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Mini Review of "Ride with the Devil: Director's Cut (1999)"
Pros:
• An accurate and deeply unflattering depiction of Pro-Confederate guerrillas: These are not the honorable chivalric Moonlight & Magnolias Southern archetype. The Bushwhackers use the surprise of hit and run tactics or subterfuge by dressing in Union uniforms in order strike at enemies. Regardless of whether they are soldiers, Jayhawkers, or unarmed civilians that are suspected of being Union sympathizers. The torture and murder of prisoners is also commonplace. The men are loyal to each other but petty slights can turn into blood feuds quickly, such as when a member refuses to gun down several unarmed people during the Lawrence Massacre. The Bushwhackers are also appropriately prejudiced for the time and place. Harsh anti-immigrant sentiment permeates the Bushwhackers ranks and the main character Jake Roedel is referred to as "Dutchy" because of his immigrant heritage. The racism against black people is realistically shown with the regular use of racial slurs against Holt, when Black men are specifically targeted during the Lawrence Massacre, and when the Bushwhackers make bets with human scalps the scalps of Black men are worth more. The Lawrence Massacre is depicted in excruciating detail as a wanton orgy of violence with looting, murder, and destruction of property.
• An extremely loyal adaptation of Daniel Woodrell's novel Woe to Live On: For whatever it's worth, the Theatrical and Director's Cut of Ride with the Devil hue very close to the source material. Certain events are placed closer together and Holt's story ends differently (for the better I think), but aside from that you are getting an extremely similar experience to the book.
• An Anti-racism and Anti-slavery message: The Bushwhackers are depicted as blatantly racist towards one of their own comrades Daniel Holt, they gamble with human scalps and consider the scalps of Black men worth more, and intentionally target Black men during the Lawrence Massacre. One unnamed Bushwhacker tries to go after Holt before Jake intervenes. The film also has a low opinion of the institution of slavery. When Jake is reading from a stolen bag of letters, he comes across one that decries the cruelty and hypocrisy of slavery. Holt's character arc also has an anti-slavery bent. Holt scouts and fights with the Bushwhackers out of personal loyalty to another member George Clyde. Holt confides to Jake after Clyde's death that being Clyde's friend wasn't all that different from being his n-word and that now he feels free. At the end of film Holt declares to Jake that he is leaving to search for his mother that was sold into slavery and plans to start searching in Texas and bids Jake a fond farewell. In spite of both of the aforementioned points, there are still Lost Causers that try to use Ride with the Devil to prop up the myth of the Black Confederate which still baffles me to this day.
• The character arc of Jake Roedel: Jake's point of view and growth as a character forms the crux of Ride with the Devil. Jake becomes a Bushwhacker after his friend Jack Bull Chiles family members are killed by Jayhawkers. Jake fights with the Bushwhackers out of personal loyalty and revenge even though it's obvious he disapproves of their more unseemly methods. It's during the attack on the undefended Lawrence Kansas, the wholesale murder of its citizens, a Bushwhacker trying to go after Holt for being Black, and Jake being reprimanded for refusing to kill several unarmed elderly people that Jake decides the cause he is fighting for is not an honorable one. Shortly after Jake and Holt abandon the Pro-Confederate guerrillas.
• The romance between Jake and Sue Lee: Not a lot to say about this other than Tobey Maguire and Jewel both give excellent performances and have good romantic chemistry.
• The symbolic death of Pitt Mackeson: After Jake and Holt leave the Bushwhackers and the war behind, they both encounter the antagonistic Pitt Mackeson one last time. Mackeson has become even more erratic after the deaths of almost all his comrades and declares to Jake he will ride into the nearby Union occupied town even though he is a wanted man and will certainly be killed. I honestly think Mackeson's death is symbolic of those that clung to the wicked lost cause of the Confederacy even after the war was lost.
Cons:
• The historical inaccuracy of Daniel Holt: The character of Daniel Holt is likely the most controversial aspect of "Ride with the Devil". The author of Woe to Live On took inspiration for Holt's character from a Black man named John Noland who rode with Quantrill's Raiders during the Civil War. Unfortunately Woodrell didn't read up on Noland's life beyond that because he would have realized that Noland was a slave and obviously didn't get a vote as to where he went or with whom. Noland was also never armed at any point. I stated in the Pros section above that I honestly really like Holt's character and arc but to the uninformed person with poor media literacy Holt's presence can potentially help propagate the myth of the Black Confederate. Read Kevin M. Levin's book, Searching for Black Confederates: The Civil War’s Most Persistent Myth for more information on this subject.
