The Best Muzzleloading Movies

[Gold Grizzly]

The 1970's TV series "Centennial" did a tolerable job @ accurately portraying the early fur-trapping era in the initial episodes with Robert Conrad and Richard Chamberlain.
Not a movie, but the series, "Into the Wild Frontier" may go a long way in keeping the spirit of traditional muzzleloading going with a new generation...I've already told my 6 y/o grandson the story of Hugh Glass and the grizzly bear and John Colter, and by chance we did a search looking for more info, and the series popped up - he's watched the one on John Colter over and over, and when he comes over, he asks to watch, "John Colter's run"...up next is the story of Jedediah Smith. Don't know the armorer(s) supplying the flintlocks and period accoutrements for this series, but they do a good job in accurately representing the fur-trapping period...

I think know this but did Jedediah Smith live or trap in far Northern California and Oregone ? I think I read that he was mauled by a grizzly bear and had his scalp ripped off and he stitched his scalp back on himself. Hope this is not too much off topic.

 

[Gold Grizzly]

Just thought of a couple I haven't seen for a while : "Man in the Wilderness" and "A Man Called Horse" both starring Richard Harris.

''A Man Called Horse'' haven't seen that in years, good movie.

 

[64Springer]

The General. Black and white. Silent movie. Buster Keeton. Civil War.

It's actually very good. Keeton does his own stunts. Instant bone crushing death if something were miscalculated.

And you just gotta love trains. The "General" is a train.

 

[redcarpet]

Tagged. Watched How the West was won last night. Then A Crooked Man was suggested so I watched that, the The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean was suggested and here I am looking for another to watch tonight.

I work 2nd shift so once everyone is in bed around here it's te for me to watch my old stuff. Not much new that excites me these days.

 

[redcarpet]

Cheyenne Autumn. S
We will see how this is.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Lots of smoke and fire in this Canadian history series.

 

[gruning]

Big Trail (1930)
Patriot
Last of the Mohicans

 

[Ed C.]

I loved watching Daniel Boone. What happened to good TV shows ?

INSP on cable usually devotes the weekends (and many weekdays) to both the old TV western series and movies. Sometimes the plot, dialogue, and costuming (women being taken across the desert and everyday wake up in clean clothes, make up and hair done) or cowboys in nicely pressed clothes, are unrealistic but I always enjoy the scenery and checking out the guns. It's also fun to count shots in the gunfights.

 

[tenngun]

I e not seen it mentioned but Black Robe was real good, and shooting matchlocks.
The three and four musketeers from the 1970s with Charlton Heston had matchlocks going off a minute or two it seemed after shot.
Speaking of Heston Treasure Island tried to do it right also.

 

[Eutycus]

Hard to believe no one mentioned Josey Wales yet. Or have they and I missed it?

 

[redcarpet]

Hard to believe no one mentioned Josey Wales yet. Or have they and I missed it?

One of my favorite movies.

 

[redcarpet]

INSP on cable usually devotes the weekends (and many weekdays) to both the old TV western series and movies. Sometimes the plot, dialogue, and costuming (women being taken across the desert and everyday wake up in clean clothes, make up and hair done) or cowboys in nicely pressed clothes, are unrealistic but I always enjoy the scenery and checking out the guns. It's also fun to count shots in the gunfights.

If you have a way to stream Pluto they have Gunsmoke 24/7. There is a channel right above that which runs other westerns 24/7.

Hard to find smokepole movies.

 

[Eutycus]

The "Fighting Kentuckian" with John Wayne and Oliver Hardy was certainly set in a time period when muzzleloading rifles were very much in use.

 

[stephenprops1]

Drums Along the Mohawk. Also, The Black Robe.

 

[stephenprops1]

Yes, I remember that. Could a Ramrod really be shot out like that and be lethal ? Just wondering, seems like it could.

A ramrod would be much like an arrow.

 

[Hermit Tim]

I would add the Mountain Men and very corny, but with some good reloading scenes Winterhawk, with my favorite castaway Dawn Wells

Started watching Winterhawk on the Roku last night. Didn't finish it yet as I'm getting too old for those late nights I guess. Pretty good so far though.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Started watching Winterhawk on the Roku last night. Didn't finish it yet as I'm getting too old for those late nights I guess. Pretty good so far though.

I liked the Kentuckian with Lancaster. My favorites are both made for tv mini series and they are Saints and Strangers and Sons of Liberty. Those two are my standard Thanksgiving weekend lineup. Bought both DVD sets new on ebay for next to nothing. I've heard folks say Saints and Strangers may be the most authentic Mayflower Compact movie ever made. Lots of matchlock action and very good acting.

 

[64Springer]

Drums Along the Mohawk. Also, The Black Robe.

DATM currently for rent on Amazon prime.

 

[Eutycus]

Don't get them mixed up even though they were both pretty good movies. The "Kentuckian" starred Burt Lancaster while the "Fighting Kentuckian" starred John Wayne.

 

[Coinneach]

Watched Out Of Liberty last night. B movie that had real good filming locations and clothing. The story was imprisonment and escape of Joesph Smith in Missouri in 1839. Stayed pretty true to the facts and neither pro or anti Mormon.
The rifle carried by the sheriff is a modern Hawken type compleat with big boxy adjustable rear sight. And another sheriff has a colt dragoon. It’s 39, he could have had a Patterson
Still a flintlock pistol was standard arm in the show
The jail looked just like the woodcut
All and all pretty free of anachronisms

I'll look for it, who played the major roles ?