The image above is a still from the 1951 movie, the “Red Badge of Courage,” based on the book of the same name written by Stephen Crane in 1895. Though Crane never mentions the battle by name in his novel, it’s widely accepted that he based it on the Battle of Chancellorsville. In this photo, the book’s hero, Henry Flemming, portrayed by WWII Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy, marches ahead of his friend Tom Wilson, portrayed by WWII GI cartoonist Bill Mauldin.
Director John Huston developed a two-hour movie, but his studio cut an hour out of it, forever upsetting Huston. Even though it is choppily edited at times, the film contains some gripping scenes of the impact of battle on soldiers. Depending on the day, it’s my favorite Civil War movie. Although after I watch “Glory,” that film is my favorite. You know how that goes. What’s your favorite Civil War film? Let me know!
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