Two part mini series from TNT about the Teddy's Roosevelt's Rough Riders and the Battle of San Juan Hill. Although Tom Berenger is top billed as Roosevelt this is more of an ensemble piece, with lots of characters being displayed: there's Dale Dye's colonel, George Hamilton as William Randolph Heart, Chris Noth as a rich man's son determined to be a hero, an Indian, a black soldier, Brad Johnson as a stage coach robber who becomes a hero, Gary Busey's blowhard Southern general, Sam Elliot's good ole boy sergeant.
Milius always displayed a pleasing acknowledgement of different people who fought wars - there's blacks, Indians, people from all over America. Should be said there's hardly any women in it though - and the Indians are stoic and the blacks humble.
It could have done with a bit more of the younger Milius' satire that was present in The Wind and the Lion and Apocalypse Now. There's some, such as in Roosevelt's Patton like opening speech and Hearst's gleeful cynicism (I really wish this part had been bigger - Hamilton is great fun). But too much of it is stock tropes from 1940s war films - Johnson discovering bravery, brothers in arms etc.
To be fair I don't mind a well worn trope if it's done well and some of this was moving: the death of the stiff Harvard type, the black soldier going for a drink with the white one. It's hard to feel too much sympathy for anyone though since all the characters run headlong into battle and war, seeking glory, but I was moved.
Milius isn't particularly good with action and the battle scenes feel like a collection of gunfire and explosions rather than anything with genuine dramatic build. The last hour or so in particular is heavy going - battle scenes seem to be people running up hills in formation firing guns. Maybe that's what happened - it's not that particularly visually interesting.
The Texas scenery is pleasant. Brad Johnson was effective - he's a lot more handsome with a bit of three day growth. It took me a while to get used to Chris Noth playing a blue blood but I didn't mind him. Sam Elliot is always good in these sort of crusty sergeant roles - ditto Gary Busey as an eccentric general.
Milius fans will get a lot out of it - the depiction of Teddy R, the imperialist slant, the gunfire, the cast which includes many faces from earlier Milius movies (such as Johnson, Brian Keith, Hamilton, William Katt).
It's a watchable episode of American history. There are some effective moments and I liked Berenger's performance.
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