Which story is most movie worthy?

[Whitworth]

Life of George Druillard, scout, interpreter, hunter for Lewis and Clark. Closer to facts remake of John Johnston - Liver Eatin Johnson and a proper historical based story of Hugh Glass. The Battle of San Jacinto. The early trapper days of Kit Carson. Jedediah Strong Smith's story. Joe Meek the merry mountain man. History of Bent's Fort. So many possibilities to choose from but get a director who is a historian and muzzle loading shooter and hunter-trapper-soldier whose reply to suggestions of authenticity is not "this is a movie, not a documentary."

The guy who wrote this book was a bare foot kid who Kit Carson took under his wing and became a man.

"Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains"
An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West by William F. Drannan

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Allen Eckert, Wilderness Empire!

 

[JamesA]

Corps of Discovery! Lewis and Clark.

Excellent choice. I would actually go to the theater to see that. It's been 5 years or more since we went.

 

[S.Kenton]

A movie that could accuratly depict Simon Kentons life. Reproducing the Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky landscapes, as well as using historically accurate firearms for the period. I think it would be pretty amazing to go back in time and see what the 1760’s frontier culture would actually be like.

 

[beyu]

Gentleman Ranker, by John Jennings.

The book was published in the 1940s. It is long out of print and somewhat dated in its style, but still very readable and available from book sellers who offer old books.

Subject matter is Braddock's defeat early in the French and Indian War on the Monongahela River near present day Pittsburgh. That defeat shocked the British Empire and blew the American frontier wide open. Many settlers in the back country fled back to the cities fearing massacre.

The book is historical fiction that follows the adventures of an English gentleman — who, becoming penniless, ends up as an enlisted soldier in the ranks of Braddock's army. The novel takes us through Braddock's defeat and continues on as our hero leaves the army and becomes a Virginia planter and eventually an American patriot. Along the way he learns woodland skills and rescues himself and a woman from the Indians.

Well known figures from history make their appearance in the story, including a young George Washington, Daniel Boone, and Daniel Morgan. All were actually present with Braddock's army. The young and rather inexperienced Washington took an active hand by commanding part of the rear guard and assisting the British regulars as they retreated .

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

wouldn't mind seeing a film on the life of Jim Beckworth.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Historical fiction by Don Wright, "The Woodsman" and "The Captives". "The Woodsman" takes place during the F&I War and "The Captives" takes place during the AWI.

 

[tenngun]

Historical fiction by Don Wright, "The Woodsman" and "The Captives". "The Woodsman" takes place during the F&I War and "The Captives" takes place during the AWI.

For sure fiction And good guy gets both girls, but I really enjoyed those two books.

 

[Tn poor boy]

There is no doubt that's an interesting story and might have more depth of characters if done live-action rather than as a narrative.
Having been a member of the St. Charles Corp of Discovery that did the bicentennial re-enactment, it was by far one of the highlights of my life.
I got to meet Ken Burns and Stephen Ambrose, they used our keelboat for the opening scene of the film in the early morning mist on the Missouri River.
I played the part of Joseph Field on the trip from Elizabeth Pa.
on the Monongahela river, down the Ohio River, and up the Mississippi to Wood river Il.

I love the Bicentennial

 

[MAPMFF]

All good options. Lewis and Clark as mentioned would be good. I would love to see another F&I, ACW or even War of 1812 movie made up.

I recall that Ben Affleck was set to make a movie on Bunker Hill based on the book "Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution" Nathaniel Philbrick, which I enjoyed reading. However last I heard of that was a few years ago and nothing since...one can hope!

 

[Daveboone]

How about a biography of Davey Crockett? About the only part of his life that anyone hears about is of course, The Alamo (which is a lot!).

 

[Daveboone]

Or....how about "The Saga of LIver Eating Johnson"....as it was written, following his mountain man days up through the Civil War, to his days in a veterans home in California (if memory serves me correctly...) almost has a similar feel to the setting for the telling of LIttle Big Man.

 

[bear3855]

I know they both took some historical liberties (especially the movie) but I really enjoyed The Revenant (both the book and the movie), based on the story of Hugh Glass. The cinematography in the movie is frankly incredible, I'm not much of a movie guy but that's easily the best I've seen.

I also second the idea of a movie from John Colter's perspective. His story is right up there with Hugh Glass in my mind.

 

[CaptainKirk]

I would love to see an accurate depiction of Walter D. Edmonds' "Drums Along The Mohawk". While the 1939 version starring Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert is OK, it doesn't follow the book closely enough for my liking. I must have read that book 5 times in high school and it fired my imagination and interest towards black powder and colonial history as much as "Jeremiah Johnson".

 

[springfield art]

Well, Hollywood just had couple years back, the guy who got mauled by a bear, can't recall the name of the film. Trying to get historical things made nowadays is hard!

 

[CaptainKirk]

"The Revenant". (true) Story of Hugh Glass

 

[tenngun]

"The Revenant". (true) Story of Hugh Glass

Long way from true story.
Unfortunately Hollywood has a way of screwing up stories. And true stories don’t seem to bring a lot of interest.
A lot of true stories like are also a lot of boring. I recall a quote about being a soldier in war. Months of boredom broken by times of terror.
Patriot was a money maker for Hollywood and Gibson, and I was able to overlook the problems and really enjoy the movie.
While The Crossing was a back burner movie
Gods and Generals did so poor that Last full Measure was never made. Ironclads is so obscure I wonder if I’m the only one who ever watched it.
History nerds can read a book and be transported back in time in their minds eye. But story tellers tweak a story to make it sound exciting
Shakespeare’s Macbeth or Richard the third are a lot more fun then the real people

 

[beyu]

Long way from true story.
Unfortunately Hollywood has a way of screwing up stories. And true stories don’t seem to bring a lot of interest.
A lot of true stories like are also a lot of boring. I recall a quote about being a soldier in war. Months of boredom broken by times of terror.
Patriot was a money maker for Hollywood and Gibson, and I was able to overlook the problems and really enjoy the movie.
While The Crossing was a back burner movie
Gods and Generals did so poor that Last full Measure was never made. Ironclads is so obscure I wonder if I’m the only one who ever watched it.
History nerds can read a book and be transported back in time in their minds eye. But story tellers tweak a story to make it sound exciting
Shakespeare’s Macbeth or Richard the third are a lot more fun then the real people

I believe a MUCH MORE accurate account is "Man In The Wilderness", which was released in 1972.

Same tale, without the fake bear and silly plot line of "The Revenant".

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067388/

 

[CaptainKirk]

Long way from true story.
Unfortunately Hollywood has a way of screwing up stories. And true stories don’t seem to bring a lot of interest.
A lot of true stories like are also a lot of boring. I recall a quote about being a soldier in war. Months of boredom broken by times of terror.
Patriot was a money maker for Hollywood and Gibson, and I was able to overlook the problems and really enjoy the movie.
While The Crossing was a back burner movie
Gods and Generals did so poor that Last full Measure was never made. Ironclads is so obscure I wonder if I’m the only one who ever watched it.
History nerds can read a book and be transported back in time in their minds eye. But story tellers tweak a story to make it sound exciting
Shakespeare’s Macbeth or Richard the third are a lot more fun then the real people

Not saying The Revenant was a true story...the Hugh Glass story is true. Left to die by no less than Jim Bridger.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

How about the story of George Roger's Clark, perhaps as told in the historical fiction Long Knife. He's an interesting character in the "western theater" of the American Revolution.