Civil Love (2012)

Elise Groves is Rachel Taylor, a widow struggling to move on with life and raise two children after her husband has been killed in the Civil War.

From what she understands, he had surrendered prior to his death, but was killed anyway by Confederate soldiers.

That leaves her bitter toward all things Southern as she raises two children — coming of age Abigail and 10-year-old Joshua — who will never see their father again.

Town sheriff Jonathan Taylor, Rachel’s brother-in-law, would like to take his brother’s place. He’s always loved Rachel and begs her to move to his home where she’d be safer.

She declines, determined to make a living on her husband’s farm and supplement her income as a seamstress so she’ll one day have that land to pass on to their children.

Then a strange man with a bullet wound stumbles into her barn. His name is Daniel. He’s a Confederate soldier who escaped from a prisoner of war camp.

And a marshal and a tracker are on his trail, with no interet in taking him back alive.

Rachel resists the temptation to avenge her husband’s death and instead helps nurse the man back to health.

It’s far the last difficult decision she’ll have to make where Daniel is concerned.

Elise Groves as Rachel Taylor, the Civil War widow who gives refuge to a stranger in Civil Love (2012)

Paul D. Hunt as Daniel, a Confederate who finds himself wounded and tied up in Rachel Taylor’s barn in Civil Love (2012)

Review:

Proof once again that you can make an entertaining Civil War period film on a modest budget with the right script, competent actors and actresses and by managing the scope of the production.

Matthew Bellows turns in the best performance here as the brother-in-law who would like nothing better than to become Rachel’s new husband, even knowing she isn’t in love with him.

The biggest false note is Elise Groves in the role of Rachel. It’s hardly her fault, but she looks way too young to have a teenage daughter and a 10-year-old son. Not to mention too freshly scrubbed to be a war widow, taking care of a farm with just the help of her children.

Also a bit fuzzy is the motivation of the men on the trail of Daniel, especially since they aren’t who they pretend to be.

Matthew Bellows as Jonathan Taylor, encouraging Rachel to let him care for her in Civil Love (2012)

Matt Davis as Caleb Blackhurst and Bryce Bishop as Zeke, looking for an escaped Confederate prisoner in Civil Love (2012)

Directed by:
Bryan Carzan

Cast:
Elise Groves … Rachel Taylor
Matt Davis … Caleb Blackhurst
Matthew Bellows … Jonathan Taylor
Bryce Bishop … Zeke
Eliza Smith … Abigail Taylor
Ethan Hunt … Joshua Taylor
Paul D. Hunt … Daniel
Susan Phelan … Mrs. Davis
William “Bus” Riley … Doc Porter
Matthew Reese … Marshal
Joshua Bendoski … Robber #1
B.J. Christianseon … Robber #2

Runtime: 90 min.

Ethan Hunt as Joshua Taylor, Rachel’s 10-year-old son, hoping to avoid chores again in Civil Love (2012)

Eliza Smith as Abigail Taylor, Rachel’s tomboyish daughter in Civil Love (2012)

Memorable lines:

Rachel: “The war with the South still rages. For every woman not yet a widow, there’s hope for news that the war will be over and maybe their husbands will come home. I wish I was one of those women.”

Rachel, reflecting on her changing attitude: “Somehow, the idea that Daniel is a soldier, like the ones who killed Benjamin, doesn’t work anymore. He is simply a man. For better or worse, I’m still not sure.”

Sheriff Jonathan: “I won’t see you murder this man.”
Marshal Caleb Blackhurst: “Then close your eyes.”

William ‘Bus’ Riley as Doc Porter, summoned to treat Daniel in Civil Love (2012)

Paul D. Hunt as Daniel, in a tense discussion with Rachel in Civil Love (2012)

Matthew Bellows as Jonathan Taylor, coming to Rachel’s defense in Civil Love (2012)

Elise Groves as Rachel Taylor, feeling threatened by the wounded Rebel in her barn in Civil Love (2012)