Field Order 15

Authors: Matthew LaRusso
Location: New Jersey

"Field Order 15”

Directed by: Terence Malick
Written by: Terence Malick and Djimon Hounsou
Music by: James Horner

Principal Cast:

Tom Hanks as General William T. Sherman
Geoffrey Rush as President Andrew Johnson
Willem Dafoe as General Rufus Saxton
Djimon Hounsou as Joseph
Cuba Gooding Jr., as Beck
Rosario Dawson as Dinah
Jennifer Hudson as Cooba

Tagline: "The War gave them freedom, Field Order 15 gave them hope"

Synopsis: In post civil war America, there were nearly 4 million freed slaves in the United States with no where to go. In 1865, General William Sherman (Hanks) provided Field Order 15. A doctrine that promised that freed slaves would get 40 acres of land each in the South Carolina low country to live peacefully. However, some 40,000 slaves were squeezed onto 4,000 acres of land, hardly what they were promised. This film follows the acceptance of Field Order 15 and how it affects two ex-slave couples looking to start a normal life after years of servitude. After the huge disappointment of Field Order 15, the couples escape to the North and settle in Pennsylvania. We see the impact of the Field Order from both sides: The sides of the slaves it was supposed to protect, and the sides of some of the most powerful men in the country as they try to rebuild their nation.

What the press would say:

In the shadow of “The Thin Red Line” and “The New World” comes Terence Malick’s newest period piece, “Field Order 15”. The film is sure to clean up in the tech categories at the Oscars, especially for Art Direction and Cinematography, always a staple of Malick’s films. Horner’s score is morose and powerful, and gives the character’s depth.

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor- Geoffrey Rush
Best Supporting Actor- Djimon Hounsou
Best Supporting Actress- Jennifer Hudson
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Original Score
Best Costume Design