Shenandoah (1965)

Having worked his way up from second features and through television to the 1963 John Wayne brawler 'McLintock!', this was plainly Andrew V. McLaglen's attempt to make a enduring classic western for grown-ups. Beautifully produced and acted, James Stewart is obviously having a great time in the showy lead role.James Lee Barrett's script is lovingly crafted, but the care he has put into it is rather too obvious and his contrivances too contrived (like the 'surprise' ending unlikely to have surprised anyone who's been paying attention), while the film's vaguely liberal anti-war position is one of many potentially provocative themes - such as Stewart's disdain for religion - that don't really lead anywhere (too bad Barrett's later hawkish screenplay for 'The Green Berets' couldn't have been as ambiguous).Many of the film's attitudes inevitably reflect the early 1960s rather than the early 1860s, while Jennie (Rosemary Forsyth) just happening to prove a crack shot is one of many elements that are a bit too good to be true. Ironically it's usually the women that look too modern in such films, but it's Stewart's boys that here look far too much like square-jawed, floppy-haired sixties hunks.

SHENANDOAH is an engaging little war movie with a topical twist. It must have hit home for American audiences watching at the outset of the Vietnam War and wondering if they were going to see their sons again. Jimmy Stewart is an excellent choice for the lead role, a mild-mannered farmer who finds himself drawn into the American Civil War despite his best wishes, due to Yankee soldiers trespassing on his land.Andrew V. McLaglen was a good choice for director as he creates a strong and compelling movie. The famous theme tune is worth catching in itself and the casting director has done well to populate the film with the likes of Doug McClure and Patrick Wayne, with Katharine Ross shining in a small star-making turn. There isn't a great deal of action here but the battle and fight scenes that do take place are fine. The ending deserves mention for being particularly poignant.

Poor Ji-Ji-Ji-Jimmy Stewart. He can't talk to his dead wife's grave for two minutes without being interrupted by his creepy daughter.Thar's war in them thar hills... the Civil War, and Stewart and his clan are being pressured by city-bred rebel officers who want Stewart's eight strapping sons to join up for the cause, that is, if they've finished slopping the hogs and bailing the hay and other farm stuff like that.Meanwhile Doug McClure wants to hose the aforementioned 'creepy daughter' (Rosemary Forsythe), but he's called off to battle right before the honeymoon. Dang, all that courtin', and he don't even get a taste of the creepy pie.Melodramatic, but passable family drama with a good performance by Jimmy Best as a confederate soldier.

Starts out grim and just spirals downward. Entails the best characteristics of ALL wars; insanity, stupidity, senseless waste and cruelty. All presented tastefully by an all-star cast. My favorite line; James Stewart and his sons stop a Union prisoner train in search of his son-in-law. The engineer begs for his train to be spared. Stewart says, "Seems to me you have a kind of a sad train here, mister. It takes people away when they don't want to go and doesn't bring them back. BURN IT." Then he says to George Kennedy, the commander of a company of Confederate soldiers, "Are you in charge of this band of fools." You will want to watch it again.