Author Jeff Shaara Revisits "Rough Riders" (1997)
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- New York Times-bestselling historical fiction writer Jeff Shaara returns to Reel History to break down the TNT miniseries "Rough Riders" starring Tom Berenger, Sam Elliott, and Gary Busey. Shaara also introduces us to his latest book: "The Old Lion: A Novel of Theodore Roosevelt. Buy the book here: shorturl.at/hJMNZ. If you desire a personalized, autographed copy, order directly from Jeff's website: jeffshaara.com....
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Reel History delves into historical films to separate fact from fiction. These engaging episodes explore, contextualize, and clarify stories related to the most famous historical movies. In contrast to the more prevalent "reaction" videos, these installments seek not only to entertain but to educate and inform. For host Jared Frederick and producer Andrew Collins, these episodes are a labor of love and a means of expressing passion for the past as well as cinema. Courteous viewer feedback is always welcome. The views expressed are our own and do not necessarily represent our employers or organizations with which we are involved.
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Interesting observation I made: this film is also a reunion of the film "Platoon" as Tom Berenger, Dale Dye, Mark Moses and Francesco Quinn were all in it. Also of note is that BOTH of the preeminent military technical advisors of the late 20th century were in this film in Dale Dye AND R. Lee Ermey aka Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from Full Metal Jacket.
Great observation!
I just read a book not too long ago entitled the Roughest Rough Riders. It talks about the Buffalo Soldiers that fought in the Spanish-American War.
Rough Riders is truly a classic. All the flag waving and music coming up the hills at the end gives me chills every time
You aren't wrong!
Also Underrated
I just got “The Old Lion” on audible and hardcover. I’m excited to read it and add it to my collection in the classroom. I’m also very happy you reviewed this movie! I remember being a kid watching this when it came out on TNT and my dad would review the similarities between this and “Gettysburg”. Great movie! I loved it then and love it even more now. Thank you for reviewing it, especially with Jeff Shaara! I’m a huge TR fan and I couldn’t stop smiling the entire episode. 😊
Glad we could deliver!
There is Hollywood, and then there is Gary Busey.
My Great-grandfather lied about his age and joined the rough riders. He made it up Kettle Hill and was wounded, so he didn't charge up San Juan. He was 14 when he trained and turned 15 on the beach in Cuba.
Jeff Shaara seems like a really nice dude and Gary Busey is perfect casting for Fighting Joe Wheeler they dont look alike but they are both absolute lunatics.
Had no idea that's how Brian Kieth died. Tragic. Somewhat ironic. I also had no idea he was that old and also a marine. We need more veterans in Hollywood. They're just a different breed of person. Semper fidelis. Rest in peace.
You'll never see it again....
Fabulous! Thank you for this!
Bully! 10,000 points to House Shaara. Father and son have brought me hours of reading pleasure and learnings.
At 23:40... those are NOT Gatling guns. They were tripod mounted, gas-operated M1895 Colt-Browning machine guns in 7mm Mauser caliber. Also known as the "potato digger."
If you're going to "experts", BE experts.
AND The Rough Riders had them.
This is true although this weapon is a very obscure piece of kit that the US army had...mixed results with. Roosevelt was not impressed with them during the Kettle Hill/San Juan Hill fight claiming, "These Colt automatic guns were not, on the whole, very successful...they proved more delicate than the Gatlings, and very readily got out of order." Roosevelt sent the two M1895's to John H. Parker's Gatling detachment afterwards during the Siege of Santiago. Ultimately Browning's designs won out in the end over Maxim designs in US service.
historians are people too. Nobody is omnipresent its Jeff Shaara not gun Jesus you can know a lot about Roosevelt and not machine guns and considering if you were in the Spanish American war any fully automatic firearm could colloquially be called a Gatling same reason every German artillery piece was called a 88mm in ww2.
he did note that the Rough Riders didn't have a Gatling gun, he merely didn't recognize those weapons as not being Gatling guns.
the author can't be faulted for not recognizing every weapon shown, but he did confirm that the company didn't have any Gatlings.
They are history experts. not ballistics experts.
@@gonzo26nixthe box said they wore colt machinegun
You guys GOTTA do ANDERSONVILLE. So underrated. Heartbreaking film. Not a ton of star power (William H Macy is the biggest name but plays a supporting role) but I think that adds to the realism. It inspired me to read the (albeit unrelated) Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Kanter. The more I learn about the civil war the more amazing an event it becomes. The amount of hate in the hearts of those Americans is not as shocking as it used to be, our country is boiling over with anger once again. Without getting into politics, it's sad that I can see that happening again in this country in some fashion.
That's a great film.
Another Jeff Shaara book I’m going to have to read. This was fun to watch and I’m going to have look into finding the movie to watch.
I enjoyed this commentary immensely. Thank you and I can’t wait to read the book.
