The first installment (Book II) of North and South is one of the great 80s miniseries. It aims high with all star cast (especially on the guest roles), great music score from Bill Conti, and authentic look and feel. To me, this series surpasses Gone with the Wind, which is often reduced to "technically great, but a racist relic of the past."
That is not to say the series is without faults. North and South is so melodramatic that it's practically a day time soap opera. Motivations for the Civil War are merely glossed over, especially for the south. Most characters are caricatures and under developed.
But somehow, it works. Chiefly responsible is the relationship between George Hazard ("north", played by James Read) and Orry Main ("south", played by Patrick Swayze). Their chemistry and brotherhood are what make or break the series. Both actors do a fine job making the most out of limited screenplay, especially Patrick Swayze who knocks it out of the park.
On this first 6 episodes, we see Hazard and Main training at the West Point, meeting their girls, and quarreling over but always respectfully accepting their differences. The Civil War looms in the background, and there are many periodical details which while not always factual, add to realism and spur interest in history.
Review by nutmacBlockedParent2019-08-23T18:39:02Z— updated 2019-08-27T05:36:09Z
The first installment (Book II) of North and South is one of the great 80s miniseries. It aims high with all star cast (especially on the guest roles), great music score from Bill Conti, and authentic look and feel. To me, this series surpasses Gone with the Wind, which is often reduced to "technically great, but a racist relic of the past."
That is not to say the series is without faults. North and South is so melodramatic that it's practically a day time soap opera. Motivations for the Civil War are merely glossed over, especially for the south. Most characters are caricatures and under developed.
But somehow, it works. Chiefly responsible is the relationship between George Hazard ("north", played by James Read) and Orry Main ("south", played by Patrick Swayze). Their chemistry and brotherhood are what make or break the series. Both actors do a fine job making the most out of limited screenplay, especially Patrick Swayze who knocks it out of the park.
On this first 6 episodes, we see Hazard and Main training at the West Point, meeting their girls, and quarreling over but always respectfully accepting their differences. The Civil War looms in the background, and there are many periodical details which while not always factual, add to realism and spur interest in history.