The Great Locomotive Chase (1 Viewer)

[Scott]

I saw this Disney movie on TV back in the late 50s (it's from 1956). The DVD is pretty good quality but with no extras. My daughter and I watched it last night.

Don't rate it on the bad costumes. 1870s-80s US uniforms or the "cowboy" civilian clothes (belt loops and such) or the Confederate uniforms that only existed on paper, or the paste on sideburns and beards.

The Rail Road action is really good with real 4-4-0 engines from the Baltimore and Ohio RR collection and most stunts done for real w/o out special effects. I've been to the area of Georgia where it happened and Disney at least tried to get the geography and buildings right. (I've seen the General and Texas original engines as well.)


Jeffrey Hunter (Jesus and Capt Pike of the Enterprise) plays the Southern hero. (Buster Keaton played a take off of the same man in The General)

One item is that one actual person in the raid who was hung as a spy, William Campbell, portrayed by Jeff York, did not get the Medal Of Honor. It is claimed that he was a civilian, but others claim he was an enlisted man. He is shown as a soldier in the film.

The movie unfortunately has that "tinny" Disney music and "Tenting Tonight" which wasn't written until 1864.

Worth a look with the kids!

 

[lancer]

I remember this movie and thought it was great. Isn't Fess Parker (Disney's Crockett and TV's Boone) the main character? I especially liked the scene of the burning box cars and covered railroad bridge. -- lancer

 

[Scott]

Good Ol Fess Parker. That's him as Anderson.

I wish that there were more history related movies like this for "younger" viewers. TV when I was a kid had a lot of history related shows. Not the best "history" but a start.