Book by UVa-Wise professor examines the depiction of the Civil War in film

Brian S. Wills, Kenneth Asbury Professor of History at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, combines two passions – history and movies - in his latest book, “Gone with the Glory: The Civil War in Cinema.”

“I have been watching movies since I was a boy,” Wills explains. “I always preferred the historical epics to other genres, partly because of my interest in history and partly because these films were what I thought movies should be – that is, big and entertaining depictions of another place and time.”

In “Gone with the Glory,” Wills takes readers on a journey through the portrayal of the war in film, exploring what Hollywood got right and wrong, how the films influenced each other, and, ultimately, how the movies reflect America's changing understandings of the conflict and of the nation. From “Birth of a Nation” in 1915 to “Cold Mountain” in 2003, hundreds of directors, actors, and screenwriters have used the Civil War to create compelling cinema. However, each generation of moviemakers has resolved the tug of war between entertainment value and historical accuracy differently.

“In the case of the American Civil War, the tableau is rich in color, conflict and character,” Wills says. “Yet some producers, directors and performers have less interest in, or knowledge of, the demands of history than others. Many will use the war as a mere backdrop or context rather than seeking to inform audiences of the issues and complexities of the conflict itself. Others cast the struggle in the simplest forms. Even in the best of situations there is always a tug of war between two powerful poles: entertainment value and historical accuracy.”

“Gone with the Glory” is available in the UVa-Wise Campus Bookstore and at national booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

A nationally recognized Civil War historian, Wills was recently asked to serve on the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission's Advisory Council.

Wills is the author of “No Ordinary College: A History of The University of Virginia’s College at Wise,” “The War Hits Home: The Civil War in Southeastern Virginia,” and “The Confederacy’s Greatest Cavalryman: Nathan Bedford Forrest,” along with numerous scholarly articles, essays, and book reviews. Additionally, he is a weekly columnist for the “Kingsport Times-News.”

A member of the UVa-Wise faculty since 1992, Wills is the 2000 recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Award presented by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. He also received the UVa-Wise Outstanding Teaching Award in 1998 and the Outstanding Research Award in 1995. In 2003, Wills was named the Kenneth Asbury Professor of History in recognition of his accomplishments as a scholar, teacher and leader.

Wills completed his bachelor's degree in history at the University of Richmond and earned his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Georgia.

For more information, contact the Office of College Relations at 276-328-0130.

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Posted December 20, 2006