Adicionar um enredo no seu idiomaA dramatization of the 1865 war-crimes trial of Henry Wirz, commandant of the notorious Confederate POW camp at Andersonville, Georgia.A dramatization of the 1865 war-crimes trial of Henry Wirz, commandant of the notorious Confederate POW camp at Andersonville, Georgia.A dramatization of the 1865 war-crimes trial of Henry Wirz, commandant of the notorious Confederate POW camp at Andersonville, Georgia.
- Ganhou 3 Primetime Emmys
- 4 vitórias e 2 indicações no total
Dal McKennon
- First Guard
- (as Dallas McKennon)
William Bryant
- The Lieutenant
- (as Bill Bryant)
Avaliações em destaque
I only wish they would put this film out on video because it is one that truly deserves to be called a classic. Forget The Caine Mutiny and A Few Good Men. This is the best and most riveting courtroom thriller ever made. I always thought of William Shatner as a blowhard who couldn't act his way out of a paper bag, but here maybe for the only time, he gives an excellent performance as the prosecutor with a heart determined to bring this man to justice. Andersonville really was a hell on earth and the descriptions of it they give here will give you chills. The best scene is the one where Shatner cross examines Richard Basehart and keeps asking him why he didn't disobey orders if it could have saved so many innocent lives. What gets me is that Basehart's character (Captain Wirz) keeps insisting that he was only obeying orders. This is the same excuse that the Nazis and the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials used. You keep wondering if this man really has no soul. George C. Scott played the prosecutor in the Broadway version and does a wonderful job of directing it. This was made at about the same time that he made Patton I believe. This is a great film with a first rate cast. I only wish it could be seen more often.
As with many of you, it has been over thirty years since I have seen this on PBS. It stirred me then so much, I watched it again in close rerun cycle. I have often wished it was available on video, but never saw it, though it recently showed up at the head of someone's snarky list of Civil War themed movies. That got me thinking and sent me here, where I noticed many were still bemoaning the lack of a video. Well, Amazon.com lists it as having been released on video in 1991. Yay! That source does indicate both "out of stock" and "15 new or used copies available." You may have to actually place an order to find out which is true. Anyway, be of good cheer, comrades. It's out there somewhere!
I agree with all the positive comments, including those rating Shatner's performance as the prosecuting judge advocate. That he was directed by the man who debuted the role on Broadway was a sweet good fortune. I'd read an article in Playboy about George C. Scott around that same time, in which the author described being on the set with Scott coaching Shatner through a particularly dramatic scene, crouched down and gesturing with him, and both described as "baby bulls." I would love to have been a fly on the wall during some of the rehearsals and script sessions! Helluva show.
I agree with all the positive comments, including those rating Shatner's performance as the prosecuting judge advocate. That he was directed by the man who debuted the role on Broadway was a sweet good fortune. I'd read an article in Playboy about George C. Scott around that same time, in which the author described being on the set with Scott coaching Shatner through a particularly dramatic scene, crouched down and gesturing with him, and both described as "baby bulls." I would love to have been a fly on the wall during some of the rehearsals and script sessions! Helluva show.
This greater than two-hour drama recreates the trial of Henry Wirz, commandant of the Confederate POW camp at Andersonville, Georgia. It has an amazing cast of prominent stars of the time, some of whom are quite recognizable, such as Alan Hale as a member of the jury who doesn't even have any lines, and relatively unknown at the time, Charlie Sheen, who only has one line as a soldier.
William Shatner has the largest role as prosecutor and, contrary to his general reputation, does not over-emote but instead pretty much nails the role. He struggles with duty versus conscience, as the crux of his moral argument is that Wirz should have disobeyed direct orders and done more to care for the prisoners in his charge, but then no military tribunal of the time would agree that it is ever acceptable to disobey orders and it would be career suicide to directly argue such a thing. Wirz is played by Richard Basehart, who I've always found to be an underrated actor. Jack Cassidy is the attorney for the defense, Otis Baker, who is a Confederate sympathizer and wishes to point out the hypocrisy of the situation - Confederate prisoners under the care of the Union died in terrible circumstances as well - but he gets shut down by the judge in the situation, played by Cameron Mitchell, who is bombastic in temperament but fair.
The entire play is set inside the courtroom, lasts two and a half hours, and besides being a showcase of very good acting and instructive on Civil War history, it indicates how much longer of an attention span audiences must have had 55 years ago. Public TV would never attempt something of this length in this format today.
George C. Scott, the director, got a very authentic performance out of William Shatner, who could ordinarily be quite stiff. In retrospect, perhaps Scott should have directed a few episodes of Star Trek.
William Shatner has the largest role as prosecutor and, contrary to his general reputation, does not over-emote but instead pretty much nails the role. He struggles with duty versus conscience, as the crux of his moral argument is that Wirz should have disobeyed direct orders and done more to care for the prisoners in his charge, but then no military tribunal of the time would agree that it is ever acceptable to disobey orders and it would be career suicide to directly argue such a thing. Wirz is played by Richard Basehart, who I've always found to be an underrated actor. Jack Cassidy is the attorney for the defense, Otis Baker, who is a Confederate sympathizer and wishes to point out the hypocrisy of the situation - Confederate prisoners under the care of the Union died in terrible circumstances as well - but he gets shut down by the judge in the situation, played by Cameron Mitchell, who is bombastic in temperament but fair.
The entire play is set inside the courtroom, lasts two and a half hours, and besides being a showcase of very good acting and instructive on Civil War history, it indicates how much longer of an attention span audiences must have had 55 years ago. Public TV would never attempt something of this length in this format today.
George C. Scott, the director, got a very authentic performance out of William Shatner, who could ordinarily be quite stiff. In retrospect, perhaps Scott should have directed a few episodes of Star Trek.
A wonderful TV movie about the most notorious of the "concentration camps" of the American Civil War. It has a first-rate cast, with Richard Basehart giving an especially intense performance as the camp commandant. I hope some day it comes out on video or is rebroadcast, perhaps by the History Channel.
I have not seen this this very fine courtroom drama in almost thirty years, but it remains an unforgettable experience. Basehart, Shatner, Cassidy, Salmi, and Mitchell all give excellent performances. It is also a highly intelligent film, dealing with complex issues of military morality. indeed, it is puzzling that this fine film has never been rerun..then again, most of the great Television dramas are never rerun. Perhaps a new cable network could be created..call it "QTV' for "quality Television', devoted to shows like The Defenders, Naked City, Slatterys People,The Westerner,My World ( And Welcome to It), Nichols and to the great dramas of the golden age, such as this. Of course, thats yet another impossible dream
Você sabia?
- CuriosidadesAll of the witnesses as portrayed in the film are the actual witnesses who testified at Wirz's trial, and their dialogue in many cases is taken almost verbatim from the trial transcript. The major change from history is that Wirz did not testify and the whole "moral issue", around which this film revolves, was never raised at the trial.
- Erros de gravaçãoEarly on, a captain played by Martin Sheen comes into the court to tell Gen. Wallace that the defendant tried to hurt himself. The crossed sabers insignia of the cavalry on Sheen's cap is upside down.
- ConexõesFeatured in The 23rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1971)
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