Ronald F. Maxwell Movies

Gettysburg and Gods and Generals director Ronald F. Maxwell narrates as a collection of highly regarded historians offer educated insight into the bloodiest day in American history in producer/director Robert Child's revealing look at The Battle of Antietam. With more casualties than The Mexican War, The Spanish-American War, The American Revolution, and the War of 1812 combined, this violent confrontation between the forces of Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee would go down in the history books as the single most devastating battle fought on American soil. As President Lincoln seeks to claim the battle that will enable him to issue the Emancipation Proclamation and put an end to slavery in the South, Lee hatches a plan to invade the North and claim victory for Confederate forces. When the Union Army learns of Lee's plan, the ensuing confrontation that took place in Sharpsburg, Maryland would result in casualties that dwarfed even that of D-Day during World War II. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director Ron Maxwell and producer Ted Turner return to the glory and tragedy of the Civil War in this historical drama, a prequel to Gettysburg, which examines the early days of the conflict through the experiences of three men. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels) left behind a quiet life and a career as a college professor to become one of the Union's greatest military minds. Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (Stephen Lang) was, like Chamberlain, a man of great religious faith who served in the defense of the Confederacy. And Gen. Robert E. Lee (Robert Duvall), who led the Confederate army, was a man who was forced to choose between his loyalty to the United States and his love of the Southern states where he was born and raised. As Chamberlain, Jackson, and Lee are followed through the declaration of war and the battles at Manassas, Antietam, Frederickburg, and Chancellorsville, the film also introduces us to the many supporting players in the epic tale of the war between the States, among them the women these men left behind, among them Fanny Chamberlain (Mira Sorvino) and Anna Jackson (Kali Rocha). Based on a novel by Jeff Shaara, Gods and Generals also features a new song written and performed by Bob Dylan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Those adorable "twins" from Disney's Parent Trap have grown up and are now encountering similar romantic mix-ups in this made-for-cable-TV sequel. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A would-be Nashville star finds himself in hot water during a stay in Georgia in this drama based (very loosely) on the hit song of the same title. Travis Child (Dennis Quaid) is a country singer looking for his big break, crisscrossing the country playing honky-tonks with his younger sister (and manager), Amanda (Kristy McNichol), in tow. Travis has a bad habit of drinking too much and putting the moves on the wrong women, leaving tough-as-nails Amanda to bail him out. One night Travis runs afoul of Seth Ames (Don Stroud), the sheriff of a small Georgia town who isn't against using his fists to teach lawbreakers a lesson; thanks to Ames, Travis ends up behind bars, but Amanda is able to persuade a sympathetic state trooper, Conrad (Mark Hamill), to help raise bail. In exchange, Travis has to work off his debt as a bartender at a local watering hole (where he hopes he might get to play a few tunes for the customers), and between drawing beers and pouring shots, he meets a beautiful local girl amed Melody (Sunny Johnson). However, as romance begins to bloom between them, Travis find himself in trouble again when he discovers Melody already has a boyfriend -- Seth Ames. Both Dennis Quaid and Kristy McNichol do their own singing in The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, with Quaid also writing several of his character's tunes. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Based on a short story by Paul Gallico, this drama (produced for public television) stars Sissy Spacek as Verna Vane, a small-town girl who dreams of hitting it big in show business. Verna isn't much of a singer or a dancer, but she is able to land a job with a U.S.O. troupe entertaining American soldiers in Europe during World War II. Verna imagines this is a major stepping stone in her career as an entertainer, but even though Maureen (Sally Kellerman) and Eddie (Howard Da Silva), two veteran vaudevillians touring with Verna, know better, they don't have the heart to tell her. While in Belgium, Verna meets Walter (William Hurt), a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army who becomes smitten with her. Verna: USO Girl was first aired in 1978 as part of the PBS series Great Performances. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide