ABC MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE: CLASS OF '61 (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television historical drama film, originally intended as a series pilot, follows the story of several West Point friends who end up on opposing sides of the American Civil War. The story begins as Devin O'Neil and George Armstrong Custer take their friend Shelby Peyton, who is set to marry Devin's sister Shannon, out for a bachelor party celebration, though they end up brawling with some angry farmers who believe that they are "rebels." In class, the three friends offer different opinions to their professor's questions about battle tactics, and they are all stunned to learn that shots have been fired at Fort Sumter, thus officially starting the long-brewing war between the North and South. The cadets quickly begin fighting amongst themselves over their differing positions in the dispute, though Shelby attempts to keep the peace and reminds them that they all serve the same flag. Later, however, he decides to leave school with three weeks to go before his graduation and join the Confederate army, feeling that it is a matter of honor, though Devin and George urge him to at least wait until his home state of Virginia has officially declared itself.
When instructed to recite an oath of loyalty to America and its President, many cadets, including Shelby, walk out in defiance. Shelby tells his teacher, Wykoff, that he is leaving school, and Wykoff reveals that he has joined up as well -- with the North. Devin and George sadly bid farewell to their friend, urging him to avoid dangerous areas of high Union presence, though Shelby ends up surrounded by Yanks on a train to Baltimore. He encounters a Southern lady, Mrs. Vann Stratten, and "her woman" Sarah, though Sarah denies being a slave when asked by a Northern passenger. When Shelby asks, she explains that the North is not as free as it claims to be and that the "lines" of segregation are far less clear than they are in the South. Shelby arrives in Baltimore and meets up with Terry, Devin's other brother, who is then injured in a confrontation with other soldiers. Shelby brings Terry home to Shannon and her father James, though James is outraged at Shelby's decision and declares that he cannot now marry Shannon. Shannon, however, secretly opts to spend a night with Shelby before his departure.
Devin meets up with Shelby in D.C. and is impressed to see that he has won a fancy hotel room in a poker game. They head for an upscale party, where Secretary of War Stanton brags to hostess Rose O'Neal Greenhow about his wide-ranging wartime authority. Devin is pleased to meet Rose's attractive best friend Lily Magraw, though is startled when Rose reveals just how much she knows about him, and Lily tells Devin about her fiancé's recent death in battle. Later, Terry is arrested for treason, much to James' anger, and Shelby, having departed for Virginia, talks to one of his family's slaves, Lucius, who questions his reasons for joining up. Shannon writes to her brother about Terry's arrest and their father's worries, and Devin is frustrated when he is not given an assignment from the Army and asks the well-connected Rose for help. Shelby announces that his father has given him permission to free Lucius and his pregnant wife Lavinia, though Lucius opts to run away on his own and shoots two of his pursuers. Shelby and his parents dine with Skinner, a former West Point classmate who supports slavery, and Skinner confidently states that the North will soon give in. Dr. Peyton, however, states that he intends to help out with a nearby hospital without accepting a promotion, and when a panicked Lucius returns begging for his help, Shelby's father attends to the ailing Lavinia and scolds Lucius for forcing her to exert herself physically in her condition.
Lucius tells Shelby that he intends to flee without Lavinia and the baby, knowing that he will be in trouble for shooting the two men, and Shelby urges him to seek refuge with Shannon. Terry is released thanks to Rose's assistance, though the incident leaves James embittered about the true meaning of "freedom" in his new country. Lily delivers a note to General Beauregard with important battle information, and Devin, still unassigned, encounters Wykoff and desperately requests his help in finally joining the war. George is sent to Manassas and bids farewell to Devin, and Devin is shocked when Terry arrives and, still furious about his unfair arrest and imprisonment by the Yankees, declares that he is joining the Confederate Army. Devin argues that an Irish immigrant should empathize with slaves, also "the lowest of the low," but Terry is unmoved. Elsewhere, Lucius travels north with the help of the Underground Railroad and encounters other slaves making the same journey, and Devin begins to suspect Lily of spying for the South. Lucius thinks longingly of his wife and unborn child, while elsewhere Shannon is revealed to be pregnant from her sole private night with Shelby.
