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SleeplessinSoCal

(8,998 posts)
Tue May 26, 2020, 02:18 PM May 2020

Watching "Grant" on the history channel?

Glad to see this at this point in time. It's an awfully vivid picture of the Civil War. Really important, I think.



Leonardo DiCaprio’s Big Middle Finger to the Confederacy

The History Channel miniseries “Grant,” executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, celebrates Ulysses S. Grant’s Civil War heroism and exposes the evils of the racist Confederacy.


https://www.thedailybeast.com/leonardo-dicaprios-big-middle-finger-to-the-confederacy?ref=home
28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Watching "Grant" on the history channel? (Original Post) SleeplessinSoCal May 2020 OP
Dumb question, but what's the format? Bleacher Creature May 2020 #1
Documentary Buzz cook May 2020 #6
Alas, I don't pay for the History Channel. Mme. Defarge May 2020 #2
For a very long time I stopped watching the History Channel, always had the Pawn stars on katmondoo May 2020 #3
Recording for later benld74 May 2020 #4
It's good but has a lot of commercials Zorro May 2020 #5
indeed. recording and ff the ads. far less frustrating SleeplessinSoCal May 2020 #11
Its ok Buzz cook May 2020 #7
Late last year I read a parallel war biography of Grant and Lee Bucky May 2020 #10
It's good. roamer65 May 2020 #8
This is my 2nd night watching. Niagara May 2020 #9
Speaking of "extremely handsome": Paladin May 2020 #14
Are you referring to this portrait? Niagara May 2020 #16
That's the portrait, alright. Thanks for posting. Paladin May 2020 #17
You're welcome, Paladin. Niagara May 2020 #18
I think Lee looks like the dandy he was. Born of privilege. SleeplessinSoCal May 2020 #22
Plus the Grant (and Sherman) of my youth were portrayed by SleeplessinSoCal May 2020 #23
Robert E Lee did own slaves, so yes he was born of privilege. Niagara May 2020 #25
I'm not one to watch war movies. SleeplessinSoCal May 2020 #12
It's not quite Ken Burns, and treads mostly familiar ground, but for anyone not familiar w/Grant... NNadir May 2020 #13
Currently watching. It has been great. No such men today. kairos12 May 2020 #15
Considering that this is one the History Channel, I thought this was a documentary about Lou Grant Kaleva May 2020 #19
He is Mr Grant! SleeplessinSoCal May 2020 #20
You mean there is actually history on the SharonClark May 2020 #21
Ulysses Grant was my great grandfather's name. herding cats May 2020 #24
Very powerful ending. Grant's Tomb was our local hangout 100 yrs after his death. SleeplessinSoCal May 2020 #26
We need to finish that war. Tear down their monuments, burn their flags... hunter May 2020 #27
The timing of the documentary is quite amazing. SleeplessinSoCal Jun 2020 #28

Bleacher Creature

(11,237 posts)
1. Dumb question, but what's the format?
Tue May 26, 2020, 02:37 PM
May 2020

Is it a fully scripted show/movie from start to finish, or is it a documentary with certain events re-enacted? I can't quite tell from the trailer.

katmondoo

(6,454 posts)
3. For a very long time I stopped watching the History Channel, always had the Pawn stars on
Tue May 26, 2020, 03:32 PM
May 2020

I hated them. I did not see it as History. I do like the series on Grant, informative and well done.

Bucky

(53,805 posts)
10. Late last year I read a parallel war biography of Grant and Lee
Wed May 27, 2020, 01:49 AM
May 2020

I'll be eager to catch this mini-series on Netflix or when it's out for rental. But there couldn't be a starker difference between the two men than how they generalled.

The closing chapter that dealt with Grant's presidency couldn't have been a less deserved tragedy.

Niagara

(7,408 posts)
9. This is my 2nd night watching.
Wed May 27, 2020, 01:23 AM
May 2020

I like the detailed maps and also the details of Grant's designed strategies. I didn't know about some of Grant's background or how he and Lincoln communicated before actually meeting each other in person.


It's interesting to me, but when I was in high school I didn't care for history at all.


This is completely irrelevant, but the actor playing Grant ( Justin Salinger) is extremely handsome.


Paladin

(28,204 posts)
14. Speaking of "extremely handsome":
Wed May 27, 2020, 07:58 AM
May 2020

Did you notice that portrait of a young, uniformed Robert E. Lee they showed during the first episode? He was better looking than 99% of the movie stars walking around today---DiCaprio included.

Good series. I was aware of The Wilderness battle, but I didn't know just how awful it was until I saw the details of it on last night's show.

Niagara

(7,408 posts)
16. Are you referring to this portrait?
Wed May 27, 2020, 05:47 PM
May 2020



If this in the one, I'm going to guess he's 18-21 years of age, around the time he attended West Point.


