Class of '61

Class of '61
Genre	Drama History War
Written by	Jonas McCord
Directed by	Gregory Hoblit
Starring	Dan Futterman Clive Owen Josh Lucas
Theme music composer	John Debney
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Steven Spielberg Jonas McCord
Producer	Gregg Fienberg
Production locations	Charleston, South Carolina Mount Berry, Georgia
Cinematography	Janusz Kamiński
Editor	David Rosenbloom
Running time	90 minutes
Production companies	Amblin Television Universal Television
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	April 12, 1993 (1993-04-12)

Class of '61 is a 1993 American war drama television film produced by Steven Spielberg as a projected television series about the American Civil War.^[1] It focused on men who were classmates at West Point and separated by the war between the North and the South. Filmed in Charleston, South Carolina and Atlanta, this work was the first collaboration between Spielberg and cinematographer Janusz Kamiński.

Plot

The film follows the lives of several West Point classmates who fight on opposite sides of the American Civil War, which disrupts their previously close community.

The film also follows the adventures of Lucius, a slave who escapes via the Underground Railroad to freedom. The film cuts between the First Battle of Bull Run and the birth of Lucius' child into slavery.

Cast

• Dan Futterman as Shelby Peyton
• Josh Lucas as George Armstrong Custer
• John P. Navin, Jr. as Burnett
• Clive Owen as Devin O'Neil
• Sophie Ward as Shannen O'Neil
• Laura Linney as Lily Magraw
• Andre Braugher as Lucius
• Barry Cullison as Sergeant Yancy
• Len Cariou as Dr Leland Peyton
• Dana Ivey as Mrs Julia Peyton
• Robert Newman as Captain Wykoff

Production

Renowned Civil War historian Shelby Foote acted as consultant, and documentary producer Ken Burns was acknowledged for his contributions. He had created the critically acclaimed The Civil War documentary series in 1990.^[2]

This was the first collaboration between Spielberg and cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, whose work on Diane Keaton's Wildflower impressed Spielberg to hire him.^[3][4]

References

1. Hadden, Briton; Luce, Henry Robinson (1992). Time - Google Books. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
2. "Class of '61 (1993) - Overview". Turner Classics (TCM.com). 2010-04-25. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
3. Mermelstein, David (2013-02-20), "Spielberg's Eye", Cultural Conversation, The Wall Street Journal, retrieved 2024-05-15
4. Buchanan, Kyle (2012-11-14), "How Steven Spielberg's Cinematographer Got These Eleven Shots", Vulture, retrieved 2024-05-15

External links

• Class of '61 at IMDb