Shenandoah

Starring: James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne, Katherine Ross, Rosemary Forsyth, Phillip Alford
Directed by: Andrew V. McLaglen
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Western, Drama
1965

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A Virginian farmer (James Stewart) refuses to take sides during the Civil War. This puts a strain on his sons, whom want to enlist. When one of his younger sons is mistakingly arrested by the Yankees as a Confederate soldier, the family rides out in a quest to bring him home. This proves more difficult than they first imagined, and they see the horrors of war up close.

Review:

Tim: This is a film with an identity crisis. I'm still not sure exactly what it is supposed to be. There are moments when the film could be hilarious, but it misses the opportunity. There are moments when it could be a tearjerker, but it lets it slip away.

James Stewart does a fine job acting, but I couldn't help but feel he wasn't right for the role. He isn't bad at all, but he just doesn't look natural and relaxed like he should.

The story is decently interesting. We see what the Civil War did to families- it tore them apart. We do care about Stewart's clan far more than we reasonably should. They go through perilous times and we are right there with them, hoping them all make it through unharmed.

The film's best moments comes when we see the changes the American Civil War brought to the South- families destroyed, lives ended, homes demolished, crops ruined, and much more. We see all this through the experiences of Stewart's family. It is a very intelligent way to display this.

Stewart has made a great many Westerns, and this one doesn't compare to his better ones. Perhaps it is because this technically might not be a Western, or perhaps he is just getting too old, but something is just missing from the film.

Shenandoah is an enjoyable movie, but a few flaws prevent it from ranking anywhere near Stewart's best.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Destry Rides Again, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Patriot, The Rare Breed