Grant (2020)

“I’m tired of hearing about what Lee is gonna do. Some of you think he’s gonna turn a double somersault and land in our rear and both flanks at the same time. Go back to your commands. Think about what we’re gonna do.” – Ulysses S. Grant

Number of Times Seen – 1 (21 Jun 2020)

Brief Synopsis – Docu-drama on the life of Ulysses Grant who was one of the greatest war time Generals in history and then went on to lead the Nation following the end of the Civil War.

My Take on it – This is a miniseries that I heard about a few weeks ago and was quite interesting in seeing what it was all about.

As a fan of the history of US Presidents and the Presidency, I was actually intrigued to learn more about Grant.

This film is presented really well and allows us to et abetter understanding of how one of the greatest military tactical minds was able to use his knowledge to help the Union win the Civil War.

The film mixes together documentary style footage and interviews with actors playing some of the key characters.

This allows us to get a better visual perspective on the events that they are trying to describe to us.

Grant’s life played out in some very unexpected ways and they find a way to show how such an important figure in US History was able to use his military mind to try and heal the nation during his Presidency just a few short years later.

This movie goes into very comprehensive detail on many of the integral events in his life that helps form the man who he came to be.

Despite being over 4 and half hours long, this film is able to stay interesting the whole way through which is quite impressive.

They find a way to keep things thrilling and informative the entire time because the viewer constantly wants to learn more and more about the life and accomplishments of this great US figurehead.

Bottom Line – Excellent story that is able to show the way that one of the greatest tactical minds came to be. The choice to mix together parts of the story in documentary form and parts as a feature film works well in helping us get a better understanding of how his life played out and how he became such an important figure in the healing aspects of the nation after the end of the Civil War. The film goes into very comprehensive detail as to what events happened over the course of his life in order to make him the man that he came to be. The story finds a way to keep things interesting throughout the 4.5 hours of the story and that in and of itself is quite a feat. The story is told in a very thrilling and informative way that makes the viewer constantly want to learn more and more about his life and his accomplishments. Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Confederate Lieutenant General James “Pete” Longstreet was not just one of Grant’s best friends from West Point. His mother’s maiden name was Dent and he was a fourth cousin of Julia Dent Grant and her brother Frederick Dent Jr. who was Grant’s roommate at West Point. While Grant was President, he appointed Longstreet to a number of Federal offices, and Longstreet continued in other similar positions after Grant left office. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (9/10)