Shenandoah (1965)

During the Civil War, a Virginia farmer and his family vow to remain neutral, but one of the sons is captured by Union soldiers, sending the farmer to his rescue.

Director:

Andrew V. McLaglen

Writer:

James Lee Barrett

Stars:

James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Stewart	...	Charlie
Doug McClure	...	Sam
Glenn Corbett	...	Jacob
Patrick Wayne	...	James
Rosemary Forsyth	...	Jennie
Phillip Alford	...	Boy
Katharine Ross	...	Ann
Charles Robinson	...	Nathan
Jim McMullan	...	John (as James McMullan)
Tim McIntire	...	Henry
Gene Jackson	...	Gabriel (as Eugene Jackson Jr.)
Paul Fix	...	Dr. Tom Witherspoon
Denver Pyle	...	Pastor Bjoerling
George Kennedy	...	Col. Fairchild
James Best	...	Carter - Rebel Soldier

Storyline

In Shenandoah, Virginia, widower farmer Charlie Anderson lives a peaceful life with his six sons - Jacob, James, Nathan, John, Henry and Boy, his daughter Jennie, and his daughter-in-law and James' wife Ann Anderson. Charlie does not let his sons join the army to fight in the Civil War that he does not consider their war. Jennie marries her beloved Lieutenant Sam, but they do not have a honeymoon since Sam has to return to the front. Charlie's youngest son Boy is mistakenly taken prisoner by soldiers from the North so Charlie rides with his sons to rescue Boy, while James and Ann stay on the farm. It is time of violence and war, and tragedy reaches the Anderson family.

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Plot Keywords:

civil war | virginia | violence | fight | widower | 

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Taglines:

SHAKES THE SCREEN LIKE CANNON THUNDER! (original ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama | War | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 June 1965 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Fields of Honor

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$17,268,889, 31 December 1965

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The train that Anderson stops is pulled by a locomotive called the General Gault. The source of the name is unclear. The only noted pre-American Civil War military person of that name served in Napoleon's forces. A search of the web reveals only two other generals of that name, one from the U.S. in the 1950s, and one Canadian (served in World War II).

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Goofs

The locomotive on the train that gets burned is equipped with air brakes, which were not invented until 1872. Although the locomotive is mostly filmed at such an angle that the air brake equipment is not visible, a connecting air hose can be seen on the front when the train is stopping for the fire on the track, and whenever the train is stopped, hissing noises from the air compressor can be heard.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jacob Anderson: They come closer every day, Pa.
Charlie Anderson: They on our land?
Jacob Anderson: No, sir.
Charlie Anderson: Then it doesn't concern us... does it?

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Connections

Featured in Journey to Shiloh (1968)

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Soundtracks

The Battle Hymn of the Republic
(uncredited)
Lyrics written by Julia Ward Howe
Music by William Steffe
Heard when Gabriel is freed

User Reviews

A Disney like drama

My husband asked me if this was a Disney movie, and I wasn't sure. It was a little too lite for a serious drama and then had some moments that were definitely to dark for Disney. Jimmy Stewart is good at chewing up the corn rows but most of the supporting younger actors were working with undeveloped characters and said little and woodenly when they did talk. A few complaints: Why did the Father take seven of his kids, including a daughter, to find the lost son, and leave the homestead protected by only one son, with a wife and baby. It would have been wildly dangerous to be traveling back and forth across battle lines at the end of the war. Better to have a few riders, and certainly not a young woman along. More dangerous was to leave such a wealthy home insufficiently protected. A fine home like that would have been ransacked and burned by both sides. Speaking of the house. That was one very fine home for that era and location. A single farmer who had to clear his own land with a growing family would have had a more modest farmhouse with more common interiors. That was mansion for a man who was a politician or lawyer. Fine millwork, big rooms, nice furniture. Were there really mansions like that in the Shenandoah in the 1860's for a farmer? I'm surprised that the Confederate Army hadn't already seized his stock and crops earlier in the war. Cold Mountain was more realistic. So was Friendly Persuasion for that matter. The scene where the scavenger trio go after the young wife was dark for a movie that up to that point had treated the female characters with delicacy. Again, it was the middle of the war, both armies are in the Valley. Yet the door is unlocked, and she didn't have a gun at hand to protect her baby? Costumes were nice, and close to realistic, for a Hollywood film, no hoop skirts. It just felt like a made for TV movie, or a John Wayne movie.