Review of Shenandoah (1965) by Erin O — 21 Jul 2010

Shenandoah is an interesting film. A lot of the film is build on wholesome values that seem to doom the film to Disney territory early on. It's about a farmer (Played by Stewart)that encourages his sons not to interfere and pick sides in the Civil War. Naturally, his stance can only hold for so long as he is forced into action after his son taken by the Yankee forces and turned into a prisoner.

The whole family with the exception of one son and his wife is left behind as the family heads out to find the missing boy. But tragedy strikes when a pair of looters could by the ranch and take advantage of the only remaining couple. After the pursuit proves to be less than fruitful, the family returns home to discover that fate did not reward the families lack of action. Instead, farmer Charlie Anderson learns that you can't ever fully runaway from the tragedy of war.

And while the film clearly is a notch below most of Stewart's early work, the film is worth watching and Stewart delivers another solid performance highlighted by an emotional scene near the end in which he tries to make sense of it all by sharing his thoughts over the grave of his dead wife. It might not be the ending a lot of people would want, but Stewart makes it work with his earnest performance.