VividSimon Simply Perfect

Mjeteconer Just perfect...

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

david-smojver To begin with, this has nothing to do with the historical events movie was based on. Now we come to the "Southern Bell" Spaying and how she was treated. Any self respecting commander with a battalion behind the enemy lines, discovering a spy would first and foremost have the responsibility towards his me. She would be shot on the spot. She would not be dragged with the company. Then she tried to escape. Again, she was not being dealt with. Then she tried to warn the Southern patrol, nothing again. Seriously. . Now about John Wayne's "Tough guy" character. His representation of an army officer in all the movies I saw him in such a role is totally over acted, unrealistic and down right stupid.

SnoopyStyle Grant needs to win Vicksburg but the south is fighting him to a draw. Colonel John Marlowe (John Wayne) leads an Union cavalry brigade to destroy a rail supply depot at Newton Station behind the confederate lines. Major Henry Kendall (William Holden) is the newly attached surgeon who is constantly at odds with Marlowe. Marlowe distrust all doctors after his wife was killed in an unnecessary surgery. Plantation mistress Hannah Hunter (Constance Towers) and her slave Lukey (Althea Gibson) overhears their plans and Marlowe takes them prisoner. They plan to fight all the way to Baton Rouge.William Holden is good as the questioning doctor. He could have been played as some pacifist idiot but he shows more depth than that. I do want John Wayne to be harder and darker. His moral superiority keeps bumping against the gritty ugliness of the situation. The kids from the Jefferson Military Academy are a perfect opportunity to up the ante on the war action. Instead, the movie takes the safest route. The action is big but not always the most impressive. I actually like the bending of the rails but that's not really action. It's just something different. For the action, I want it to be grittier and darker. This is fine but not anything superior.

zardoz-13 "The Horse Soldiers" is an average secret mission war movie about the Union cavalry. Principally, the casting of John Wayne and William Holden, who are at each other's throats throughout most of the action, is reason enough to watch William Clothier's gorgeously photographed American Civil War epic. "Fort Apache" director John Ford and his long-time lenser Clothier present the eponymous Union troops and occasional Confederate cavalry strung out in formation and skylined against horizon. As with most Ford films, the soldiers warble familiar war-time, folk songs to stress the difference in their nationality. This colorful adventure opus concerns Grierson's historic, 600-mile raid through central Mississippi on the eve of the siege of Vicksburg. Naturally, Wayne plays Colonel John Marlowe, a fictional alter ego of the real-life Colonel Benjamin Grierson, the gung-o leader of the Union Army who led a cavalry brigade on a hell-bent-for-leather foray from northern Mississippi down across the state to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Grierson's objective was to cut the railroads that provided supplies to Vicksburg on the western side of the state. Interestingly enough, Grierson was a music teacher in real-life before he suited up in Union blue. Comparably, Marlowe is a former railroad construction engineer who rose up the ranks of his profession by the sweat of his brow. Presumably, the author of the novel, Harold Sinclair, must have felt it would be far more appropriate for Marlowe to be a railroad man, since he was ordered to destroy a railroad and all the rolling stock. When the film unfolds, General Grant informs our protagonist that things aren't going well for the Union. Grant complains, "To put it mildly, with less men and less resources, the South has whipped us to a standstill." As sensational as the raid was, the action itself was virtually bloodless. The first skirmish with the Confederates occurs about 17 minutes into the raid, with a few of Marlowe's men ambushed. This disturbs Marlowe considerably because the ambush could mean that 'the cat is out of the bag' and every Confederate for miles around will know about this so-called secret mission. No Hollywood movie from the 1950s would be complete without the presence of a heroine. About ten minutes after the initial skirmish, the most memorable scene occurs when Colonel Marlowe and his command ride into Greenbriar Plantation. Plantation mistress Miss Hannah Hunter (Constance Towers of "Sergeant Rutledge") arranges a sumptuous repast of southern fried chicken for Marlowe and his officers. During this splendid meal, she offers Marlowe a chicken breast while she hovers above him with his low-cut dress revealing her magnificent breasts. Marlowe blushes in humiliation. The crafty Miss Hunter arranges matters so when Marlowe and his men confer over strategy, she and her maid Lukey (one-time-only-actress Althea Gibson) can eavesdrop. Again, Marlowe cannot afford to leave Miss Hunter behind, so she is forced to accompany them for the remainder of the raid. Not surprisingly, Miss Hunter makes a terrible nuisance of herself. She tries to escape on horseback at one point and her horse spills her in a swamp. Later, she tries to warn a cavalry patrol, but Kendall thwarts her, and she has to give her word of honor to Marlowe to refrain from such activities.The biggest action set-piece occurs about an hour into "The Horse Soldiers" when Marlowe and his command arrive at Newton Station and receive a surprise when a Confederate troop train trundles in and scores of soldiers pour out of the boxcars. Confederate Colonel Jonathan Miles (Carleton Young of "Reefer Madness") is a sneaky, one-armed officer who coordinates the attack and eventually charges down Newton's main street carrying the Stars and Stripes with his men behind. After they repulse the attacking Confederates, Marlowe's men rip up the railroad tracks and twists the rails into bowties. During the lull in the action, we learn the source of Marlowe's rage against Kendall because two surgeons cut into Marlowe's wife in search of a tumor that they never found. When Marlowe's men aren't torching the railroad ties, they are sending contraband cotton up in smoke. In a last ditch effort, the Confederates assemble cadets from a nearby military academy to coordinate with a cannon battery. This takes place when Marlowe and Kendall tangle for a knuckle-buster in the middle of the woods. Rather than ride against the cadets, Marlowe and his men skedaddle away from them after they cadet give them a volley or two. Naturally, forty miles from their Baton Rouge objective, Marlowe and is command encounter Confederates at a wooden bridge. After Marlowe is wounded in the leg, he leads a charge across the bridge and routes the Confederates. For the record, Marlowe and Hunter fall in love, and Kendall remains behind after the bridge is blown up to tend the wounded. Whatever "The Horse Soldiers" lacks in spectacular action, it struggles to compensate with the friction between Wayne and Holden. Major Henry Kendall, William Holden brings his liberal sensibilities to the fore as the Union surgeon to plies his trade and vents his wrath at the stalwart Marlowe. Despite William H. Clothier impressive cinematography and robust performances by a seasoned cast, the story is just a little too humdrum. Nevertheless, mediocre John Ford is better than no John Ford.

