Customer Reviews

Drums in the Deep South [VHS]

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Director William Cameron Menzies, set designer for "Gone with the Wind" and the original "Invaders from Mars" (1953, which he also directed), keeps this modest Civil War story moving along nicely and with sufficient human-interest details. Guy Madison (TV's "Wild Bill Hickock") and James Craig are close friends who end up on the North and South sides, respectively, and who, not surprisingly, must fight one another in the movie's final reels, though they do so out of sight to one another. Come to think of it, we only see them together some two or three minutes at the start of this reasonably exciting B-epic that belies its budget, courtesy of Menzie's set designs, in spite of harsh early-fifties color and a less than liberal budget. Nothing profound, but this notable picture does convey some of the tragedy of friends and loved ones torn apart by the most horribly personal war in our history.

There are amazingly few movies dealing with the Civil War that are not either soap operas (such as Gone With the Wind) or just Westerns with Southern and Northern characters (such as Escape From Fort Bravo). Drums in the Deep South is one of a few movies about the Civil War (along with The Red Badge of Courage for example) that actually have battle scenes that take place in the South (rather than out West).

"Out of the chaos of brother against brother, came a new realization of our common destiny."

The story of how a hand full of heroes who blocked Sherman's march to the sea. Two friends from West Point find themselves on opposite sides in the war. The conflicts are not as cut and dry, as it would appear as two things come to mind while watching this movie. One is the basic conflict between friendship and loyalty to a cause; many times this is mistaken resulting in the balance of power changing. The second is a little more superficial but just as intriguing; both sides in the conflict must come up with ways to out gun the other side by using technology outside of its intended purpose. The use of a navel gun on a rail car is one. You will have to watch the movie to see the solution to extending the range of the smaller cannon. Other conditions call for more radical action.

Does the mission succeed and is it worth the price paid on both sides?

I can say the movie is worth the price of repeated viewing.

The Command DVD ~ Guy Madison

The story of how a hand full of heroes who blocked Sherman's march to the sea. Two friends from West Point find themselves on opposite sides in the war. The conflicts are not as cut and dry, as it would appear as two things come to mind while watching this movie. One is the basic conflict between friendship and loyalty to a cause; many times this is mistaken resulting in the balance of power changing. The second is a little more superficial but just as intriguing; both sides in the conflict must come up with ways to out gun the other side by using technology outside of its intended purpose. The use of a navel gun on a rail car is one. You will have to watch the movie to see the solution to extending the range of the smaller cannon. Other conditions call for more radical action.

Does the mission succeed and is it worth the price paid on both sides?

I can say the movie is worth the price of repeated viewing.

Southern California scenery but supposedly set in the Deep South. Story line is not particularly believable, but OK for passing the time.

This DVD is of a very poor quality, looks like reel to reel copy, similar to a home copy. Guy Madison is listed as apparently the main actor, whereas in reality, he is fourth or fifth down the line. I complained of this to your company at the time of viewing, but heard nothing at all, not even a courtesy reply. Hense, after generally good service, as your company did not fulfil what I think is good business, I have not purchased anything since. Not much to your company, but still fair expenditure in the past from my end. A pity, but unless things chance, that is the situation.

Although he designed and directed a number of notable films, today William Cameron Menzies is best recalled as the director of the "so bad it's good" 1953 INVADERS FROM MARS. His work with the 1951 DRUMS IN THE DEEP SOUTH might be considered a build up to that ham-fisted style, for it has the same flatness. Sad to say, it has none of the same fun.

The story concerns a Confederate effort to thwart Sherman's advance on Atlanta. Strange to say, however, Georgia seems to have been transplanted to the wild west for purposes of the film, which comes complete with a mesa on which the Confederates desire to plant their cannon and fire upon the railroad below. Throw in a love triangle and some of the most uninspired acting you can obtain and you have DRUMS IN THE DEEP SOUTH.

Today the film is best recalled for the presence of actress Barbara Payton (1927-1967), a performer who trembled on the brink of stardom in the late 1940s and early 1950s before she self-destructed in a hog-wallow of sex, booze, drugs, and front page scandal. It is easy to see what the fuss was about: she has a dead-pan sexuality, larger-than-life beauty, and memorable speaking voice. Unfortunately, none of these qualities have much to do with either film or role, and even her cult-status can't make up for what is basically a remarkably shallow, incredibly silly, and deadly dull film.

Unless you are desperate to see what Payton looked like on the screen before she ended up as a five dollar hooker working the Sunset Strip, DRUMS ALONG THE DEEP SOUTH is a film to avoid at all costs. Treat it as you would the plague.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer