Review of Ride with the Devil (1999) by Mike B — 30 Jul 2008

Choosing loyalties is often difficult - even more so when you're the son of a German immigrant in Missouri during the Civil War. Not trusted due to his heritage, Jake finds difficulty gaining the loyalty of his fellow Confederate guerrilla fighters. After his closest friends are killed, he eventually gains the trust of an ex-slave named Holt, who equally draws suspicion.

This movies shows the desperation and disillusionment that so many southerners had to face as their culture came to an end. The raid on Lawrence is horrific, and its understandable that outlaws such as Jesse and Frank James got their start here. As seen toward the end, some find adaptive solutions, others only become more desperate.

I would recommend this movie about a little-known aspect of the Civil War to anybody who likes historical films, and doesn't necessarily hinge a movie on its ending.