Thanks for visiting!
Winston Churchill was there as a war correspondent embedded with the Spanish. His mother, was American.
He reported that "being shot at is exhilarating".
Churchill was there for a few weeks in 1895 when the fighting was between the Spanish and Cuban rebels. He was not in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. He was in the British Army in Egypt and the Sudan at the time.
I recall reading an interview with director John Milius around the time the movie came out where he responded to complaints that no Germans were present at the battle with words similar to, "The Germans are in the movie because I wanted them there!". I think he was making a point about the prevalence of imperialism in the world.
Jeff, without a doubt, of all the books and accounts of Roosevelt's life and adventures Ihaveread, your "Old Lion" is the absolute best researched, accurate, and memorable !! Your account from page 89-93 was so emotional, I was in tears for close to an hour. Worth every penny and tear!!
Also, Nash in the movie is apparently a time traveler or mystic. Calling it the FIRST world war in 1920.
I caught that mistake the first time I saw the movie. I’m surprised they didn’t catch it.
This movie is the cinematic equivalent of a juicy t-bone steak, mashed potatoes, and an ice cold beer.
had lunch with tom berringer once.. In 2000 my crew would go to lunch at this irish pub on 47th and 3 by the UN. mr beringer came in sat down next to me. Being native ny'er's beside some light intereaction we gave him his space.
There's another book about that subject called Smoke Yankees.
Thanks. It has been years since I saw the movie.
28:25 I play a on a red dead online role play server and being a reenactor as a hobby, I chose my character to be a Spanish American war veteran. I chose the 71st New York to be my character’s unit because I didn’t want to have a mainstream rough rider veteran that most folks choose to do. It is also fitting as my Civil War reenacting unit is the 72nd New York.
" there was no record of the rough ryders having a gatling gun".. Fair enough statement. but the machine gun depicted was a Colt Auomatic Machine gun.. nicknamed the Potato Digger by the troops.
I'm reading Jeff Shaara's book. It's excellent.
It’s a Goddamned crime that John Milius wasn’t allowed to make five times as many movies as he ended up making.
His last theatrical film was in 1990, and this miniseries was his last directorial effort overall.
This is a classic for me. I loved the life that the cast brought to the movie even though it's over the top in..... LOTS OF MOMENTS! It's a fun ride and I'm glad you gave it some attention.
OUTSTANDING!!!!!
YES!!!! I WAS WAITING FOR THIS!!! don't know how I missed this in my feed
Hope you enjoyed it!
@@ReelHistory I loved it! As always you did a great job.
One of my favorite movies even though the facts are so fuzzy it could be a Hanks film. Watched it again just a couple weeks ago.
My favorite book of his is Gone for Soldiers.
Hi Andy, this vid made me wanna go back and watch the movie. I forgot how good it was.
I did get a chuckle though. Don’t know if you & Jeff noticed but at 30:57 into part 2 & 1:02:54 into part 2 ………… the actors playing extras as Spanish machine gunners were feeding the belts into the German water cooled machine guns in backwards
I hadn't noticed that. Now I have to go check!
if we don't get the nitpicks, we don't get the actual bits of history we all adore.
I feel if a historical movie can get 80% of what happened correctly, then they did a decent job. As it's often noted things need to be changed.. like the uniforms. If everyone was in blue, it would be confusing in the wide shots. A character may, or may not, have said X. Y, or Z.. but it may be true to the character and helps build the character.
This is really interesting, just wondering what happened to the pacific episodes?
My first book ever is from Jeff Shaara. A book about D-Day titled "The Steel Wave". His writing style influenced me and now whenever I write some short story, it's his style that I always copy.
How wonderful.
John Milius is an great writer and director. He hasn't directed anything else since he made Rough Riders. Too bad he wasn't able to get Jeff's Blaze of Glory novel about Shiloh greenlit. That would've made a very good movie.
Love Rough Riders
Great editing, Andy!
Ordering "The Old Lion".....right now...
One thing I would like to get more info on is the insignia on the Rough Riders sleeves. There seems to be no information regarding it.
I've worked out the steward who has a bowl on his sleeve.
One sergeant has a diamond and I know he's not the Sergeant Major as he's depicted elsewhere.
Another has an inverted mushroom... again no clue.
It’s curious that Schaara doesn’t have his facts straight on the powerless cartridges that the US was actually using. He got
It wrong twice .
TNT also made a terrific version of Treasure Island during this period also.....
47:28 he was in October Sky!
Butch and Sundance didn't even want to be officers 😄
Just reading the book (which is excellent), and now I'm watching the movie. The movie plays pretty loose with a couple of the characters (particularly Henry Nash), but by Hollywood standards, it's pretty historically accurate. Both book and movie recommended.
