BEST and WORST Actor in a Role of Ours?

[zimmerstutzen]

Had the actors spoken with proper accents, 3/4 of the audience would not have understood the dialogue.
Two of my ancestors fought in blue and even after the war could still not speak English. Both were in Pa Dutch units.

 

[Ringel05]

A couple of nights ago I watched The Buccaneer with Yul Brenner and Charlston Heston, hadn't seen it in over 20 years. It was made in 58' mainly about Jean Lafitte, the gentleman pirate. Obviously heavily Hollywooded but from what I could tell much (not all) of the costuming was correct as was the "timeline" but what was surprising is much of the actual history was represented in the movie with some typical Hollywood embellishment and adaptation.
Yes I researched Lafitte after watching the movie and was astounded at how close Hollywood stuck to the real story.

 

[Artificer]

I agree that most Southerners were fighting for States Rights, and had every right to do so, my complaint was I felt the line was intended to make Southerners look stupid based off of the strong "rats" word. The media has a tendency to do so, or make the villain have a Southern accent etc.
Respectfully,
David

OK, now I see what you mean. Yes, I agree about the media.

I also agree with your comments on Ride with the Devil and Cold Mountain. I did not bother to see Cold Mountain in a theater because I was warned about it. I did see it on a premium TV channel and what a load of bunk!

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Had the actors spoken with proper accents, 3/4 of the audience would not have understood the dialogue.
Two of my ancestors fought in blue and even after the war could still not speak English. Both were in Pa Dutch units.

Indeed, one Federal Brigade from New York had soldiers who spoke something like 32 different languages in the different Regiments, though I can't remember the unit right now. The Commanding Officer wound up making (I think) Hungarian as the official language of the Brigade. Of course the last time I read that was probably 30 years ago. :redface:

Gus

 

[Artificer]

A couple of nights ago I watched The Buccaneer with Yul Brenner and Charlston Heston, hadn't seen it in over 20 years. It was made in 58' mainly about Jean Lafitte, the gentleman pirate. Obviously heavily Hollywooded but from what I could tell much (not all) of the costuming was correct as was the "timeline" but what was surprising is much of the actual history was represented in the movie with some typical Hollywood embellishment and adaptation.
Yes I researched Lafitte after watching the movie and was astounded at how close Hollywood stuck to the real story.

Yes, though the Highlanders were wearing "Trews" and not Kilts in the actual battle, the costuming in some regards was VERY accurate and especially some of the dresses for Inger Stevens (BOY, did I have a crush on her!) and some of the other "High Society Ladies." They actually got the somewhat fitted bust and loose material down below pretty correct - though I did not know that until after I had done War of 1812 reenacting in the late 70's.

Though I had traveled far and wide to see historic sites in Virginia, I sheepishly have to admit I somehow missed the circa 1753 Randolph Family home, "Wilton House" just minutes from downtown Richmond until 2003. When we toured there, there was a painting of a young woman in the Master Bed Room. One Tourist Lady asked out loud if the painting was of the original Randolph Wife. I looked at the painting and replied, "It can't be, that painting is circa 1815-1820 by the dress the Lady is wearing." Well, once the Tourist Guide caught up and gave her talk on the bedroom, the Tourist Lady asked the Tourist Guide about the portrait. She replied it was the Great Grand daughter and painted in 1819. Both the Tourist Lady and my Girlfriend looked at me in great surprise. I just shrugged my shoulders and said I had done reenacting of that period over 20 years earlier.

Gus

 

[David Snellen]

Gentlemen,
Now I want to see the Buccaneer after such compliments! I will see if the library has a copy.
David

 

[satx78247]

Pardon me for pointing out that COLD MOUNTAIN & all the other movies above are: FICTION.

IF I can ever get my book/mini-series script finished/produced, the DYs won't like it any better than we of "the old Rebel families" like most of "Holly-WIERD's" productions.
(The mass rapes/massacre of the women & children of my father's extended family, just because they were poor AmerIndians & defenseless, figures prominently in the script. - The men/boys were then "away with the forces".)

Oddly enough, PBS produced one of the better/more authentic accounts about how the Unionists mistreated the common/innocent/unarmed civilians in Dixie. = PHAROAH'S ARMY.

yours, satx

 

[tenngun]

Boy, I loved so many of the movies mentioned but looked to them for fun not for research. I have to say I loved Sakkets land, far blue mountians and Jubal sakket by lamore but cant say they were too hc.
I don't know what makes a movie I can like that is far from hc like John Wayne in the Alamo different then a non hc movie I don't like like Cold mountain or 3:10 to Yuma. However I loved a lot of non hc movies like the mountain men, wind walker and grey eagle....but they were just movies. All in all I would rather watch Macbeth then braveheart, however one was not more or less hc then the other.

 

[David Snellen]

Very true on the acts committed by the yanks. There is a good book called the UNCIVIL WAR. It is ONLY accounts from northern newspapers and federal officers/soldiers of all they inflicted on civilians and women and children and the people of the South, so no one can say it is Southern biased.

On note on Cold Mountain, when it started, and I saw the black epaulettes on the N.C. uniform, I thought "GREAT!!! They are going to try to get it right!" Then my hopes were dashed against the rocks. That was the high point of the movie....

I would love to see and accurate movie on the removal of the Indians from Ga./Trail of Tears. No people in this country has been (and continues to be) as ill treated as the Indians.

Has anyone seen THE LAST CONFEDERATE? I did, it is based on a real account. It is all right, but the clothing for the women was very off.
A couple of good ones also GERONIMO with Wes Studi (although they goofed up on MUCH of the actual history/ got it out of order etc.) still good.
Although very inaccurate, and I hate Custer on every level, I enjoyed They Died with their Boots On.

