The Horse Soldiers

This is a Hollywood version of real events that took place during the Vicksburg Campaign in 1863. While there is a lot of Hollywood flair, the events of the raid and the impact on the fall of Vicksburg are well documented. All in all it is quite enjoyable and great for a rainy afternoon.

Based on a true incident during the Civil War,Horse Soldiers,a spectacular cavalry film from the great John Ford,starring John Wayne and William Holden who make up pretty good rivals locking horns throughout the movie,the Duke also locking horns with sexy actress Constance Towers,as a slow gradual love is brewing.Plenty of action and battle scenes,true to realistic,Horse Soldiers is a helluva cavalry picture.Look for Ken Curtis(Festus on Gunsmoke)Curtis also played parts in a few other John Wayne movies.This MGM dvd is 16x9 widescreen and remastered with good sound and picture,a must for your John Wayne,John Ford cavalry collection.

Over the years I believe I've seen all the significant films of John Wayne and John Ford, except "The Horse Soldiers." Tonight I finally viewed it on the DVD release and have to admit it was a let-down. Oh, I enjoyed it but it did not live-up to the reputation of these many years. Much of the problem with placing this films highly among others with Wayne/Ford is in the screenplay which struck me as too scattered and without real focus. The Duke did his usual thing well but I believe John Ford was not at his best in this particular effort. A few classic western scenes are included but it lacks the style of so many other Ford movies that are recognized by his fans. Worth seeing but not twice.

The Horse Soldiers DVD

John Wayne stars as the Union Colonel Grierson in John Ford's dramatization the Union's Grierson's Raid in 1863 ( Grierson led Grierson's Raid in 1863, a major diversionary thrust deep into the Confederacy, ordered by General Grant as part of his Vicksburg Campaign. He departed from La Grange, Tennessee, on April 17, in command of 1,700 men of the 6th and 7th Illinois and the 2nd Iowa Cavalry regiments. Over 17 days, his command marched 800 miles, repeatedly engaged the Confederates, disabled two railroads, captured many prisoners and horses, and destroyed vast amounts of property, finally ending in Baton Rouge on May 2. More importantly, he diverted the attention of the Confederate defenders of Vicksburg away from General Grant's main thrust. He was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers in June. In 1864 he was assigned to the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Mississippi and in 1865 he took part in the campaign against Mobile. On March 2, 1867, Grierson received a brevet promotion to the rank of major general in the United States Army for his famous raid.) William Holden plays a Union doctor at odds with Grierson.

Highly recommended for fans of John Wayne, Cilvil War era movies and William Holden.

Gunner, April, 2008

This movie by John Ford paired John Wayne (Col. John Marlowe) and William Holden (Maj Hank Kendall, regimental surgeon) as the male leads in the film while Constance Towers provided the female lead and love interest as the Southern Belle Hannah Hunter. The movie was expensive for its time and everyone involved expected it to be a blockbuster. Both Wayne and Holden received $775,000 and a promise of 20% of the profits. However, the film did not do all that well and there were no profits to distribute. Some say that the era of lead star megadeals began with this movie.

This movie is loosely based on Grierson's Raid in April and May 1863 as part of the Vicksburg Campaign in Mississippi. Wayne's Marlowe is a former railroad builder without much formal education, but he is smart and brave. Marlowe is leading a regiment of cavalry through Mississippi to reach Vicksburg and join Grant's campaign. We know it is dangerous because most of his officers are looking for excuses to turn back and head North to safety. During the film we learn he is a widower and how losing his wife caused him to dislike doctors. Holden's Kendall is a doctor who cares for people and is only part of the war because he was put there. Wherever he sees someone who needs his help, he offers it and this gets him on Marlowe's bad side.

Along the way, they stop at a plantation and requisition horses, supplies, and refresh themselves. They meet the mistress of the plantation, Hannah Hunter and when they leave they take her so she cannot warn the Confederates of their presence of plans. Her joining the regiment of hundreds of horse soldiers provides a tense love story with Marlowe with some competition with the more sophisticated Kendall. The final resolution of the love story is one of the less satisfying aspects of the story, but in war who gets to wrap up personal stories in a neat package anyway?

The movie has some spectacular vistas, lots of great work with the horses (it is cavalry, after all) a couple of fine battle sequences, the Duke fighting on the side of the Union for once, and lots of colorful supporting characters. While I don't think it is a great Wayne movie like "The Searchers" or "The Shootist", it is still a good one. Enjoy!

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI