Ambrose Bierce: Civil War Stories (TV 2006)

Three of the most popular and controversial Civil War stories by legendary writer Ambrose Bierce are presented in this acclaimed feature collection.

Directors:

Don Maxwell, Brian James Egen

Writers:

Ambrose Bierce (short stories), Brian James Egen (screenplay),

Stars:

Campbell Scott, Vivian Schilling, Nathan Darrow

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Campbell Scott	...	Ambrose Bierce
Vivian Schilling	...	Gertrude Atherton
Nathan Darrow	...	William Randolph Hearst
T. Max Graham
Kathrin Gnorski
David Haydn-Jones	...	(as David Jones)
Casi Riegle
Bruce Heinrich	...	Captain Nathan Ransome (segment "One Kind of Officer")
Kip Niven	...	General Masterson (segment "One Kind of Officer")
Mark Robbins	...	General Cameron (segment "One Kind of Officer")
Delno Ebie	...	Lt. Price (segment "One Kind of Officer")
Martin English	...	Gunner Manning (segment "One Kind of Officer")
Michael Rapport	...	Sgt. Morris (segment "One Kind of Officer")
Lee Ingalls	...	Adjutant (segment "One Kind of Officer")
Nate Van Camp	...	Staff Officer (segment "One Kind of Officer")

Storyline

Legendary writer Ambrose Bierce was known to be brilliant, cantankerous and romantic in all his life's passions, and was revered as one of the top storytellers of the late 19th Century. In 1890, he presented his recently published collection of Civil War Stories to novelist Gertrude Atherton and fledgling young publisher William Randolph Hearst during an infamous meeting in Sonol, California. This meeting sets the forum for the presentation of three of Bierce's most popular stories including "One Kind Of Officer", "Story Of A Conscience" and "An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge." This acclaimed collection features epic battle sequences, deeply conflicted drama and the signature "surprise endings" that characterized most of the short stories by Ambrose Bierce.

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Plot Keywords:

writer | civil war | novelist | william randolph hearst | battle | 

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Taglines:

A country divided, one man at a time.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 September 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Civil War - Ein Krieg kennt keine Helden

Filming Locations:

Charles Town, West Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,250,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$2,418 (USA) (22 September 2006)

Gross:

$6,820 (USA) (22 September 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Don Maxwell Productions, Owl Creek Productions LLC

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Captures Bierce and his Time

This film succeeds in capturing the intensity and the realism that Bierce portrays in his writings. This isn't a typical war film, or even a standard civil war film. Instead it is more layered. The connections to Bierce's writings are overt, but if you aren't familiar with them, it might put you at a disadvantage.

The best part about this film is that it ISN'T a standard bloody war film, nor does glorify war. It is both lyrical and stark. The Direction is fluid and deft and authentic to the era. Campbell Scott carries the Bierce role with real dignity.

This is not intended to be a "Hollywood" film. It mines from a literary figure and his work to create vision of one era from a slice of literary history.