's not truly
the cause of the Civil War), pros and cons of Northern and Southern states, Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin,
John Brown's raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (present-day West Virginia), the secessionist movement, South Carolina as the first
state to secede, etc.
Through the love stories and differences of philosophies, there's so much drama that it's hard not to be absorbed by the
subplots. There are many of them, yet I can remember all of the character's names and their motivations. Good and evil
are clearly presented to bring the high-octane tension to the sweeping flow of highs and lows, and the stories are brilliantly
weaved yet in a complex fashion.
Another winning aspect is the costumes which deservingly netted the designers a Golden Globe award. Right off the bat, it won't
be clear, but over time, there's a display of many different, attractive-looking costumes with a consistency to them.
It's a reflection of the show's quality and high production values. In total, 8,700 pieces of wardrobe were presented, and
the lead actresses each wore between 28 and 35 different costumes.
The acting is first-rate. There are so many outstanding performances that it seems
all thespians had a personal stake in seeing this through. Some of the best performers are Patrick Swayze as Orry Main,
James Read as George Hazard, Terri Garber as Ashton Main, David Carradine as Justin LaMotte, Kirstie Alley as Virgilia Hazard,
and Philip Casnoff as Elkanah Bent.
It's hard to say which subplot is my favorite, but if I have to choose, it's Orry Main and George Hazard's friendship.
Two men, a Northerner and a Southerner, test each other in terms of philosophies and values. Things become complicated
when each sees how the other lives and brings their relatives into the mix. It's reminiscent of Greek tragedy and a
fine one at that.
Another favorite is Virgilia Hazard. She's something else. I've never known a well-meaning character with radical views until
she came along. There's one scene that perfectly captures the battle of viewpoints
between a moderate and a fanatic, and it's the conversation of Virgilia and Constance Hazard on the stairwell which
occurs almost at the end. George's description of bringing Virgilia to South Carolina is like taking a torch into a powder
magazine is pretty much dead-on.
Finally, who's the baddest of them all? We have three contenders: Justin, Ashton, and Bent. To me, the winner is Ashton
who's the most evil and a total bitch at that. She gives Scarlett O'Hara a serious run for her money and wins by a mile.
Both are similar in many ways, but her actions are blatantly whorish, making Scarlett look like a
puppy. Ashton and either Justin or Bent will make a perfect couple.
All in all, North and South: Book I is a bona fide masterpiece of Civil War drama.
6/24:
Roots and North and South: Book I should be considered as a complete saga of both sides,
white and black, of the United States during the 19th century.
Yes, I'll concede the biggest flaw of the show is how ageless everybody is. But the rest of everything else has been too good to
ignore it safely.
All in all, North and South: Book I is an incredible accomplishment.