Savannah

Man goes duck hunting with his companion. Goes to court and gets off for illegal hunting. Man goes back to duck hunting with his companion. Goes back to court and gets off for illegal hunting. Man meets woman and gets married. Man goes back to duck hunting with his companion. And on and on it goes.

The story of Ward Allen is not unknown to hunters. THe relationship he shared with freedman Christmas Moultrie seems to confound and confuse people like Roger Ebert. He cannot see how a White man "of the manor born" could befriend a Black man in those times, and therefore assumes that only Southerners would like this film.

This is my first review on IMDb. I want people to know that this film is far more than worth a watch. The complexities of a new world and a new way of life in post Civil War America, more specifically Savannah, are captured honestly here. THere is no scenery chewing, or unnecessary verbosity in the film. The marrow of the film is the story of friendship, family, loss, and inevitable change. THis film succeeds in making a complicated era of American history a simpler issue, one of laws, man, and the spirit of going against the standard of a mans time and station.

I am very happy that I was able to watch this, and I hope that it gets more respect from humble movie goers like myself who are willing to give it a fair shake, and ignore the Roger Ebert's of the world.

This is based upon a true story.

Ward Allen (Jim Caviezel) gives up the privileged life on a plantation in Savannah, GA to live free on the river so he can hunt ducks.

We start off in 1954 where Christmas Moultrie (Chiwetel Ejiofor) - the last of the free slaves from the Moultrie plantation - tells of his relationship with Ward Allen decades before. Then we go to 1918 and see Ward Allen.

We have an all-star cast with Hal Holbrook as Judge Harden; Sam Shepard as Mr. Stubbs who is the father of Lucy (Jaimie Alexander), who eventually marries Ward Allen; and Bradley Whitford as Jack Cay, a lawyer, who is the listener - and eventual writer of this story - to Christmas and his stories of Ward Allen.

I suppose we are all wondering what there was about Ward Allen to have a movie made of his life so-to -speak and further…… why would he give up a life of privilege to roam the woods and the river just to hunt and shoot ducks? We must listen and believe, as true, the stories Christmas tells about his friend. And, you must come to know that this friendship was pure gold.

However, this is quite sketchy. We have 3-stories and any one of which could have carried this movie, but it was decided to provide a little something of all three. It is difficult to incorporate everything especially when all three stories have a lot to say. We see Ward's relationship with his wife and this almost turned into a love story, but later that was abandoned; then we see his battles with new government rules and regulations regarding his disregarding them that got him to the courts many times (he didn't believe in quotas for the number of ducks killed or the shooting of a certain type of "protected" duck); then we have the relationship with Christmas and this is where the story should have been centered. It is with this angle that a great legend could have materialized. But, we get only bits and pieces here. Bummer.

It was decided to tell all three stories, sketchy as they might be, because……..well, Ward Allen was "a hell of a man's man" and we do get this perspective from the movie. Maybe that was the point of all this.

The acting all around is very good. The best and lighter moments in the movie involve Ward Allen in court with Judge Harden who has a propensity to overlook Allen's transgressions as we can clearly see that Judge Harden is most impressed with Ward Allen, who by the way was Oxford educated and spouted Shakespeare often. Throughout there are good lines that provide some chuckles.

The cinematography is outstanding regarding the Savannah River background. The ending is somewhat confusing because the movie cannot tell us what really happened to Ward Allen or his wife after his wife was sent to a rest home.

But, to answer the question why abandon the good life for a life of hunting ducks on the Savannah River in Ward Allen's words: The river belongs to us and we to it. It was the only place he felt really free and that was most important to him. (7/10)

Violence: No. Sex: Not really, we see more of a make-out session with his wife. Nudity: No. Language: No.

Savannah does attempt to tell the story of the friendship of two men, one returning from overseas to choose a life close to nature and his friend from childhood a freed slave and how a changing climate, culture, and society can make certain types of people and professions obsolete through no fault of their own.

It has an impressive cast with Jim Caviezel as Ward Allen and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Christmas Moultrie, together with Sam Shepard, Hal Holbrook and Jack McBrayer playing less important roles. In the center of all action is the duo of Ward Allen and Christmas Moultrie played by Jim Caviezel and Chiwetel Ejiofor. This important friendship should had have more room, more dialog. The relationship of Ward Allen with Lucy Stubbs played by Jaimie Alexander is more of a fictional drop-in and distracted from the rest of the storyline which could have disclosed more of Ward's intellectual background, the relationship with his father and his overseas upbringing.

Overall, great scenery, fantastic camera work and for those who know the book a very well written family friendly script in the European style of storytelling. Not Hollywood cinema, nothing flashy or fast paced. Enjoy the LowCountry landscape and a great sound track.

Ward Allen (Jim Caviezel) likes what he likes. Born into a family of wealth in Savannah Georgia at the turn of the twentieth century, he nevertheless does not become a businessman. Instead, he likes to be on the marshes near the ocean, hunting duck for the fine restaurants of Savannah. With him is his constant companion and partner, Christmas (Chiwetel Efiolor), a former slave. This alone is a cause of gossip at a time when whiles and African Americans didn't socialize in the South. but, in truth, Ward just loves the "wild places" over sitting in an office somewhere. Very handsome, he catches the eye of a lovely woman, Lucy Stubbs (Jamie Alexander) who her stuffy father (Sam Shepherd) has promised to another man. Yet, Lucy is also a lady who walks to a different beat. She shuns her father's choice and pursues Ward. Soon, they are married and living in Ward's opulent mansion. Still, his married state doesn't change Ward, who continues to hunt and get roaring drunk at the local bars, where he tells long stories. From time to time, Ward is also hauled before a judge (Hal Holbrook) for charges of hunting in forbidden waterways. Yet, Ward always gets off easy, for the judge likes him and his strong arguments for his chosen profession. Naturally, this creates some conflict for Lucy, especially when she discovers she is expecting a baby. Will Ward ever change? This beautifully lyrical movie, an homage to the loveliness of Savannah and its surroundings, will charm a certain type of movie fan. Its quiet, unusual story is paired with sumptuous scenery for a visually stunning experience. Also, Caviezel is one attractive and talented man, an actor who tops my list of "men who can make the heart pound". Alexander, Holbrook, Shepherd, Efiolor and all of the supporting cast is very fine, also. Do you consider yourself drawn to artistic, independent flicks? Take a trip to this Savannah soon.