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Rough Riders | Year: 1997 Directed: - John Milius Actors/Actresses: - Tom Berenger - Brian Keith Roughriders- true to form, accurate and inspiring! Of all of the recent genre of movies depicting vignettes of American history, Roughriders goes the extra mile to capture the essence, mood and feeling of Victorian America as it flexed it's international muscles for the first time! Berenger and the supporting cast are outstanding, and the battle scenes are among the most accurate ever made. This is a must see! Excellent movie about a "forgotten" War "Rough Riders" as you might guess describes the exploits of Teddy Roosevelt's volunteer cavalry unit in the Spanish American War. Berenger, Busey, and Brian Keith all turn in excellent performances as Roosevelt, Joe Wheeler, and the President. However, the movie also shows some excellent research-given that John Milius was a writer as well as director this isn't too surprising. Mr Milius is a weapons collector, and historian as well as a director. The weapons, accoutrements, and uniforms are all authentic for the 1890's. But what I found even more accurate were the Victorian sentiments echoed by the characters: at the beginning of the movie Roosevelt makes a speech about the need for America to assert herself on the world stage as she comes from "warrior races"; later there is a discussion about "the patrician class" needing to be "ennobled" by war. These were commonly held views at the time. The writers wisely refrained from imposing 20th century speech and beliefs on their characters. Certainly the feelings that Americans had at the time about the war would be difficult to understand if they did. The battle sequences are superbly done, while the movie IS about the Rough Riders, the crucial contribution of the all-black 10th Cavalry to the Rough Rider's success both in their early engagements and later at San Juan Hill is well illustrated. However, some scenes were taken right out of every war movie ever made. The first act is basically look-how-this-renegade-band-of-misfits-disdains-army-discipline-to-become-an-outstanding-fighting-organization. I doubt the army of 1898 would have tolerated this anymore than the army of 1998. As another reviewer commented, the correspondent's Homeric commentary in the climax of the movie, while again authentically Victorian in speech and sentiment, was definitely over-the-top and almost embarrassing to watch. Also, the musical score was at times too heavyhanded for the scenes at hand. Finally, although putting the William Randolph Hearst character in Cuba was a good way to juxtapose the reality of the campaign with what the papers were reporting, I don't believe that Hearst was ever there, nor would he have dressed like a Victorian version of a pirate. That being said, it's a richly detailed, and historically accurate story about a little-known but important war in American history. Recommended. Great war movie, great cast, great future president This movie deserves to be better known. It's primary subliminal lesson is that the Spanish-American war was not the kind of cakewalk that folks who use John Hay's oft-quoted phrase, "A splendid little war," make it out to seem. Quite to the contrary, it was deadly beyond imagining. And it brought forth some great heroes, too, some of whom you will meet in this movie. The most famous, of course, is TR himself, Teddy, the "cowboy" who became our 26th president -- portrayed in the film delightfully human (as when he flirts with his wife) and courageous by Tom Berenger. Another familiar face (Gary Busey of "The Buddy Holly Story") portrays General Joe Wheeler, the only Confederate general to wear blue in the war of 1898. And Sam Elliott is cast in the role of another one of the Rough Rider heroes. This film is a magnificent tribute to the men who fought the war that finally re-united a nation in an act of bloodshedding that was all but routine. "Rough Riders" makes clear just how far from splendid this "little war" really was, as well as just how heroic were the men who fought in it. Buy Rough Riders at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Rough Riders Search with the Priority Search Engine on Rough Riders This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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