Journey to Shiloh (1968)

James Caan is Buck Burnett, leader of a band of seven young men who have dubbed themselves the Concho County Comanches and have left west Texas to join the Civil War.

The group also includes Miller Nalls, Buck’s second in command; J.C. Sutton, a hot-headed fast gun; and Eubie Bell, the jokester of the group.

They figure to travel all the way to Richmond, become cavalrymen in Gen. Hood’s Texas brigade and help send the Yankees scampering back north.

But it isn’t long before the group learns there notions of war were little more than notions.

They’re kicked out of a party at a Southern mansion because of their appearance, taught a lesson in slavery when a runaway they tried to help is hanged and are cheated out of their in Shreveport in spite of their noble intentions.

Along the way, Buck’s efforts to keep J.C. in line fail miserably. But Buck finds himself in the arms of a dark-haired beauty named Gabrielle DuPrey after defending her honor in a Vicksburg entertainment venue where women aren’t popular because of their honor.

The Comanches never make it to Richmond. They make an ill-advised decision to help Gen. Bragg’s forces corral some west Texas mustangs and are enlisted on the spot.

Buck finds himself caring for Bragg’s mount; the other six Comanches find themselves serving as foot soldiers in a Rebel army bound for Shiloh.

Review:

Released during the Vietnam War, a spotty script, some plot implausibilities and a heavy reliance on stock footage for Civil War battle scenes mean this film hasn’t aged as well as many of its contemporaries.

But decades later, it still packs a pretty powerful anti-war punch. Brenda Scott still looks like a dark-haired beauty any soldier would want to kiss before heading off to battle.

And James Caan’s transformation from bull-headed leader of the pack to a man acknowledging that “I don’t know nothin’ bout this damn war” is still pretty effective.

The youthful cast includes former child star Paul Peterson playing against type as the trouble maker of the group. An original Mouseketeer, he’d gained fame as Donna Reed’s son on The Donna Reed Show.

Several of the other seven were just starting their acting careers, including Harrison Ford, appearing in just his second credited film role. He and Peterson both played supporting roles in the 1967 Glenn Ford Western, “A Time for Killing.”

Forty-two years and many starring roles later, Harrison would ride again in “Cowboys and Aliens” (2011).

Directed by:
William Hale

Cast:
James Caan … Buck Burnett
Michael Sarrazin … Miller Nalls
Brenda Scott … Gabrielle DuPrey
Don Stroud … Todo McLean
Paul Peterson … J.C. Sutton
Michael Burns … Eubie Bell
Jan-Michael Vincent … Little Bit Lucket
as Michael Vincent
Harrison Ford … Willie Bill Bearden
John Doucette … Gen. Bragg
Noah Beery Jr. … Sgt. Barnes
Tisha Sterling … Airybelle Sumner
James Gammon … Tellis Yeager
Brian Avery … Carter Claiborne
Clarke Gordon … Col. Mirabeau Conney
Robert Pine … Collins
Sean Kennedy … Custis Claiborne
Wesley Lau … Col. Boykin
Chet Stratton … Mr. Claiborne
Bing Russell … Greybeard
Lane Bradford … Case Pettibone
Rex Ingram … Jacob
Myron Healey … Sheriff Briggs
Eileen Wesson … Ella Newsome
Albert Popwell … Samuel

Runtime: 101 min.

Title song: “Seven Boys from Texas”
to the tune of “Yellow Rose of Texas”

Memorable lines:

Airybelle Sumner, after the Concho Country Comanches have been kicked out of her party: “As an Alabama patriot, I implore you to come back inside.”
Buck Burnett: “I don’t think we’ll do that, ma’am. A man can get bit once by a rattler by accident. If he gets bit twice, that’s just being stupid.”

Miller Nalls, as a runaway slave tries to hop aboard a stagecoach: “That man’s scared for his life. Why ain’t the driver stoppin’?”
Col. Mirabeau Conney: “No call to. Runaway’s dog bait for sure. They’ll have him heeled before he makes timber again. You watch close now.”

Eubie Bell, when the Comanches visit Vicksburg: “Well, I ain’t sure how much sinnin’ I can do on two dollars, but I’m willing to find out.”

Gabrielle DuPrey, after she and Buck Burnett have spent a night together: “You gotta go to this awful war?”
Buck: “Sure. But I ain’t as anxious to get there now as I was yesterday.”

Gen. Bragg to the Concho County Comanches: “Which one of you is the best hand with a horse?”
Eubie Bell: “All, hells bells, general, we’re all half horse.”
Gen. Bragg: “You’re going to be half-skinned if you don’t start talking like a soldier.”

Miller Nalls: “You know, I’ve been thinking. I don’t have a thing against the Yankees. I ain’t ever seen one.”
Buck Burnett: “Well, this is war. We’re southerners. We’ve got to fight.”

Miller Nalls: “This war ain’t workin’ out the way I thought it would … You know, I figured those Yankees would take one look at us and run. They ain’t about to.”
Buck Burnett: “They don’t give up easy.”
Miller: “Well, I don’t understand it. We’re fightin’ for the South. They invaded us. What do they got to fight about?”
Buck: “Whatever it is, they’re sold on it.”

Rebel straggler, as the Confederates look for someone to say a prayer over a dying soldier: “Boys, we got a blue belly in with us.”
Sgt. Barnes: “I don’t know what color his belly is, but it’s bleeding run now. He’s gut-shot.”
2nd Rebel straggler: “Let the Yankee read. I reckon it’s the same Bible.”

Miller Nalls, about the Rebel provost guard: “They said they was gonna shoot me. What did I do to get shot for?”
Buck Burnett: “I don’t know. I don’t know nothin’ bout this damn war.”

Miller Nalls, about the Concho County Comanches: “We didn’t make much of a splash, did we?”