"North and South" (1985) TV mini-series

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

3 November 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance | War | Western

Plot:

Two friends, one northern and one southern, struggle to maintain their friendship as events build towards the American Civil War.

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | Civil War | Plantation | American Civil War | Slavery

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Kirstie Alley	...	Virgilia Hazard (6 episodes, 1985)
Georg Stanford Brown	...	Grady (6 episodes, 1985)
David Carradine	...	Justin LaMotte (6 episodes, 1985)
Philip Casnoff	...	Elkanah Bent (6 episodes, 1985)
Lesley-Anne Down	...	Madeline Fabray LaMotte (6 episodes, 1985)
Genie Francis	...	Brett Main Hazard (6 episodes, 1985)
Terri Garber	...	Ashton Main Huntoon (6 episodes, 1985)
Wendy Kilbourne	...	Constance Flynn Hazard (6 episodes, 1985)
Jim Metzler	...	James Huntoon (6 episodes, 1985)
James Read	...	George Hazard (6 episodes, 1985)
Lewis Smith	...	Charles Main (6 episodes, 1985)
John Stockwell	...	Billy Hazard (6 episodes, 1985)
Patrick Swayze	...	Orry Main (6 episodes, 1985)
Olivia Cole	...	Maum Sally (6 episodes, 1985)
Morgan Fairchild	...	Burdetta Halloran (6 episodes, 1985)
Robert Guillaume	...	Frederick Douglass (6 episodes, 1985)
Hal Holbrook	...	Abraham Lincoln (6 episodes, 1985)
Gene Kelly	...	Sen. Charles Edwards (6 episodes, 1985)
Robert Mitchum	...	Patrick Flynn (6 episodes, 1985)
Jean Simmons	...	Clarissa Main (6 episodes, 1985)
David Ogden Stiers	...	Congressman Sam Greene (6 episodes, 1985)
Inga Swenson	...	Maude Hazard (6 episodes, 1985)
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Madam Conti (6 episodes, 1985)
John Anderson	...	William Hazard (6 episodes, 1985)
Lee Bergere	...	Nicholas Fabray (6 episodes, 1985)
Jonathan Frakes	...	Stanley Hazard (6 episodes, 1985)
Wendy Fulton	...	Isabel Truscott Hazard (6 episodes, 1985)
David Harris	...	Priam (6 episodes, 1985)
Mitch Ryan	...	Tillet Main (6 episodes, 1985)
Forest Whitaker	...	Cuffey (6 episodes, 1985)
Johnny Cash	...	John Brown (5 episodes, 1985)
Erica Gimpel	...	Semiramis (4 episodes, 1985)
William Ostrander	...	Forbes LaMotte (4 episodes, 1985)
Tony Frank	...	Salem Jones (3 episodes, 1985)
Alveda King Beale	...	Slave (3 episodes, 1985)
Walter Barnes	...	Benny Haven (2 episodes, 1985)
Nikki Creswell	...	Young Brett Main (2 episodes, 1985)
Chris Douridas	...	George McClellan (2 episodes, 1985)
Temi Epstein	...	Young Ashton Main (2 episodes, 1985)
William Preston Daly	...	Tom 'Stonewall' Jackson (2 episodes, 1985)
Arthur Gilliard	...	Nathaniel (2 episodes, 1985)
Cody W. Hampton	...	George Pickett (2 episodes, 1985)
Tuck Milligan	...	Smith Dawkins (2 episodes, 1985)
Andy Stahl	...	Cadet Ned Fisk (2 episodes, 1985)

Runtime:

561 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) (2006) | UK:15 (season 2) | UK:PG (season 1) | Netherlands:12 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Boone Hall Plantation - 1235 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA

Company:

David L. Wolper Productions

Trivia:

According to an extra from the Book Two movie, the big Manassas scene where you see pandemonium among both the soldiers and the crowd, the wide angle shot was not staged - there was real panic. Something had gone wrong, a gun went off when it wasn't suppose to, somebody else ran a direction they weren't suppose and really caused a stir.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Charles is seeing Willa in St. Louis and eating in the restaurant it shows them going for a walk and then returning to the restaurant. It shows his rank as Corporal in the first part of the scene and during the walk. Back in the restaurant it shows his rank much higher, possibly a Sgt. or higher. When leaving it shows him as a Corporal again.

Quotes:

Brett: [at west point graduation, about Billy] Oh Ashton isnt he hansome.
Ashton: They all are especially that one.
Brett: I meant Billy.
Ashton: I know who you meant. Although i dont understand what you see in that BOY when there are so many men available.
Brett: Billy is the man for me.
Ashton: Well i guess you'll just have to settle for whomever comes along, not being blessed with the smae adventurous spirit as myself.
Brett: And I'm sure your betrothed just adores that side of your nature.
Ashton: James Huntoon. That sod.
Brett: Ashton!
Ashton: Theres only one thing about him i find attractive, he has a brilliant future in politics and politics my dear sister is where the power is.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Psych: An Evening with Mr. Yang (#3.16)" (2009)

North and South

The 1985 miniseries 'North and South' is a great depiction of the events leading up to the Civil War. 2 young men, Orry Main from South Carolina and George Hazard from Pennsylvania, meet at West Point and quickly become friends.

Each member of the Main and Hazard Families represent an actual viewpoint that was held during the turbulent political climate of antebellum America, such as the abolitionist Northerner, The Southern sympathizing Northerner, The sadistic Southern slave owner, The Southern Loyalist, just to list a few.

There are many differences between the miniseries and the 3 volume books by John Jakes (North and South, Love and War, and Heaven and Hell). Unlike their literary counterparts, the actors and actresses who portray these historic figures are all very good looking and bigger than life on screen. The dresses worn by the women are impeccable.

I highly recommend the "North and South" miniseries.