7th Cavalry in Movies/TV (1 Viewer)

[BigDenny]

In some of the older movies, you always see 7th cavalry troopers decked out with yellow scarves and braces. But in reality, troopers generally wore standard-issue 1872 jackets and on the Little Bighorn reenactment page, they specifically ask reenactors to avoid the yellow scarves. Any reason why Hollywood decided to alter something as basic as army uniforms? {sm2}

Best Regards,
Mike

 

[Scott]

"...The uniform, gentlemen, is not a subject for individual, whimsical expression...."

Lt. Col. Thursday in Fort Apache. 1948



It looks like even Black and white movies had the "yellow" neckerchiefs. See Fort Apache 1948. Possibly for some light contrast. John Wayne/ John Ford westerns are partly to blame especially She Wore a Yellow Ribbon which was in color. If you look at those Ford movies the neckerchiefs are really ratty looking and look more like cravats on the veteran characters so there was some artistry to the costume detail. Other films have the neckerchiefs looking like scout neckerchiefs. I can imagine that the wardrobe people thought "soldiers" and made the troops look alike with matching neckerchiefs.


I have noticed that reenactors will "accessorize" if not stopped by event regulations and peer pressure. Some CW artillery groups I saw back in the 80s wear red neckerchiefs, socks, shirts, suspenders, and long johns.

 

[binder001]

Any reason why Hollywood decided to alter something as basic as army uniforms? {sm2}
Mike

Mike, as far as "accurate" versus "neat looking" guess which one Hollywood will choose? THe famous quote about John Ford goes that when an advisor commented that the US Army didn't dress like that on campaign, Ford growled "Well, they should have" and left his costumes as is. Most directors were just fine with using whatever the wardrobe department sent over. Not only uniforms but weapons, etc. How many shows have Springfield carbines versus Winchesters. A lot of the old John Wayne cavalry movies had him or his associates carrying Colt 1973s with 5.5-inch barrels when they should have been 7.5-inch barrels. How many movies set in or right after the Civil War show the frontier army with post-1873 weaponry? One can say it was the old directors that didn't care, but recently there was an episode of "Hell on Wheels" that had every cavalry trooper in a circa 1866-67 time period armed with Model 1866 Winchester repeaters.

Gary B.

 

[Scott]

The Seventh Cavalry makes an appearance in the early scenes of John Carter. Good Ol Bryan Cranston was almost unrecognizable as Colonel Powell.

 

[Ragnar]

Interesting thread as i watched the "Horse Soldiers" the other night had not seen it since i was a kid!
Anyway i thought the union cavalry looked odd with there yellow braces is that just a Hollywood thing or did troopers were them in the later Indian wars?
Not a rivet counter just curious and still enjoyed the Movie..also watched "The Undefeated" that was good too.

 

[Scott]

I'm pretty sure those were just light colored. Funny, as far a Civil War uniforms go, the trousers have buttons for suspenders but the suspenders don't seem to be an issue item. Maybe the govt. thought that that was something you showed up with when you joined up. Might be a sutler item as well. REAL sutlers not the folks that sell reenactment stuff.

Example


Union Soldier's Clothing Allowance
(from Form 52)

 

[Jack]

Speaking just generally I think a lot of these kinds of decisions are made on a whim. I worked in a school which reserved an almost religious reverence for its summer uniform, which was the most horrible khaki colour. When it was changed there was a cry that tradition was being destroyed. In fact the only reason it became part of the 'tradition' was that in 1945 there was a lot of cheap surplus khaki material laying about. I supect that some nameless person somewhere made an on the spot decision which made sense at the time and thus...bang...a tradition is born!!

 

[Scott]

You can imagine some one grumbling: "Charge? If there's change then things would be DIFFERENT! Where would we be then?"

The movie versions of cavalry uniforms might be Frederick Remington's artwork, but misinterpreted.

 

[maddadicus]

I have always believed that the Son of Morning Star movie, best represented the haphazard nature of the field uniform of that time..One of my favorites ( especially if I could cut Rosanna Arquette ( Libby Custer ) from it...Michael

 

[Scott]

I don't have the book and page # handy but I remember that having those straw hats on the movie cast was based on an account that a fort sutler had a stock of them.