• Jack Bull Chiles conversation with Mr. Evans: Jack has a conversation with Mr. Evans at dinner during the film that seemingly props up some Confederate Mythmaking that the North was forcing its beliefs on the South and that the South didn't care how other people lived just as long as the South was left alone. This notion is demonstrably false, especially when you consider how pro-slavery Southerners willed the Fugitive Slave Act into existence that actively imposed slavers legal rights onto people who hated slavery in the North. This whole conversation is bizarre because pretty much everything else in the film (and the book) goes against this line of thinking.
Aside from a few flaws I would consider Ride with the Devil (1999) one of the four quintessential American Civil War films that have to be seen on the subject. The other three are Glory (1989), Lincoln (2012), & Free State ofJones (2016). This is a must see film and quite possibly Ang Lee's masterpiece.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2023
Pros:
• An accurate and deeply unflattering depiction of Pro-Confederate guerrillas: These are not the honorable chivalric Moonlight & Magnolias Southern archetype. The Bushwhackers use the surprise of hit and run tactics or subterfuge by dressing in Union uniforms in order strike at enemies. Regardless of whether they are soldiers, Jayhawkers, or unarmed civilians that are suspected of being Union sympathizers. The torture and murder of prisoners is also commonplace. The men are loyal to each other but petty slights can turn into blood feuds quickly, such as when a member refuses to gun down several unarmed people during the Lawrence Massacre. The Bushwhackers are also appropriately prejudiced for the time and place. Harsh anti-immigrant sentiment permeates the Bushwhackers ranks and the main character Jake Roedel is referred to as "Dutchy" because of his immigrant heritage. The racism against black people is realistically shown with the regular use of racial slurs against Holt, when Black men are specifically targeted during the Lawrence Massacre, and when the Bushwhackers make bets with human scalps the scalps of Black men are worth more. The Lawrence Massacre is depicted in excruciating detail as a wanton orgy of violence with looting, murder, and destruction of property.
• An extremely loyal adaptation of Daniel Woodrell's novel Woe to Live On: For whatever it's worth, the Theatrical and Director's Cut of Ride with the Devil hue very close to the source material. Certain events are placed closer together and Holt's story ends differently (for the better I think), but aside from that you are getting an extremely similar experience to the book.
• An Anti-racism and Anti-slavery message: The Bushwhackers are depicted as blatantly racist towards one of their own comrades Daniel Holt, they gamble with human scalps and consider the scalps of Black men worth more, and intentionally target Black men during the Lawrence Massacre. One unnamed Bushwhacker tries to go after Holt before Jake intervenes. The film also has a low opinion of the institution of slavery. When Jake is reading from a stolen bag of letters, he comes across one that decries the cruelty and hypocrisy of slavery. Holt's character arc also has an anti-slavery bent. Holt scouts and fights with the Bushwhackers out of personal loyalty to another member George Clyde. Holt confides to Jake after Clyde's death that being Clyde's friend wasn't all that different from being his n-word and that now he feels free. At the end of film Holt declares to Jake that he is leaving to search for his mother that was sold into slavery and plans to start searching in Texas and bids Jake a fond farewell. In spite of both of the aforementioned points, there are still Lost Causers that try to use Ride with the Devil to prop up the myth of the Black Confederate which still baffles me to this day.
• The character arc of Jake Roedel: Jake's point of view and growth as a character forms the crux of Ride with the Devil. Jake becomes a Bushwhacker after his friend Jack Bull Chiles family members are killed by Jayhawkers. Jake fights with the Bushwhackers out of personal loyalty and revenge even though it's obvious he disapproves of their more unseemly methods. It's during the attack on the undefended Lawrence Kansas, the wholesale murder of its citizens, a Bushwhacker trying to go after Holt for being Black, and Jake being reprimanded for refusing to kill several unarmed elderly people that Jake decides the cause he is fighting for is not an honorable one. Shortly after Jake and Holt abandon the Pro-Confederate guerrillas.
• The romance between Jake and Sue Lee: Not a lot to say about this other than Tobey Maguire and Jewel both give excellent performances and have good romantic chemistry.
