shenandoah

i am still on my quest to see every jimmy stewart movie, and tonight's film was shenandoah.

it's not a bad film. there are moments that make it worthwhile. overall it is a very sweet film, with moments of adventure. it's about a man who's the father of a number of grown children, living on a farm in virginia during the civil war. though he initially doesn't want to take sides in the war, he eventually needs to get involved when his son mistakenly gets taken captive. more than that i will not say, in order not to reveal the plot.

the best moments in the film are when jimmy stewart is just being the lovable, somewhat strict father with a sense of humor, and with a great reverence for the conventions of life. the best moments are when he's speaking to his dead wife at her grave site. also, when he's giving advice on how to deal with a woman, his sincerity and love of women is admirable. jimmy stewart is a man we come to know through his many films, who loves life and loves to follow what is right and good. he is in many ways the essence of a good man.

we mainly see jimmy stewart through either political idealism (mr. smith goes to washington), or hitchcock films, or adventure films set in the 19th century, westerns. i think respect is due where respect has been earned, and jimmy stewart certainly earned deep respect just for being a good man.