Men go off to Battle is an interesting study of the Civil War far away from the hotheads of Massachusetts or Georgia.
Welcome to Small Corners KY. Kentucky can go either way. There's talk of Rebels In Bowling Green seeing their lands seized; Betsy Small the object of many a young man's affection including both Henry Mellon and Francis Mellon expresses fear to her coterie that the slaves might rise up. But Kentucky slaves are mostly household servants seen only passing through the scenes.
Kentucky sits on the fence between Union and Confederate. As Betsy Small (Rachel Korine) tells a well groomed young man courting her it's nice to visit New York City and also New Orleans.
Her Daddy the local owner of the general store is the richest man in town to whom all the farmers owe money."If it were five years ago or even last year..." Mr Small (Steve Coulter) rejects a plea for assistance from Francis Mellon (David Maloney)who with his brother Henry (Timothy Morton) are struggling to maintain a run down farm.
At the party which Francis and Henry crash to seek medical attention for Henry, Francis excels at dancing leaving Henry and Betsy on the porch outside. Henry kisses the weaping Betsy who shrieks, "My first kiss from a man came from Henry!"
Humiliated Henry runs off to join the Union (US) Army where he learns to read and write. Henry corresponds with his brother Francis; Betsy drives out to read to Francis.
Then comes the Battle of Perryville in October 1862. Surviving the decimation of his unit, Henry desserts only to find at home everything has changed: the Smalls'stately property was seized. Betsy has married Francis who might have liked the Confederacy but has made his fortune selling tobacco to the US Army.
Henry who finds he bores Francis with some of the Army tales takes some money and steals off.
The costuming and setting are excellent. In recreating the civil war era outside of one of the flash points of war, the writers, choreographers and actors attained technical perfection. They all deserve to be made Colonels of Kentucky.
A viewer expected the grand vision of the civil war home front of GONE WITH THE WIND or STREETS OF NEW YORK or the battle scenes of GLORY would be disappointed. I'd say this film would have made a great item for THE HISTORY CHANNEL when it played history.
Welcome to Small Corners KY. Kentucky can go either way. There's talk of Rebels In Bowling Green seeing their lands seized; Betsy Small the object of many a young man's affection including both Henry Mellon and Francis Mellon expresses fear to her coterie that the slaves might rise up. But Kentucky slaves are mostly household servants seen only passing through the scenes.
Kentucky sits on the fence between Union and Confederate. As Betsy Small (Rachel Korine) tells a well groomed young man courting her it's nice to visit New York City and also New Orleans.
Her Daddy the local owner of the general store is the richest man in town to whom all the farmers owe money."If it were five years ago or even last year..." Mr Small (Steve Coulter) rejects a plea for assistance from Francis Mellon (David Maloney)who with his brother Henry (Timothy Morton) are struggling to maintain a run down farm.
At the party which Francis and Henry crash to seek medical attention for Henry, Francis excels at dancing leaving Henry and Betsy on the porch outside. Henry kisses the weaping Betsy who shrieks, "My first kiss from a man came from Henry!"
Humiliated Henry runs off to join the Union (US) Army where he learns to read and write. Henry corresponds with his brother Francis; Betsy drives out to read to Francis.
Then comes the Battle of Perryville in October 1862. Surviving the decimation of his unit, Henry desserts only to find at home everything has changed: the Smalls'stately property was seized. Betsy has married Francis who might have liked the Confederacy but has made his fortune selling tobacco to the US Army.
Henry who finds he bores Francis with some of the Army tales takes some money and steals off.
The costuming and setting are excellent. In recreating the civil war era outside of one of the flash points of war, the writers, choreographers and actors attained technical perfection. They all deserve to be made Colonels of Kentucky.
A viewer expected the grand vision of the civil war home front of GONE WITH THE WIND or STREETS OF NEW YORK or the battle scenes of GLORY would be disappointed. I'd say this film would have made a great item for THE HISTORY CHANNEL when it played history.