• The symbolic death of Pitt Mackeson: After Jake and Holt leave the Bushwhackers and the war behind, they both encounter the antagonistic Pitt Mackeson one last time. Mackeson has become even more erratic after the deaths of almost all his comrades and declares to Jake he will ride into the nearby Union occupied town even though he is a wanted man and will certainly be killed. I honestly think Mackeson's death is symbolic of those that clung to the wicked lost cause of the Confederacy even after the war was lost.
Cons:
• The historical inaccuracy of Daniel Holt: The character of Daniel Holt is likely the most controversial aspect of "Ride with the Devil". The author of Woe to Live On took inspiration for Holt's character from a Black man named John Noland who rode with Quantrill's Raiders during the Civil War. Unfortunately Woodrell didn't read up on Noland's life beyond that because he would have realized that Noland was a slave and obviously didn't get a vote as to where he went or with whom. Noland was also never armed at any point. I stated in the Pros section above that I honestly really like Holt's character and arc but to the uninformed person with poor media literacy Holt's presence can potentially help propagate the myth of the Black Confederate. Read Kevin M. Levin's book, Searching for Black Confederates: The Civil War’s Most Persistent Myth for more information on this subject.
• Jack Bull Chiles conversation with Mr. Evans: Jack has a conversation with Mr. Evans at dinner during the film that seemingly props up some Confederate Mythmaking that the North was forcing its beliefs on the South and that the South didn't care how other people lived just as long as the South was left alone. This notion is demonstrably false, especially when you consider how pro-slavery Southerners willed the Fugitive Slave Act into existence that actively imposed slavers legal rights onto people who hated slavery in the North. This whole conversation is bizarre because pretty much everything else in the film (and the book) goes against this line of thinking.
Aside from a few flaws I would consider Ride with the Devil (1999) one of the four quintessential American Civil War films that have to be seen on the subject. The other three are Glory (1989), Lincoln (2012), & Free State ofJones (2016). This is a must see film and quite possibly Ang Lee's masterpiece.
One of the four quintessential American Civil War films
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2023
Mini Review of "Ride with the Devil: Director's Cut (1999)"Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2023
Pros:
• An accurate and deeply unflattering depiction of Pro-Confederate guerrillas: These are not the honorable chivalric Moonlight & Magnolias Southern archetype. The Bushwhackers use the surprise of hit and run tactics or subterfuge by dressing in Union uniforms in order strike at enemies. Regardless of whether they are soldiers, Jayhawkers, or unarmed civilians that are suspected of being Union sympathizers. The torture and murder of prisoners is also commonplace. The men are loyal to each other but petty slights can turn into blood feuds quickly, such as when a member refuses to gun down several unarmed people during the Lawrence Massacre. The Bushwhackers are also appropriately prejudiced for the time and place. Harsh anti-immigrant sentiment permeates the Bushwhackers ranks and the main character Jake Roedel is referred to as "Dutchy" because of his immigrant heritage. The racism against black people is realistically shown with the regular use of racial slurs against Holt, when Black men are specifically targeted during the Lawrence Massacre, and when the Bushwhackers make bets with human scalps the scalps of Black men are worth more. The Lawrence Massacre is depicted in excruciating detail as a wanton orgy of violence with looting, murder, and destruction of property.
• An extremely loyal adaptation of Daniel Woodrell's novel Woe to Live On: For whatever it's worth, the Theatrical and Director's Cut of Ride with the Devil hue very close to the source material. Certain events are placed closer together and Holt's story ends differently (for the better I think), but aside from that you are getting an extremely similar experience to the book.
• An Anti-racism and Anti-slavery message: The Bushwhackers are depicted as blatantly racist towards one of their own comrades Daniel Holt, they gamble with human scalps and consider the scalps of Black men worth more, and intentionally target Black men during the Lawrence Massacre. One unnamed Bushwhacker tries to go after Holt before Jake intervenes. The film also has a low opinion of the institution of slavery. When Jake is reading from a stolen bag of letters, he comes across one that decries the cruelty and hypocrisy of slavery. Holt's character arc also has an anti-slavery bent. Holt scouts and fights with the Bushwhackers out of personal loyalty to another member George Clyde. Holt confides to Jake after Clyde's death that being Clyde's friend wasn't all that different from being his n-word and that now he feels free. At the end of film Holt declares to Jake that he is leaving to search for his mother that was sold into slavery and plans to start searching in Texas and bids Jake a fond farewell. In spite of both of the aforementioned points, there are still Lost Causers that try to use Ride with the Devil to prop up the myth of the Black Confederate which still baffles me to this day.