ma-cortes Based on the true-life of Col. Benjamin H. Grierson and a real incident during American Civil War ; it deals with a Union Cavalry army is sent behind confederate lines in strength to destroy a rail/supply post. Along with them is sent a pacifist medic (William Holden, the producers originally wanted Clark Gable for the leading role) who causes instant antipathy between him and the commander-in-chief (John Wayne). As Union Colonel leads sabotage party deep into rebel territory and carries out attacks ans contra-attacks , being accompanied by the doctor who heals wounded people . The secret plan for the mission is overheard by a southern woman (Constance Towers) who must be taken along to assure her silence . The actual deeds are the followings : In the Spring of 1863, Grierson left bases in northern Mississippi, taking 1,700 troopers with him. The film is based on the true raid by Col. Benjamin Grierson who, as shown in the movie, began his expedition--known as Grierson's Raid--from LeGrange, Tennessee, in April of 1863. Grierson "drove through central Mississippi, tearing up railroads and upsetting Confederate General Pemberton's troop deployments before reaching Union-held Baton Rouge.This is the following to trilogy cavalry : ¨She Wore a Yellow Ribbon , Rio Grande , Fort Apache¨ , and including glorification of military life , drama , love and sentimental nostalgia with interesting character studio of a varied assortment of individuals . It was considered a minor job , however this classic picture nowadays ranks as one of the best of John Ford's work . It contains Ford's usual themes as good feeling , a little bit of enjoyable humor , friendship and and sense of comradeship among people . Interesting screenplay portraying in depth characters and brooding events with interesting issues running beneath script surface . Spectacular scenes as when the Confederate troops spontaneously attack the town in its last stand and when takes place the final confrontation on the besieged location , surrounding the bridge . The film marked the beginning of mega-deals for Hollywood stars , as John Wayne and William Holden received $775,000 each, plus 20% of the overall profits, an unheard-of sum for that time . The film , however , was a financial failure, with no profits to be shared in the end. Excellent film featuring a magnificent performance by whole casting . Awesome John Wayne in a larger-than-life character along with William Holden. Enticing and intimate Constance Towers in an enjoyable role , giving a sensational acting . Agreeable co-starring cast, as in the movie appears all habitual Ford's friends as Hoot Gibson as Sgt. Brown , Ken Curtis as Cpl. Wilkie , Willis Bouchey as Col. Phil Secord ,Hank Worden as Deacon and Strother Martin as Virgil . Good cinematography by William H. Clothier , John Ford's usual , reflecting splendidly marvelous outdoors .Vivid score by David Buttolph and including an emotive military parade of the boys academy .The movie was stunningly written and produced by John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin ; of course , magnificently filmed by Ford , being John Ford's only feature film set during the Civil War, although he did direct a segment of ¨How the West Was Won¨ that was set during the Civil War . Director Ford suggested the scene with the boys' military academy, and according to the producers, he ad-libbed it . Rating : Better than average worthwhile watching .