Under Southern Stars

1937 ""

Under Southern Stars

4.9 | en | Drama

Set in the springtime of 1863 in Chancellorsville, Virginia during the War Between the States, this colorful short profiles the heroic Confederate General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson the night before he would meet his fate in battle.

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4.9 | en | Drama , History , War | More Info

Released: February. 20,1937 | Released Producted By: Warner Bros. Pictures , The Vitaphone Corporation Country: Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

Synopsis

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Cast

Fred Lawrence , Jane Bryan , Fritz Leiber

Director

Ted Smith

Producted By

Warner Bros. Pictures , The Vitaphone Corporation

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Trailers & Images

Cast

Fred Lawrence

as George Wilbert

Under Southern Stars Talent Scout Trailin' West The Captain's Kid

Jane Bryan

as Arlene

The Old Maid Each Dawn I Die We Are Not Alone Invisible Stripes Girls on Probation The Sisters Brother Rat A Slight Case of Murder Under Southern Stars

Fritz Leiber

as Stonewall Jackson

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Reviews

MartinHafer This is an early Technicolor film made by Vitaphone just before the Warner Brothers (the parent studio) began making full-length color films. In other words, this short was sort of an experiment to work on technique and enabled these same folks to later make such gorgeous color classics as "The Adventures of Robin Hood".This film is set during the US Civil War and concerns the last days of General Stonewall Jackson. If you are looking for an accurate history lesson, it's a mixed bag--some quite factual and some very fanciful. But what you are much more likely to notice is the silly and VERY syrupy dialog as well as the fact that Warner/Vitaphone often portrayed the Confederacy very sympathetically during this era. It also has some unnecessary singing at the beginning and end--and it makes little sense. Overall, it makes for an odd sort of curio but nothing more. But, it does have some very pretty color.

bkoganbing This short subject film chronicles the last day in the life of General Thomas Jonathan Jackson better known as Stonewall. The fate of the southern cause may very well have died with him that day in Chancellorsville in 1863.He got the nickname of Stonewall at that first major battle of the Civil War, Bull Run. So named because the brigade he commanded stood against the charging Union army and turned it back. But his finest hour was Chancellorsville.Jackson was a man of deep religious faith who never doubted the rightness of his cause. That's usually the problem with those who think God is on their side, there were some folks like Oliver O. Howard on the Union side who prayed as much for their troops as Jackson is shown here.That he was a military genius is unmistakable. He devises the strategy with Robert E. Lee which brings victory at Chancellorsville which you will see here in Under Southern Stars. Fritz Lieber is impressive as Jackson as is Pierre Watkin as Robert E. Lee. A pair of young lovers played by Fred Lawrence and Jane Bryan get more in the way of the main story, attractive though they are.A nice thumbnail history of Chancellorsville.

Christopher jones In an age when the appearance of the confederate battle flag is offensive to so many, it follows that a film glorifying the Confederate cause and its leaders may one day merit a viewer advisory. If not that, then maybe an advisory for the unquestionably 1930's sounding song performed at the film's opening. What were they thinking? Thank heavens there was no Busby Berkely number at the opening of Gone with The Wind!Aside from the above, this is a splendid example of Technicolor; a process that I wish would be revived. The startling saturation of color might liven up some of today's 'dogs.' Civil War buffs will certainly find authentic-looking costumes and the portrayal of Generals Lee and Jackson more than a little interesting. In many regards it is more convincing than Selznick's 1939 masterpiece.

max von meyerling A really dopey and inappropriate title song crooned by a tenor and a sappy and perfunctory love story have been tacked on to this tale of the death of Confederate General Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson. However it does have unexpected moments of power and sentiment very much in the D.W. Griifith tradition. Strong words indeed for what is a Warner's short subject used mainly to show off the three strip Technicolor process and train technicians in its use. There are shots of General Lee with his artillery battery with the land dropping off and rising up beyond that seems very much a Griffisonian composition and the handing of Jackson on his deathbed wallows in exactly the type of emotionalism that Griffith openly courted. The Turner Classic copy runs at only 16 1/2 minutes and there seems to be a somewhat jarring cut after Jackson dies but whether this is responsible for the short running time or it is mislisted is a subject for further research.