• The character arc of Jake Roedel: Jake's point of view and growth as a character forms the crux of Ride with the Devil. Jake becomes a Bushwhacker after his friend Jack Bull Chiles family members are killed by Jayhawkers. Jake fights with the Bushwhackers out of personal loyalty and revenge even though it's obvious he disapproves of their more unseemly methods. It's during the attack on the undefended Lawrence Kansas, the wholesale murder of its citizens, a Bushwhacker trying to go after Holt for being Black, and Jake being reprimanded for refusing to kill several unarmed elderly people that Jake decides the cause he is fighting for is not an honorable one. Shortly after Jake and Holt abandon the Pro-Confederate guerrillas.
• The romance between Jake and Sue Lee: Not a lot to say about this other than Tobey Maguire and Jewel both give excellent performances and have good romantic chemistry.
• The symbolic death of Pitt Mackeson: After Jake and Holt leave the Bushwhackers and the war behind, they both encounter the antagonistic Pitt Mackeson one last time. Mackeson has become even more erratic after the deaths of almost all his comrades and declares to Jake he will ride into the nearby Union occupied town even though he is a wanted man and will certainly be killed. I honestly think Mackeson's death is symbolic of those that clung to the wicked lost cause of the Confederacy even after the war was lost.
Cons:
• The historical inaccuracy of Daniel Holt: The character of Daniel Holt is likely the most controversial aspect of "Ride with the Devil". The author of Woe to Live On took inspiration for Holt's character from a Black man named John Noland who rode with Quantrill's Raiders during the Civil War. Unfortunately Woodrell didn't read up on Noland's life beyond that because he would have realized that Noland was a slave and obviously didn't get a vote as to where he went or with whom. Noland was also never armed at any point. I stated in the Pros section above that I honestly really like Holt's character and arc but to the uninformed person with poor media literacy Holt's presence can potentially help propagate the myth of the Black Confederate. Read Kevin M. Levin's book, Searching for Black Confederates: The Civil War’s Most Persistent Myth for more information on this subject.
• Jack Bull Chiles conversation with Mr. Evans: Jack has a conversation with Mr. Evans at dinner during the film that seemingly props up some Confederate Mythmaking that the North was forcing its beliefs on the South and that the South didn't care how other people lived just as long as the South was left alone. This notion is demonstrably false, especially when you consider how pro-slavery Southerners willed the Fugitive Slave Act into existence that actively imposed slavers legal rights onto people who hated slavery in the North. This whole conversation is bizarre because pretty much everything else in the film (and the book) goes against this line of thinking.
Aside from a few flaws I would consider Ride with the Devil (1999) one of the four quintessential American Civil War films that have to be seen on the subject. The other three are Glory (1989), Lincoln (2012), & Free State ofJones (2016). This is a must see film and quite possibly Ang Lee's masterpiece.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2022
This film came out all the way back in 1999 yet the Criterion Collection version of this film rivals modern-day 4K upscales in terms of the film’s visual and auditory quality! Most Blu-Ray versions of “older” films that I have are annoyingly grainy and just seem to be glorified DVD releases. That was definitely not the case with this Blu-Ray version of the film which is leaps and bounds ahead of its DVD version.
This is a *must-have* for fans of the film and it’s even worth an upgrade if you already have the VHS/DVD version of the film! It’s an entirely different experience with Ang Lee’s sensational camerawork and Mychael Danna’s timeless score being taken to the next level!
Not to mention that this also happens to be the original Director’s cut of the film which also comes with new interviews and a Director’s commentary recorded a decade after the film’s release!
Now, on to my *SPOILER FREE* review the movie:
The final Civil War film of the 20th century was certainly the greatest! I've already mentioned this before but Ang Lee's love of nature was truly the cinematic highlight of this film! If you're into escapism, then this film will certainly throw you right in with Phil Roedel, Jack Bull Chiles, Daniel Holt, and the rest of the gang!
This film isn't set in one week or even one month but over the span of a few years! You can really feel the dynamics of the characters' relationships change as they get to know one another better or when the unpredictable Civil War thrusts them into intimate situations that none were ready for.
There is a heavy emphasis on character development in this film and how the Civil War slowly but surely affects their outlooks on life but never once is it boring as it has just as much wonderfully choreographed action to compensate!
Despite being told from the perspective of the Confederacy, this film has a brilliant and bold motif for the Bushwhackers during its action scenes (Confederate militia) and historically accurate traditional southern music for the rest of its scenes. Because after all, every group are the heroes of their own story!
Unlike most films that deal with the topic of racism, this film is not too blunt nor is it flat-footed as it deals with a controversial issue. This film implicitly shows the audience throughout the film how merely being exposed to a member of another race can ultimately shift your perspective of that race by getting to know them as a fellow human being.
This is wonderfully demonstrated by Ang Lee's use of Holt (emotionally played by Jeffrey Wright) as an emerging protagonist. He is originally introduced as the sidekick of a secondary character before an arbitrary series of events thrusts him into the forefront of the rebellion. You'll have to watch this film for yourself, but overall it is just superb subtext and visual storytelling that skillfully conveys this film's messages and themes.
Every single performance here is absolutely phenomenal too, and it made me realize why Tobey Maguire is such a compelling lead actor despite his usually mild-mannered and shy demeanor. Even at the age of 23 (as he was at the time of this film's release), Tobey is able to convey a plethora of emotions just through his facial expressions, particularly through his luminescent blue eyes. Uncertainty, fear, happiness, confusion, and anger are all immediately knowledgable on his face whether it be on the passionate or subtle spectrum of emotion.
Overall, the best war film I have ever watched and a film that I would recommend to anyone!
The final Civil War Film of the 20th century is a magnificent and thought-provoking one
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2022
This is a review of the HD digitally restored Director’s Cut “Criterion Collection” Blu-Ray version of the film:Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2022
This film came out all the way back in 1999 yet the Criterion Collection version of this film rivals modern-day 4K upscales in terms of the film’s visual and auditory quality! Most Blu-Ray versions of “older” films that I have are annoyingly grainy and just seem to be glorified DVD releases. That was definitely not the case with this Blu-Ray version of the film which is leaps and bounds ahead of its DVD version.
This is a *must-have* for fans of the film and it’s even worth an upgrade if you already have the VHS/DVD version of the film! It’s an entirely different experience with Ang Lee’s sensational camerawork and Mychael Danna’s timeless score being taken to the next level!
Not to mention that this also happens to be the original Director’s cut of the film which also comes with new interviews and a Director’s commentary recorded a decade after the film’s release!
Now, on to my *SPOILER FREE* review the movie:
The final Civil War film of the 20th century was certainly the greatest! I've already mentioned this before but Ang Lee's love of nature was truly the cinematic highlight of this film! If you're into escapism, then this film will certainly throw you right in with Phil Roedel, Jack Bull Chiles, Daniel Holt, and the rest of the gang!
This film isn't set in one week or even one month but over the span of a few years! You can really feel the dynamics of the characters' relationships change as they get to know one another better or when the unpredictable Civil War thrusts them into intimate situations that none were ready for.
There is a heavy emphasis on character development in this film and how the Civil War slowly but surely affects their outlooks on life but never once is it boring as it has just as much wonderfully choreographed action to compensate!
Despite being told from the perspective of the Confederacy, this film has a brilliant and bold motif for the Bushwhackers during its action scenes (Confederate militia) and historically accurate traditional southern music for the rest of its scenes. Because after all, every group are the heroes of their own story!
Unlike most films that deal with the topic of racism, this film is not too blunt nor is it flat-footed as it deals with a controversial issue. This film implicitly shows the audience throughout the film how merely being exposed to a member of another race can ultimately shift your perspective of that race by getting to know them as a fellow human being.
This is wonderfully demonstrated by Ang Lee's use of Holt (emotionally played by Jeffrey Wright) as an emerging protagonist. He is originally introduced as the sidekick of a secondary character before an arbitrary series of events thrusts him into the forefront of the rebellion. You'll have to watch this film for yourself, but overall it is just superb subtext and visual storytelling that skillfully conveys this film's messages and themes.
Every single performance here is absolutely phenomenal too, and it made me realize why Tobey Maguire is such a compelling lead actor despite his usually mild-mannered and shy demeanor. Even at the age of 23 (as he was at the time of this film's release), Tobey is able to convey a plethora of emotions just through his facial expressions, particularly through his luminescent blue eyes. Uncertainty, fear, happiness, confusion, and anger are all immediately knowledgable on his face whether it be on the passionate or subtle spectrum of emotion.
Overall, the best war film I have ever watched and a film that I would recommend to anyone!
Images in this review
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