Journey to Shiloh (1968)

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

I have to say, somewhere in this badly-made 1968 civil war western directed by William Hale, there's an decent anti-war story of the same name by author Will Henry, dying for a remake. Perhaps in the right hands like a better director & screenwriter, this movie could had been, American Civil War's version of 1930's 'All Quiet in Western Front'. It had potential of being grand. After all, when the First World War started, young naïve men in both sides had romantic delusions about the glory of serving, the armies of their young nations. It wasn't until the gunfire & mortar started to rein down on them, that many of them, awoken to the horror sites & sounds of war. This movie has a similar story set, during the opening months of the War Between the States with one, such group, known as Concho County Comanches led by Captain Buck Burnett (James Caan), whom sets out from Texas to fight the Yankees in Virginia, unaware of the brutally, in which, they are getting, themselves into. Without spoiling the film, too much, I have to say, sadly, that 'Journey to Shiloh', at its currently state is a film worth seceding from. I have to blame this, on two things: the writer & director. Both men, create poor narrative. One, such example is the opening of the film, which cheesy changed lyrics to the popular old timely song "The Yellow Rose of Texas", so we can get introduced to each of the characters, in an odd way that is never brought up, again, until the end of the film. Whatever, happen to show, don't tell!? When expository information is given out cheaply through out of place narrative, you know that, you made a bad movie. Plus, it didn't really help, that the film, rarely focus on any of the other group members, besides the leader, Buck. In truth, most of the group, had little to no personality. There is no better example than Harrison Ford's blank character, Willie Bill Bearden. He doesn't stand out. They don't even, bother, showing what happen to him, in the end. That's how bad, his character, was. It's sad, because, we know, how well of actor, Ford is, but he isn't given, anything to work with. He barely speaks in the film at all. If he did, it's nothing memorable. It's the same, with most of the other characters in the group. The film could had, at least, give them, more run time for character development like the scenes where they question slavery, than introducing more minor characters for the main character to meet like Sgt. Mercer Barnes (Noah Berry) & Gabrielle DuPrey (Brenda Scott) to fall for. It felt like a lot of time wasting. It really kill the pacing for this movie. It really got slow at parts. It takes them, forever to get to Shiloh. Generally, I wouldn't mind this, if the film show more of the tragic events that questions the men, about their wiliness to fight for the war. Me, personally, I would had love to see, most of the group, unable to make the journey, due to violence, sickness and other problems, with stubborn Buck, fighting the war, he does not know, all by himself. It could be, wonderful message. Instead, the film, quickly eliminated everybody off, in the last couple of minutes, without much sense of tension, motivation or depth. To put it simply, the battle ending was very anticlimax. It doesn't help that, most of the stock battle footage was taken from director Andrew V. McLagen's superior 1965's film, "Shenandoah". It made me, wish, I was watching that, instead. Added to that problem, is the recycled Western sets and gun props. It made the film look like, it was set in the 1880's Wild West, rather than the 1860s Southern States. No matter how you slice it, the locations used for the film, also filmed in Southern California doesn't look like the Deep South, at all! The scenes in Louisiana should look, a little swampy than it does. As for the acting. It was very mediocre. 'Journey to Shiloh" was made in the era, where actors were limited with the range, in which, they can perform in. Seeing, a bunch of Texas rangers, born in the frontier, look and act so 'cartoony gentlemen' was jarring. The film could, at least, make them, talk about violence, sex or cuss, a little bit more. Because of this clear-shaven goodie good shoes image, the actors is performing as; none of them, seems truly historical accurate to frontier men at the time. It doesn't help that most of the actors are wearing some really dodgy wigs. Also, the idea of mid to late 20's actors playing young men, seem a bit too much to suspense my disbelief at. Overall: I was very disappointed with this film. It could had been a really great anti-war piece that parallels with the then current Vietnam War, and the feelings at the times with the Civil Rights movement. Instead, it fell short, of greatness. It's a film that will continue to be long forgotten.

On the cashing-in-on-the-youth-market front, there's William Hale's ridiculous Journey to Shiloh. A band of suspiciously late-20s looking 18 year olds leave Texas to go off to find the Civil War. If one can forgive the leaden performances, the Quick-Draw McGraw accents, the idiot-level plotting and action, the obvious Southern California locations, the 1870s armaments, and those gawd-awful wigs, one might find a movie that could have been a wee bit interesting.But it sucks on every level, thereby rendering whatever chance there was for not nodding off as dead as the Confederacy.Which, for the modern-day youth market, may come as a surprise. The Civil War was between the Germans and the Japanese, right?

This was a great western that included a great cast. James Caan did a wonderful job in this leading role. There was a great aura around all seven of these "boys" . If you like westerns and this time era please watch this film. You will fall in love with all seven. When I was a child I fell in love with the theme song. I wish they would put this movie on DVD or VCR tape. It would make a wonderful edition to any library. Micheal Zarrin , Harrison Ford ,Jan Micheal Vincent , and the rest did a great job. Although it was made in the late 60's I still consider it an all time favorite. So if you haven't seen it please try and watch it. I really enjoy this movie.

This is one of those films that works because of the cast. It's fun to watch actors not well-suited to western films give it their best shot, and do well, despite that fact.Old timers like Noah Beery, Jr and John Doucette were used to the genre, and add to the film greatly.Newcomers (at the time), like James Caan, Michael Sarrazin, Jan-Michael Vincent, Harrison Ford, and Robert Pine would all go on to better things, but they do well here, too. Added to the mix is a TV leftover, Paul Peterson, who's part is small, but well-done.It was obvious that the film was cast and made like it was because of the growing youth market (Wild In The Streets, Psych-Out, Savage Seven, and Chubasco, among others).I love this film very much, and wait patiently for a widescreen DVD to be released. I can only hope I live long enough to see it happen.