Edith was still recovering from a difficult pregnancy with Quentin when she was in Tampa. Quentin would have been just about a year old when Theodore returned home from the war, but no baby is shown in the homecoming scene.
Okay so I remember watching this movie around July 4th on TNT back when it came out. Looking back now I see why it was July 4th. It was soooo American/heroic/ unity/excitement/patriotic propagandaish almost on the adult rewatch...The country has healed from the ACW vibes, the "You wanna got war?!" scene lol it's great...Don't get me wrong-I still love the movie , the actors, the memories of taking my own San Juan Hill in my childhood backyard lol. Great episode guys! I would love to hear your take on the Alamo! I think either 2004 or 1960 version?
Actually, I have heard & read. Correct me if I’m wrong.
You talk about the Rough Riders have No gattling Guns
This movie & other accounts I’ve read declared that the 5th Ave boys supplied
“Browning Automatic Machine Guns”
Which is absolutely different than a Gattling gun
Please Respond,
Jeff actually misspoke here as he made the comment before the crate was opened. He thought they unboxed gatling guns as opposed to the brownings that are shown. His argument stems from many arguments he's had historically. I really should edit that bit out. - Andy
@@ReelHistory Thank You Sir for What you Do
Thank you for your response. I absolutely intend to read his Book 👍
This film can be found right here on RUclips
i believe the potato mashers are still around. one was missing for years. id have to surf the net for a while to find the article
Hate to be that guy, but according to multiple sources the Rough Riders did take two Colt Potato Digger machine guns with them.
the rough riders did have 2 colt machine gun the wore given by the mother of one troopers
I wonder if that Leonard Wood is related to the Leonard Wood of the Wood Brothers NASCAR Racing team?
Wow. No mention of the Black troops in the battle that saved the Rough Riders assess.
roosevelt had a winchester 1895 405 rifle
I love me some knit picks. 😂
We like the nitpicks!
Hi i love your videos i would like to no if you can do a review of a movie called the son of the morning star
I happen to know the Chief of Interpretation at little big horn! Perhaps we can make that quite thr video.
I deeply resent your suggestion that "our viewers love nit-picks" - just thought I'd pick you up on that!
Okay, so the German military advisors question prompted me to fact check this and it seems that the Spanish on the whole did not make use of military advisors at all. According to the axis history online forum, which in my experience has lively debates on the silliest of nit-picks and usually gets to the right nit - the Spanish apparently had twelve Maxim model 1889 guns for trials and counter-insurgency use in Cuba, but had a lot of technical problems with them constantly jamming, so they were stored in a Havana magazine and not used anywhere in the conflict. After the war they were sent back to the factory in Spain for corrections, but eventually replaced by the French Hotchkiss model. The Spanish did use Mauser rifles, however, and most of their military doctrine was adopted either from the French, or the highly regarded German reforms indirectly through French adoption. The only military observers in the conflict were apparently French and British.
So the only machine guns used in the conflict were on the American side with Lt John Parker's detached battery (from 13th Infantry Regiment) of four hand-operated M1895 Gatlings, and the Rough Riders did have a pair of Colt-Browning model M1895 automatic machine guns chambered for the Spanish 7x57mm round. What is not true, according to the NRA, was that both weapons were donated by the father of Roosevelt's socialite friend William Tiffany. It seems Tiffany purchased one and the cost of the second gun was split among other wealthy contributors, but both guns were in action at Kettle Hill. The Colt was an air-cooled belt-fed gas-operated weapon, distinct from the multi-barrelled hand-operated Gatling, and Tiffany was able to make use of captured 7x57mm Mauser ammunition for his machine guns. At 1:01:02 in the scene with the 'German advisor' and the Maxim gun (actually the Argentine version was used for filming - according to the Maxim movie database), you can clearly see the two Colt automatic machine guns firing to the right - so the Colts are accurate to give John Milius his due, but perhaps he didn't know the Maxim should have been miles away in Havana and not seen on the battlefield.
There, that's how you do nit-picks! Appreciated Jeff Shaara's nit-picking and for being such a gracious host for us. Great video.
I feel like we'd be lost without you Dave
i read that they wore given by one of the troopers rich mother
sorry but the rough ridera were presentes 2 colt "potatoe masher" machine guns unlikw thwae two trows to dispute and they were nit gagling gums. these are 2 experts?
the Cuban's where poor fighters b/c they were poorly trained.
Why did not the USA tarin them so that they would be good fighters? And have a well trained Cuban National army. No way that is the last thing the US Gov wanted.
the idea was to take all of Spain's colonies from it and make them our colonies just as we had done with all the other nation but for Canada in the West Hem (defacto o/c).
Another issue was that the Cubans were trained for guerilla warfare not for fighting in open battle.
@@annemadison7258 If trained at all
Like I said USA did not want Cuban's to have a good army. Look what happened in Philippines