March 9, 2021
MY CORNER by Boyd
Cathey
The Film “Firetrail”
and Sherman’s March Through the Carolinas:
Every Good
Southerner Should See It
Friends.
For some time now I have had a passion for classic films, in
particular those films that portray sympathetically and with historical
accuracy the Southland, and, more particularly, events of the War Between the States.
I can remember going to the old Village Theater in Raleigh and, with my
parents, seeing a re-screening of “Gone With the Wind.” And around that same
time—about 1956—we also were able to view “Song of the South” before it was
essentially banned by Disney—an early example of hysterical “wokeism” before
being “woke” was the chic thing to be. (Note: Back on July
21, 2019, I listed in this column, later picked up by the Abbeville
Institute, a Web site that offered fine, pristine DVD copies of “Song of
the South,” but I warned then that the “cancel culture” totalitarians would
most likely get around to purging it; as I searched for that site today, it had
disappeared, been banned, just like I predicted.)
I share my passion for Southern film with my long-time friend
Dr. Clyde Wilson, editor of the Papers of John C. Calhoun and the dean of
Southern historians, now retired from the University of South Carolina.
Just recently (February 28) Clyde published
a brief column, a movie review, at The Abbeville Institute. It was a short negative
critique of the film, “The Burning of Atlanta.” Although I try to catch most
movies with a Southern theme, and write about them if they interest me, I had
not seem that one…and after Dr. Wilson’s commentary, I don’t plan to.
But in his review he mentioned another film that had somehow
escaped my attention, despite the fact that he had written about it very
favorably at least twice, back in 2014
and 2017,
on the Abbeville site.
It is “Firetrail,” originally released back in 2007 and still
available on DVD. Although the original
well-over two hour version (two DVDs) is still available (more on that in a
moment), there is also a more recent, heavily cut issue that comes in at only
82 minutes; stay away from that heavily-butchered one, as Dr. Wilson advises.
But the original, uncut version demands attention and a
recommendation, not only for those Southerners interested in the ravages that
General Sherman inflicted on South Carolina and North Carolina (as opposed to
the vicious anti-Confederate ahistorical ignorance of supposed movie pundits
like Fox News favorite Victor
Davis Hanson), but for its entirely believable story of true romance, devotion
to duty, exciting derring-do, and bearing up under the intense suffering of “total
war” inflicted on civilians by Sherman’s host of barbarians.
“Firetrail” takes us from the first entry of Sherman into
South Carolina—and Sherman’s bummers and amoral scavengers—below Orangeburg,
South Carolina, up through the burning and devastation of Columbia, then on to
Fayetteville, North Carolina, and a well-mounted recreation of the Battle of
Bentonville. Based on a fine historical novel by Southern novelist Lydia Hawke
(aka, Lydia Filzen) who has also authored several other war-themed works, “Firetrail”
was directed by Christopher Forbes. He managed to enlist various re-enactment
units, create a model of Columbia set to the torch by Yankees, and perhaps most
importantly, to cast some essentially non-professionals as his actors who
actually make the storyline come alive.
True, they are amateurs compared to, say, a Robert Duvall or a
Stephen Lang in “Gods and Generals.” And “Firetrail” lacked the millions of
dollars lavished on Ron Maxwell’s grand production—don’t expect another “Gone
With the Wind.” But nevertheless as I watched the entire presentation I could
not help but get involved and be mesmerized: these are real people, with real
stories and lives made terribly precarious by the brutalization of war. I
wanted to follow them, I wanted them to make it through successfully.
Jim Hilton assumes the role of the film’s hero, the dashing Captain
Blake Winberry, of the 5th South Carolina Cavalry. His bride-to-be
is Judith Rogers, as played by Lin Lafitte. At the beginning we learn that Rogers
is a desperate refugee from the burning of Atlanta hoping to make her way to
Fayetteville where an aunt resides. Her husband has been killed, and she is
essentially by herself in dangerous country. In the first scene she dramatically
holds off three Yankee bummers just as Captain Winberry appears to offer his
support. For him—and then for her—it's almost love at first sight.
Winberry insists that she accompany him to his family’s home
in Columbia; his father is a doctor, and there she meets the rest of the cast
of characters, including Blake’s zestfully delightful sister Lexi (Nicole Dye)
who would like nothing better than to go out and fight Yankees, and his former sweetheart
Sally Dubois (Tomme Hilton), who seems only interested in marrying for better
social status (something that Blake doesn’t seem to have)—she ends up later
squiring off with the notorious womanizer General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick!
The action never ceases. As the Yanks move irresistibly
northward into North Carolina, Blake insists that Judith leave the war zone, and
they separate only to be reunited towards the end of the film as Blake lies
wounded and nearly killed by a Northern soldier.
As I stated earlier, I could not stop watching it. Despite its
length—it took all of an afternoon, and I have not had the time to watch the
bonus material yet—and despite the lack of Hollywood polish, this film touched
me as I think it will touch any Southerner who honors his heritage and
understands the sufferings and sacrifice of his ancestors.
The complete film—the two DVD set—is available and is the one
to get. It is professionally and commercially done and handsomely produced and
packaged, not a “private” edition in any way. It can be easily obtained from Lydia Filzen (the author of the novel uses
the pen name “Lydia Hawke”—she’s also a member of the UDC), either by check or
via PayPal transfer made out to Mrs. Filzen. The price is $20.00, which
includes postage and shipping for the two-DVD set.
Her Web site contains many additional details: http://www.lydiahawke.us/ I urge you to
investigate it. She can
be reached at the following email address: lydiafilzen@comcast.net
For
mailed orders with check her mailing address is:
Lydia
Filzen
13
Robin Road
Orange
Park, Florida 32073
In our age of “cancel culture” when even Dr. Seuss and
familiar cartoon characters can be outright banned and essentially made
non-existent for us and our children…when ruthless totalitarians, whether
pitiless barbarians in the dominant culture or spineless cretin-like “conservatives”
and Republicans who give in to them, prowl about like the “rough beast” St.
Peter the Apostle warns us of (I Peter 5:8), “seeking whom he may devour,” then
we must continue and treasure such works as “Firetrail.” It reminds us of the
reality of our past, for in that memory of our past is also the seed of rebirth of our
Hope for the future...and the justice of God.
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