The Blue and the Gray

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Margaret M I have now watched many times on Philo t.v. And I agree it is an excellant movie not just because it is set in the Civil War but all the actors did a very good job. I recommend it highly. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/22/24 Full Review victor o I am a big-time Civil War buff, so when the opportunity to watch an epic retelling of it in a miniseries comes along, I want to watch it in the best way possible. This DVD collection just happened to be something I came across in my library and I just had to have it. The 80s did a good share of miniseries set around the Civil War so I had no idea which set this was going to be about. It is based on a novel like most Civil War stories are about, the history is a backdrop to the drama the writer wants to convey, but they work hard at getting the history right. Most of it anyway. Set in the months before the war begins as two families are taken for a ride on the coattails of history as the issue of slavery erupts into war. The Geysers from the South and the Hales from the North. The Geysers are supportive of their cause in defending their lands from Northern aggression, but their youngest son defends the plight of enslaved blacks. The Hales take in the youngest Geyer as he covers the war as a reporter and not a soldier but is brought under the watchful eyes of a Pinkerton detective with ties to the new US President. Several fictional characters interact and fall in love, some are killed in the madness of war. One such incident tells of a serial killer that the former Pinkerton detective is bound to stop. Also, several interactions between Union soldiers and Confederates as well as other various moments make for good fiction amidst the historical backdrop. From the First Bull Run, the Peninsula Campaign, Vicksburg, Wilderness, Appomattox battles are covered in this movie. Some seem out of order or are inaccurate like Southerners wearing gray uniforms in the beginning when many still wore Union blue militia uniforms. But some things are accurate like Confederates wearing US belt buckles upside down so it would spell out SN for Southern Nation. And the actor, Gregory Peck was made to portray Abraham Lincoln, I am surprised he never got a whole movie to do it. The rest of the cast is wonderful from Rip Torn as Ulysses S. Grant, Stacy Keach, Lloyd Bridges and so much more. I love a good Civil War movie, and this was good. I still would have liked more but this was time well spent. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member The Blue and the Gray is a very emotional civil war movie with many good actors. It is great in every way with good war sequences, good actors, and good drama. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member The Blue And The Gray is a tremendously underrated civil war epic and to me, it's one of the best war films, best dramas, and best romance films I've ever seen. It's a sprawling and very engaging war epic that is never dull for one minute despite a very long running time. The performances are superb, the writing is great, the moments that are sad and the moments that are surprisingly witty are executed perfectly. It's a staggering and powerful epic that deserves a lot more attention than it has currently received. If you enjoy a good film epic, you must see this one because it is a damn good one. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Sprawling miniseries with the wise choice of using a sketch artist as its focal point with sympathies on both sides. Having someone who isn't fighting for one side or the other allows both sides to be presented without one being dominant. John Hammond is fine in the lead but not so strong that he pulls the focus off the story. An amazing cast cycles through the story without most given enough time to really register, its a shame but with a canvas this large unavoidable. All are fine but a few do manage to make an impression, Gregory Peck is perfectly cast as Abe Lincoln, strong and dignified. Colleen Dewhurst and Diane Baker are an interesting contrast as sisters, although they never share a scene, one a southern farm woman the other a northern homemaker but perhaps the one performer who makes the most of her few scenes is Geraldine Page as a southerner trapped in a war zone who has adapted to survive but still retains her ladylike demeanor. In just three scenes she creates a character that the viewer fully understands. For history buffs or fans of epic scale storytelling this is a must. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Revisiting one of my favorite miniseries of the '80's. Accurate recreation of the American Civil War. Makes me nostalgic for the rolling hills and farmlands of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Blue and the Gray

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