RELEASED TO TV IN 1993 and directed by Gregory Hoblit, "The Class of '61" details what happens when three West Point graduates & their friends opt for opposite sides when the The Civil War breaks out and the impending Battle of Bull Run destroys any delusions of a quick, glorious victory for the Union.Despite the limitations of a TV budget, this is a well-done Civil War drama that leads up to the Battle of Bull Run. While there aren't any sweeping shots of this initial battle (because the budget wouldn't allow for it), I liked the way the movie focuses on the individual's experience during battle with those in the immediate vicinity.Dan Futterman stands out as the main protagonist, but there are some future stars as well, like Clive Owen and Josh Lucas, the latter playing Armstrong Custer. The movie scores well on the female front with the jaw-dropping Sue-Ann Leeds, as well as Sophie Ward and a young Laura Linney. It's also interesting seeing Robert Newman again. Besides the closing battle sequence, a couple of scenes are dramatically exceptional: The compelling train sequence and, especially, the quiet fishing boat scene where the protagonist has an honest talk with his black friend, who also happens to be a family slave (Andre Braugher).FYI: This was originally intended as the first of a 13-episode miniseries. THE MOVIE RUNS 95 minutes. WRITER: Jonas McCord. GRADE: B-

Recent history has produced several made-for-TV movies which have glorified the southron cause of slavery and secession even more than DW Griffith's film Birth of A Nation. In this film Slaves obey their masters in conformance with Holy Writ (Colossians 3:22) and regard the plantation as home. This is a generous reading of the sands of time. Even as early as the 1950s with a real right wing star John Wayne in HORSE SOLDIERS, Hollywood showed how Black Southerners warmly greeted US Army troops. The answer to the writers of this film comes from Mr Lincoln himself: "Anyone who thinks slavery is a good idea ought to try it out." On the other hand the costuming was excellent and the scenery was well done.

I likes the first and last 20 minutes, when there is dramatic action. But between the two, there was much too much banal personal stuff. None of it done well enough to be interesting. I found myself uninterested in their personal concernI also found it offensive in the way it showed a lot of misbehavior on the Union side but not similar stuff among the Confederates. Both sides were intolerant and the Confederates were first with conscription. The Confederate government was so corrupt that the front line troops were hungry even thought the Confederacy had plenty of food. (Enough for General Sherman to live off later.)The battle scenes were realistic, but at the end of the day it was unclear what had happened. An explanation afterward would have improved the film for me.

The "Class of '61" looks at the splitting apart of the Union through the lives of three West Point graduates and their ramifications of families and friends imparting a sense of the times; sentiments, circumstances, and political climate. From Sumter to First Manassas, this didactic presentation is an even blend of drama and history with enough of each to entertain and inform though it does spread itself to a necessary thinness. Not sufficient as a stand alone drama, "Class of '61" is worth a look for anyone interested in Civil War history. C+