Michael Brandon as Pvt. Jim Conklin, Richard Thomas as Pvt. Henry Fleming and Wendell Burton as Pvt. Wilson, coming across the body of a dead Confederate in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Richard Thomas plays Private Henry Fleming in this TV film based on the acclaimed 1895 Civil War novel by Stephen Crane.
Fleming is a young Union soldier who has never seen action and frets about how he might react when coming under fire for the first time.
Having heard that his unit, the 304th New York, might be moving out to meet the enemy, he stares at his reflection in the mirror and wonders “what’s wrong with me.”
Because while he worries about battle, his closest buddies in the company — Jim Conklin and Wilson — seem to be looking forward to the adventure ahead.
Sure enough, the 304th is on the move the next day. Before long, they’re facing an attack from the Confederate Army.
The 304th repulses the first attack. But their rejoicing is short-lived. The Rebel reform and charge again.
This time, with bodies falling around him, with Rebel bullets whizzing past, Henry does the very thing he worried about most: He turns and runs.
Richard Thomas as Private Henry Fleming, ready for a Confederate charge in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Wendell Burton as Henry’s friend Private Wilson, fretting that he won’t survive his first battle in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Review:
Like Audie Murphy before him, Richard Thomas’ boyish appearance makes him well suited for the role of a young soldier who struggles with cowardice.
And “The Waltons” (1972-1981) had already made Thomas a star when this film was made.
That said, he didn’t have John Huston in the director’s chair for this version of the Crane novel. Or as talented a supporting cast.
So this winds up coming off as an inferior remake of the 1951 film, though it pretty faithfully follows the same plot line.
One ill-advised change: It features a number of ultra-cheap looking flashbacks from when Henry signed up to fight. And “visions” Thomas’s character has after fleeing battle.
In one of the latter, a Union officer congratulates him on his sense of self-preservation.
Michael Brandon as Private Jim Conklin, wondering what battle will be like in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Hank Kendrick as the Union general, rebuking the 304th New York for not continuing its advance in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Directed by:
Lee Phillips
Cast:
Richard Thomas … Pvt. Henry Fleming
Michael Brandon … Pvt. Jim Conklin
Wendell Burton … Pvt. Wilson
Charles Aldman … The tattered man
Warren Berlinger … The cheery soldier
Lee de Broux … The sergeant
Hank Kendrick … The general
George Sawaya … The colonel
John Cox … The lieutenant
Tiny Wells .. The fat soldier
Francesca Jarvis … Mother Fleming
Dawn Jeffroy … Brunettee girl
Debbie Toleman … Blonde girl
Soldiers: Daniel Levins, tom Henschel Robin Armstrong, Sam Reader, Joe Cooper, Neil Sommers, Tom Huth.
John Cox as the lieutenant of the 304th New York, Henry’s regiment, in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Lee de Broux as a sergeant in the 304th New York, barking orders to his men in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Runtime: 74 min.
Memorable lines:
Private Jim Conklin: “Sure they call us fresh fish and everything else. But the boys come of good stock and most of ’em will fight like sin once they get a shootin’.”
Henry’s mother, sending him off to war: “Be careful, now, to chose your company. There’s lots of bad men in the Army, Henry. The Army makes ’em wild. They’d like nothin’ better than the job of leadin’ off a young fella like you who ain’t never been away from home much.”
Private Henry Fleming: “You’re not the bravest man in the world. Are ya?”
Private Wilson: “I didn’t say I was, Henry. I just said that I’d do my share of fighting. That’s what I said. And I will, too.”
Richard Thomas as Pvt. Henry Fleming, back in camp with the 304th New York with his red badge in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
George Sawaya as the colonel, defending the action of his men in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Charles Aldman as the tatttered soldier, who’s with Henry when a comrade dies in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Warren Berrlinger as the cheerful soldier, guiding Henry back to the 304th New York in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Francesca Jarvis as Henry’s mom, dispensing advice before he marches off to war in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Dawn Jeffroy as the girl Henry Fleming remembers from back home in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
Richard Thomas as Pvt. Henry Fleming, marching off to his new battle in The Red Badge of Courage (1974)
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