Far beyond our reenacting,
Braveheart was a great movie (although MANY inaccuracies and Gibson is an anti Semitic putz) I still like the movie.
Respectfully,
David

 

[satx78247]

Fyi, I have a copy of THE LAST CONFEDERATE & of THE UNCIVIL WAR.

I also recommend:
1. TO DIE IN CHICAGO,
2. PORTALS TO HELL,
3. SHARPE'S LANDING, THE PRISON CAMP THAT NEVER WAS
("Transferred to Sharpe's Landing" was Unionist "code" for a pistol shot to the back of the head.)
and
4. DACHAU IN AMERICA.
(The horror story of the premeditated murders of about 15,000 defenseless CSA POWs at the concentration camp at Point Lookout, MD)

yours, satx

 

[Alden]

Maybe we can stick to videos Alex Jones didn't tape to bilk his conspiracy theorist fruit and vegetable audience with delusions of grandeur...

All the others are interesting and some worthy of consideration for watching or avoiding.

 

[satx78247]

????????? = What exactly are you ranting about tonight???

yours, satx

 

[satx78247]

Actually, THE LAST CONFEDERATE wasn't too bad, considering how little $$$$$$ that the producers (One SC family was "the main underwriting/funding source.) had to work with & that most of the actors weren't professionals. = They used what costumes that they could borrow or buy for cheap.

just my opinion, satx

 

[Snakebite]

I've always like Arthur Hunnicutt in "The Big Sky". I also liked Charlton Heston in "The Mountain Men".
I thought Jeremiah Johnson sucked. Robert Redford was terrible :barf: . I think they could have used someone other than Billy Bob Thorton in "The Alamo".

But even a bad blackpowder/mountainman/etc. movie is better that a lot of the other crapola coming out of Hollywood.

I know others have different opinions.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Fyi, I have a copy of THE LAST CONFEDERATE & of THE UNCIVIL WAR.

I also recommend:
1. TO DIE IN CHICAGO,
2. PORTALS TO HELL,
3. SHARPE'S LANDING, THE PRISON CAMP THAT NEVER WAS
("Transferred to Sharpe's Landing" was Unionist "code" for a pistol shot to the back of the head.)
and
4. DACHAU IN AMERICA.
(The horror story of the premeditated murders of about 15,000 defenseless CSA POWs at the concentration camp at Point Lookout, MD)

Please. Let's stick to the original topic:

"Who would you say was the best and who was the worst actor in what movie roles including muzzleloaders?"

 

[SacramentoJohnson]

Greetings!
Interesting topic! See alot of movies and performances I've liked AND disliked!
One film I see missing which came to mind is "The Devil's Disciple" from 1959, based on GB Shaw's play of the same name. I've always felt Burt Lancaster was terribly miscast (but hey, it was his production and film, so he could chose to be who ever he wanted!), Kirk Douglas was wasted in his role, but Laurence Olivier as General "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne was absolutely terrific; he was the center of attention for every scene he was in! Such a great performance; he made the others' performances pale in comparison, and made me feel THAT is what a British general in the American Revolution should be like!
Favorite line--
Upon learning that General Howe was still in New York, and Burgoyne was left to be facing an overwhelming force due to 'red tape' back in London:
Maj Swindon: I can't believe it! What will History say?
Gen Burgoyne: History, sir, will tell lies as usual!

 

[colmoultrie]

I actually liked ol' Billy Bob as David Crockett. Funny, I was just thinking of Billy Bob as I read a letter of Crockett's from Christmas, 1834, lambasting Jackson and Martin Van Buren for their Indian Removal policies and threatening to go to Texas! I think Billy Bob captured the man who had been a great frontiersman in his younger days, but has gotten older, been a politician, and now found himself trapped in a hero's image he wasn't entirely comfortable with.

I'll say my favorite actor from a blackpowder era film is either Jeff Daniels in Gettysburg or Errol Flynn in Captain Blood. Now for Worst actor, well it has to be Orson Welles in the 1972 version of Treasure Island. I read and reread that book as a child, and Welles mumbled his way through the film, looking like he was just hoping they'd hand him the paycheck the producers were metaphorically waving in front of him, just off-camera.

Wait, I almost forgot - or more likely repressed - Kevin Costner in Prances... I mean, Dances with Wolves. I guess, however, that's really pushing it for "our" films, as it's right at the end of the Civil War and following, but it's still the percussion era in the West...

 

[Artificer]

Best: Russell Crowe in Master and Commander.

LD

GOOD choice!

I also enjoyed Loan Gruffudd as the fictional Hornblower in the TV series, but I thought Robert Lindsay as Captain/Commodore/Admiral Pellew REALLY stole the show in each scene he was in.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Oh, I can forgive a LOT of problems with Dancing with Wolves due to the redhead Mary McDonnell who portrayed "Stands With A Fist." :wink:

Gus

 

[thecapgunkid]

Gus, don't get a big head, but you might be one reason I will keep coming back to the forum. Who'd a thunk about Stands with a Fist?

That movie is a living testimony to what happens when you put First Americans into a movie about First Americans. One look at her and you thought "Captive" because the rest of the characters fit in so well ( whether or not you are a fan of Kevin, politics and messages)

I watch movies to look at scenery and stuff, and good characters and scripts and story are gravy.

But, after reading all the comments and opinions...some of them a little too passionate...maybe we can lean on Claude to moderate here;

IN order to post, your first sentence has to answer this question;

Are you old enough to( or did you)cry when Walt Disney had Davy Crockett killed at the Alamo?

I betcha that'll put everybody's opinions into context. What d'you think, gyrene?