The Tennessee locations are magnificent, with trees and flowers that seem to go on forever. It is the kind of countryside that the camera loves, with the colors and textures that scream old South. The Legend Of Van Dorn is very old Hollywood, right down to the golden age tacks. The cinematography goes very old school, with the subject usually being placed dead center of the screen, with classic side shots for dialogue. It has been ages since we have seen nostalgic Confederate fantasies like Gone With the Wind, Jezebel, and 2000 Maniacs onscreen. The commercial appetite was so strong for Hollywood rebel glorification around a century ago that it was successfully exported to Europe, where tons of westerns were made where Confederate soldiers and war veterans are the heroes, while the Union represents the Man. It is all part of Tinsel Town’s legacy of rooting for the underdog, which for a while was the lost cause of the U.S. South.
Lee Wilson as Gen. Earl Van Dorn nurses a glass of whiskey by lamplight in The Legend of Van Dorn.
“Just look at Errol Flynn’s turn as Custer in Raoul Walsh’s They Died With Their Boots On to understand the stately power of Wilson’s performance.”
What makes The Legend Of Van Dorn reviving the Old Dixie genre palatable, if not delicious, is that classic Hollywood seasoning of forbidden romance. While the historical events are dutifully recreated, especially the chillingly real battle scenes, it is the juicy Confederate cosplay love scenes that drive this wagon. While the presentation of their lovemaking is not explicit, the steamy atmosphere of heavy courting is red hot. The highlighting of Van Dorn’s refusal to take his offered concubine during this affair solidifies the intensity of his devotion to Mrs. Peters, despite her being betrothed to another. The fact that their doomed love has consequences is accepted, just like the cause they are fighting for is eventually doomed as well. That Stanley portrays the destruction their love brings so vividly just makes it more bittersweet and irresistible.
Stanley makes a great move with having a hero that is whiskey-bent and Hell-bound, as it helps make The Legend Of Van Dorn one of the strongest country movies in years. Audiences love a loose cannon that lets the liquor do the thinking, and runs like a wild beast in the West. The infidelity tango at the center of the film reminded me of the boot-kicking material you find on a Range War country album. Wilson’s portrayal of Van Dorn is also classic Hollywood. His line recitation may sound odd to some, similar to the delivery you get in a George Lucas or Cecil Howard movie. That is because the classic Hollywood leading man style has morphed into Hoffman-like character acting. Leaving the old way forgotten. Just look at Errol Flynn’s turn as Custer in Raoul Walsh’s They Died With Their Boots On to understand the stately power of Wilson’s performance. The Legend Of Van Dorn reopens a long-shut part of the dream factory, as this well-dressed maverick plays it hot enough to burn the honky-tonk down.
"…one of the most country strong movies in years. "
