Ride with the Devil Movie Review 1999

Clunky Civil War saga adapted from Daniel Woodrell's novel "Woe to Live On." Lee concentrates on the 1862 Border Wars between the Southern-sympathizers known as the Bushwhackers and the pro-Union Jayhawkers. Best pals Jack Bull Chiles (Ulrich) and Jake Roedel (Maguire) join a group of Bushwhackers and both become involved with a young farm widow, Sue Lee (singer Jewel in her acting debut). After some loses, Jake and the remaining band join in Quantrill's (Ales) infamous raid on the abolitionist stronghold of Lawrence, Kansas. Film serves as a coming-of-age story for the teenaged Jake and Maguire, at least, is up to the challenge.

Distribution

Universal Studios Home Video, 100 Universal City Plz., Universal City, CA 91608-9955, Phone: (818)777-1000, Fax: (818)866-1483, URL: http://www.universalstudios.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 139 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Civil War, Coming of Age, American South, Slavery, Wedding Bells, Revenge, Buddies

Screenplay

James Schamus

Cast

Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich, Jeffrey Wright, Jewel, Simon Baker, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, James Caviezel, Tom Guiry, Tom Wilkinson, Jonathan Brandis, John Ales, Matthew Faber, Steven Mailer, Zach Grenier, Margo Martindale, Mark Ruffalo, Celia Weston

Cinematography

Frederick Elmes

Director

Ang Lee

Music

Mychael Danna

Producer

Ted Hope, Robert F. Colesberry, James Schamus, Good Machine