I was impressed how Grant moved his army across the Mississippi, cut off the confederate supplies, digging ditches and giving the men, who's freedom he was fighting for, their own weapons to help fight for the cause. Grant sure wasn't messing around when it came to down to it. I didn't know most of these details, it's interesting to learn them.

Paladin

(28,204 posts)
17. That's the portrait, alright. Thanks for posting.
Wed May 27, 2020, 05:55 PM
May 2020

And Grant is a fascinating individual, isn't he? His ability to stay calm, review opposition movements and terrain features, and then take decisive action, is a marvel. Looking forward to the conclusion of the series, this evening.

Niagara

(7,408 posts)
18. You're welcome, Paladin.
Wed May 27, 2020, 08:36 PM
May 2020

I was hoping that was the portrait of Robert E Lee that you were talking about.




Grant certainly is fascinating individual. I'm ready and looking forward to this evenings last episode as well.




SleeplessinSoCal

(8,998 posts)
22. I think Lee looks like the dandy he was. Born of privilege.
Wed May 27, 2020, 10:30 PM
May 2020

Whereas...



His life is there on his countenance.

Niagara

(7,408 posts)
25. Robert E Lee did own slaves, so yes he was born of privilege.
Wed May 27, 2020, 11:54 PM
May 2020

But if you go back and reread, I said that the actor playing Grant ( Justin Salinger) is extremely handsome.


Someone else had brought up Robert E Lee being handsome in his younger days. I never once said that Lee was extremely handsome. I was curious on what photo Paladin was referring to and I don't like to speak ill of the dead.


SleeplessinSoCal

(8,998 posts)
12. I'm not one to watch war movies.
Wed May 27, 2020, 03:41 AM
May 2020

I notice the cinematic eye in many scenes. Especially the very beginning at Shiloh.

The fact that so many generals were at West point together is well known, but this series is able to show us what that meant strategically. And now for the weeklong celebration until Lincoln is assassinated and the rise of the KKK.

Gonna be a real sad end.

NNadir

(33,368 posts)
13. It's not quite Ken Burns, and treads mostly familiar ground, but for anyone not familiar w/Grant...
Wed May 27, 2020, 07:32 AM
May 2020

...it's a good starting point.

A few of his most famous remarks during the war, including "lick 'em tomorrow," at Shiloh and his remark to his subordinates at the Wilderness about their fear of Lee, are a bit mangled.

I understand that Steven Spielberg is going to adapt Chernow's book. Presumably it will be better.

The book is worth reading, although I think it comes down on the wrong side with respect to the importance of Grant's drinking.

I do hope that this series will emphasize that Grant's Presidency was actually outstanding, and not a corruption filled cesspool. I personally regard Grant as the 2nd most important President of the 19th century after Lincoln. Without Grant, the Confederacy would have won the peace, which they almost did with the help of a Trumpian President Andrew Johnson who filled in between Lincoln and Grant's Presidencies.

History has vastly underrated Grant's Presidency, and it is time to correct this terrible misapprehension.

SharonClark

(10,005 posts)
21. You mean there is actually history on the
Wed May 27, 2020, 10:07 PM
May 2020

History channel and no Pickers or Hitler or Aliens building the pyramids? I’m shocked!

herding cats

(19,549 posts)
24. Ulysses Grant was my great grandfather's name.
Wed May 27, 2020, 11:10 PM
May 2020

Well, first and middle name. My family on my maternal grandfathers side have a tradition of naming the boys after Union hero's. They still do to this day. It makes me proud.

I'll be streaming the series as a binge.

SleeplessinSoCal

(8,998 posts)
26. Very powerful ending. Grant's Tomb was our local hangout 100 yrs after his death.
Thu May 28, 2020, 12:11 AM
May 2020

Mark Twain to the rescue. I'd forgot that.

Warning and or moral of the story:

Grant was "barely succeeded by Rutherford B Hayes. A lot of cheating going on re: reconstruction. Talk about reconstruction. Beware the electoral college!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compromise_of_1877?wprov=sfla1

hunter

(38,264 posts)
27. We need to finish that war. Tear down their monuments, burn their flags...
Fri May 29, 2020, 09:55 AM
May 2020

... fire their police, take away their guns, and throw their leaders in prison.

The racism that infects this nation is a terrible plague.


SleeplessinSoCal

(8,998 posts)
28. The timing of the documentary is quite amazing.
Fri Jun 19, 2020, 10:40 PM
Jun 2020

It aired the day George Floyd was killed. It truly showed how entrenched those rebels were during and after the surrender. Grant began what really would have been a necessary reconstruction. And then after his presidency the network grew.

Only now after the protests do I understand the harm done by honoring Confederate military heroes and Andrew Davis!!!, for God's sake. How and why do we consistently take a step forward and two back?

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