Episode #1.2 (5 Nov. 1985)

To distract Orry, whose brooding about Madeline wrecks his West Point performance, George drags him to Alice Peet for laundry and 'intimate' services. After Bent arranges for Fisk to be ... See full summary »

Director:

Richard T. Heffron

Writers:

John Jakes (from the novel by), Douglas Heyes (developed for television by),

Stars:

Kirstie Alley, Georg Stanford Brown, David Carradine

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Kirstie Alley	...	Virgilia Hazard (credit only)
Georg Stanford Brown	...	Garrison Grady
David Carradine	...	Justin LaMotte
Philip Casnoff	...	Elkanah Bent
Lesley-Anne Down	...	Madeline Fabray LaMotte
Genie Francis	...	Brett Main (credit only)
Terri Garber	...	Ashton Main Huntoon (credit only)
Wendy Kilbourne	...	Constance Flynn
Jim Metzler	...	James Huntoon (credit only)
James Read	...	George Hazard
Lewis Smith	...	Charles Main
John Stockwell	...	Billy Hazard (credit only)
Patrick Swayze	...	Orry Main
Johnny Cash	...	John Brown (credit only)
Olivia Cole	...	Maum Sally

Storyline

To distract Orry, whose brooding about Madeline wrecks his West Point performance, George drags him to Alice Peet for laundry and 'intimate' services. After Bent arranges for Fisk to be thrown off during a hell ride on his fiery mount Satan, Bent bluffs his way out of a court-martial but the mates arrange for its president, Lieutenant Casimir De Jong, to find his 'love rival' in Alice's bed and bully him out of West Point after a promise of eternal revenge. Two years later the gang graduates. At a welcome party hosted by pa Tillet Maine, Justin scolds Madelin for openly disagreeing with separatism and arranges slave Priam to offend publicly so overseer Salem Jones is allowed to punish his insolence with branding. Orry starts a secret affair with reluctant Madeline. Bent plays his secret trump card, Ohio's US Senator Charles Edwards, being Elkanah's natural father, to get commissioned as infantry captain in president Polk's war to wrest Texas from Mexico, and sends lieutenants Orry and...

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Plot Keywords:

punishment | underwear | abolishment of slavery | stonewall jackson | corporal punishment | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance | War

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 1985 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

David L. Wolper Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The lieutenant is referred to in dialogue as 'Casimir de Jong', but listed on the credits as 'Lt. Pearson'.

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Quotes

George: You didn't think I'd let you go to Mexico without me, did ya?

User Reviews

Episode Two: On Their Guard Together

Orry's thoughts and dilemmas about Madeline extend to West Point classroom work. Can a young fellow ever concentrate when the woman he desires is already tied by marital status in the arms of a brutish, older planter? As an illusionary cure and Orry's first woman to make love to comes one sexy Alice Peet (Terri Gardner) who makes the time more enjoyable for many of his fellows during their 'escapades.' Bent destroys every slightest feeling of dignity at school treading on the weakest ones in the most beastly manner (an additional character of Fisk not included in the novel). When bullied out from West Point at last, his eccentric vanity and warning 'be on your guard' seem too serious just to be ignored... Happy graduates have moments of joy and sadness ahead of them... What helps them is to stay on their guard together! As soldiers, as friends, as Americans! Nevertheless, may the sadistic cadet's madness haunt them for the rest of their lives?

Episode Two of NORTH AND SOUTH Book I marks the following scenes worth considerable interest:

• the sequence with the horrid battle at Churubusco in Mexico where

Orry gets hurt due to silly orders of...(don't let me spoil too much). Great depiction of horror of a battle without unnecessary violence that could disturb the core ideas (in the film Orry's leg is hurt while in the novel he loses his arm after the battle). The scenes of worried George who visits Orry in hospital are some of the most beautiful depictions of friendship;

• the hilarious moments with Alice Peet (Terri Gardner), particularly

the scheme against Bent;

• the garden party at Mont Royal which a Yankee from Pennsylvania

(George) attends for the first time - southern charm is beautifully incorporated within costumes and atmospheric shots of nature;

• the ball at which George, during his sort of 'hop' as a soldier,

meets the love of his life, the beautiful Irish girl, Constance (Wendy Kilbourne). Their dance and their scenes that follow are filled with freshness and innocence depicted in a subtle manner - outstanding chemistry between the two appears from this very first moment and it is preserved throughout (Wendy and James got married after playing in the series);

• the atmospheric moments of Orry and Madeline meeting secretly at a

ruined chapel;

• George's fight with Bent (that is surely what the madman deserves) -

right revenge!

The episode highlights more the tensions that may arise between the best friends because of their different lifestyles. Their many scenes are based upon the real essence of friendship and played splendidly by Swayze and Read. To prevent lots of unnecessary divisions, they avoid talking about differences but also support each other as true friends. In one of the most memorable moments, Orry makes George realize that such is the way they have lived in South Carolina for a hundred years. Yankees cannot change it the same like he, as a southerner, does not come to Lehigh Station and tell the Hazards what is right and what is wrong. The southerners must solve their problems themselves...will they?

In view comes an unbelievably cruel, obscene sadist Salem Jones (Tony Frank) who treats his slaves in the most wretched manner - note one disturbing scene of torturing young Priam (David Harris) who, consequently, flees from the plantation. The horror of the scene is unbelievable and the poor man's screaming that rouses pleasures within the insane sadists. These characters, however, do stress a pathology that was certainly not the case of all planters and all the south.

Among the supporting cast, there is Robert Mitchum as lovable Constance's father Patrick Flynn who left his homeland (Ireland) but plans to come back. Though given a considerably limited time on the screen, his performance deserves special attention. What an understanding, 'positively indulgent' father he is!

Behind all, there is love, forbidden love, secret love that does not make anyone forget but, at the same time, does bloom behind the old ruins where, seemingly, everything is destroyed and lost forever...