The Confederate soldiers take a moment to pray before heading into battle, and Skinner cautions Terry about avoiding the most dangerous spots. Manassas proves to be "a sea of confusion," with soldiers unable to tell friend from foe, and Shelby is upset when Wykoff instructs him to lead his men up Henry Hill, where there is little support. Many are killed in the ensuing chaos, and Terry, though cheered by his men for his bravery as color-bearer, is soon fatally shot by Wykoff. Elsewhere, Devin resentfully attends a fancy picnic with Lily and angrily declares that there will be no true "winners" in the bloody conflict. Lavinia goes into labor as Shelby steels himself to take the hill, and when Devin arrives and joins George in the battle, they are stunned to spot their old friend Shelby on the other side. Lucius makes it to Shannon's home in Baltimore just as his child is born in the South, and a badly-shaken Shelby writes to Shannon about his first real battle, admitting that he enjoyed the thrill of the fight in the moment, but then was distressed at the sight of so many Americans lying dead on the field. Includes commercials, promos and an ABC News Brief.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: April 12, 1993 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:55:02
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:47175
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; Drama, historical; U S - History - Civil War
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1993
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - A1 steak sauce
- TV - Commercials - ACE Hardware stores
- TV - Commercials - AT&T wireless networks
- TV - Commercials - Acura automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Acuvue contact lenses
- TV - Commercials - Bull's-Eye barbecue sauce
- TV - Commercials - Cadillac automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Caress soap
- TV - Commercials - Charmin toilet paper
- TV - Commercials - Chevrolet automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Crest toothpaste
- TV - Commercials - Daytime Ben-Gay pain reliever
- TV - Commercials - First Interstate Bank
- TV - Commercials - Formula 409 spray cleaner
- TV - Commercials - Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Milk
- TV - Commercials - Milk-Bone dog biscuits
- TV - Commercials - Miracle-Gro plant food
- TV - Commercials - Monistat 7 yeast infection cream
- TV - Commercials - Mycelex 7 yeast infection medication
- TV - Commercials - Never Stop Learning for education
- TV - Commercials - Ortega salsa
- TV - Commercials - Pizza Hut restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Powerline vacuum cleaners
- TV - Commercials - TV Guide magazine
- TV - Commercials - Tide laundry detergent
- TV - Commercials - U.S. Centers for Disease Control AIDS information
- TV - Commercials - Visa Gold credit cards
- TV - Promos - "Always"
- TV - Promos - "Delta"
- TV - Promos - "Dinosaurs"
- TV - Promos - "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper"
- TV - Promos - "Homefront"
- TV - Promos - "Matlock: The Evening News"
- TV - Promos - "Murder in the Heartland"
- TV - Promos - "Sirens"
- TV - Promos - "The Tommyknockers"
- TV - Promos - "The Woman Who Loved Elvis"
- TV - Promos - "Wild Palms"
CREDITS
- Steven Spielberg … Executive Producer
- Jonas McCord … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Gregg Fienberg … Producer
- Tim Harbert … Associate Producer
- Gregory Hoblit … Director
- John Debney … Music by
- Christien Anholt … Cast, Terry O'Neil
- Andre Braugher … Cast, Lucius
- Dan Futterman … Cast, Shelby Peyton
- Josh Lucas … Cast, George Armstrong Custer
- Clive Owen … Cast, Devin O'Neil
- Sophie Ward … Cast, Shannon O'Neil
- Sue-Ann Leeds … Cast, Rose O'Neal Greenhow
- Laura Linney … Cast, Lily Magraw
- Niall O'Brien … Cast, James O'Neil
- Paul Guilfoyle … Cast, General Beauregard
- Dana Ivey … Cast, Mrs. Julia Peyton
- Beverly Todd … Cast, Hannah
- Len Cariou … Cast, Dr. Leland Peyton
- Mark Pellegrino … Cast, Skinner
- Peter Murnik … Cast, Upton
- Barry Cullison … Cast, Sgt. Yancy
- Robert Newman … Cast, Capt. Wykoff
- Lorraine Toussaint … Cast, Sarah
- Scott Burkholder … Cast, Garrett St. Clair
- Penny Johnson (see also: Penny Johnson Jerald) … Cast, Lavinia
- Stephen Root … Cast, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton
- Rus Blackwell … Cast, Yelling Cadet
- Laura Carney … Cast, Mrs. H. Vann Stratten
- Michael Genevie … Cast, William Avery
- Rae'ven Kelly … Cast, Statie
- James Moyle … Cast, Pierce Cadet
- John P. Navin Jr. … Cast, Barnett
- Tom Nowicki … Cast, Major Palmer
- Jim Peck … Cast, Chaplain French
- Tim Powell … Cast, Confederate Chaplain
- Mary Nell Santacroce … Cast, Washington Matron
- Andrew Stahl … Cast, Major Berry
- Alex Van … Cast, Towny
- Jordan Williams … Cast, Provost Officer
- Frederick Rolf … Cast
- Tim Scott … Cast
- Ed Wiley … Cast
- William Duff-Griffin … Cast
- James G. MacDonald … Cast
- Ennalls Berl … Cast
- Eddie De Harp … Cast
- For "ABC News Brief":
- Chris Wallace … Anchor