The film is loosely based on the life of newton knight. Mar 10, 2015 the civil war drama free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey, has started shooting in louisiana. A fictionalised account of the life of newton knight matthew mcconaughey, who deserts the confederate army after the 1862 battle of corinth. Free state of jones starring matthew mcconaughey open.
The historical imagination and free state of jones the. Mcconaughey plays newton knight, who rebelled against confederate authority in. Mar 04, 2015 advocate staff photo by stephanie warren the east feliciana courthouse in clinton will be the setting of the movie free state of jones. Did alabama have its own free state of jones during the civil. He was working on a film called free state of jones. Jones county is a county located in the southeast portion of the u. Free state of jones on dvd september 20, 2016 starring matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, keri russell, mahershala ali. The new civil war film free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey and gugu mbatharaw, is richly researched, but its flat assemblage of history strips out the storys texture and. Most notably, it effectively pushes back on some of the most deeply entrenched myths of all. Free state of jones is a 2016 american historical war film inspired by the life of newton knight and his armed revolt against the confederacy in jones county. The true story of the free state of jones a new hollywood movie looks at the tale of the mississippi farmer who led a revolt against the confederacy. Downtown has some old brick buildings with wroughtiron balconies. Free state of jones is a film directed by gary ross with matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, keri russell, mahershala ali, year.
Free state of jones is an epic actiondrama set during the civil war, and tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight, and his e. A disillusioned confederate army deserter returns to mississippi and leads a militia of fellow deserters and women in an uprising against the corrupt local confederate government. Ross and his team of filmmakers do not try to clobber us with bravura filmmaking, as in the emotionally muted cold mountain. Jul 14, 2016 free state of jones tells the story of newton knight matthew mcconaughey, a truetolife, nonslaveholding farmer from jones county, mississippi, who deserts from the confederate army, disgusted at the senseless brutality and the increasing pressure on poor men to fight a war that served the interests of wealthy slaveholders. Mississippis longest civil war in 2003, years before the movie was made see more. Bynum said that daniel jacob lofland, the character newton knight matthew mcconaughey tries to protect in battle, is at best a composite of various 7th battalion men who were killed at the battle of corinth. There is a battlefield start with effective views of. Free state of jones was a book before it was a movie victoria e. Gugu mbatharaw committed to authenticity in free state of. The civil war drama free state of jones, starring matthew mcconnaughey, has started shooting in louisiana. It tells of a rebellion against the confederacy led by an angry farmer named newton knight, whose ragtag army of poor whites and escaped slaves declared a portion of southeastern mississippi, including jones county, independent and loyal to the union. The film is an epic actiondrama set during the civil war, and tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight matthew mcconaughey, and his.
Writer and director gary ross, along with cowriter leonard hartman cleverly intersperse fact with fiction as they follow the life of historical figure newt knight, starting with when he fought with then deserted the confederates in the american civil war. The civil war drama free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey, has started shooting in louisiana. Mcconaughey plays newton knight, who rebelled and deserted the confederate army in. Civil war drama the free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey, has entered production and will hit theaters in march 2016. Before going to see the movie, has rounded up 5 key things to know about the. Free state of jones starring matthew mcconaughey is now casting a ton of extras to work on the new movie. Directed by fourtime oscar r nominee gary ross and starring oscar r winner matthew mcconaughey, free state of jones is an epic actiondrama set.
It has oscarseason pretensions of significance it doesnt earn, but also lacks the bombast of a historical war epic like saving. Bynum and the state of jones by sally jenkins and john stauffer. Gugu mbatharaw committed to authenticity in free state. Mathew mcconaughey begins filming the free state of jones. So often the acting and enacting are wooden, the makeup a few smears of mud on a face. Free state of jones 2016 movies, tv, celebs, and more. New orleans the civil war drama free state of jones, starring matthew mcconnaughey, has started shooting in louisiana. Did alabama have its own free state of jones during the. Jones county is part of the laurel, ms micropolitan statistical area. Watch free state of jones online stream full movie directv. What does not play so true is the production value of free state of jones. Matthew mcconaughey thought the free state of jones script was the most exciting civil war story he had ever read, and knew immediately that he wanted to play newt. Set during the civil war, the free state of jones tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newton knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy.
In the steady but lessthandextrous hands of director gary ross, free state of jones turns an interesting sliver of us history into a stodgy wodge of blood, sweat and speechifyin. Free state of jones starring matthew mcconaughey is now ramping up production in new orleans, louisiana and casting directors are seeking actors, models, and talent to work on the upcoming production. With matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, keri russell. Where was matthew mcconaugheys free state of jones shot. Mississippis longest civil war is vital to our understanding of todays society.
Free state of jones is an odd film to release in the summer. The economy of jones county is still primarily rural and based on resources timber and agriculture. Prior to secession, slave holders and nonslave holders. Free state of jones begins on the battlefield, with a flurry of the kind of immersive combat action that has long been a staple of american movies. Locals interested in being extras, can check out the latest. Banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, knight launched an uprising that led jones county, mississippi to secede from the confederacy. The project is a civil warera story called free state of jones, in which mcconaughey would play a mississippi man from jones county who secedes from. Free state of jones is a film of interest about a part of american history that became relevant to the nation, and continued to inspire social movements years later, if not maybe progressive attitudes of today everywhere, towards less educated people and above all towards the idea of race. Significant, obscure in civil war history full disclosure. As if afraid to offend anyone or put a wrong foot in. She is a top notch historian and her work is changing perceptions of the confederacy, reconstruction and civil rights.
Filmed in mississippi and louisiana, free state of jones has a great look. Everything you need to know about free state of jones. Free state of jones 2016 cast and crew in 1863, mississippi farmer newt knight serves as a medic for the confederate army. The story in the film free state of jones is similar to one that played out in alabama, in a county that became known as the free state of winston. The old county seat, and ground zero for the free state of jones, is ellisville, now a pleasant, leafy town of 4,500 people. Bynum believes that knight did not necessarily enlist out of fear of conscription but rather because he just wanted to be a soldier. Jun 23, 2016 t he american civil war has been combed over in popular culture countless times, but the true story that inspired the new film free state of jones, out friday, may still surprise some viewers. Jun 20, 2016 in 1862, when free state of jones begins, newton knight is just an anonymous battleweary medical nurse, up to his elbows in carnage, who ducks out of combat to take the corpse of a young. Free state of jones is a war epic action drama based on true events of the american civil war 18611865 and mississipis miscegenation laws.
We stood firm to the union when secession swept as an avalanche over the state. The republic that never was, intended to refute gary ross film. Number one, no man ought to stay poor so another man can get rich. In free state of jones, his newton knight is a figure of enlightened valor who has left any shades of moral ambiguity behind. The storytelling is simple and direct, and events are allowed to take on meaning without resorting to ennobling visual effects. Banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, knight launched an uprising that led jones county, mississippi to secede from the confederacy, creating a free state of jones.
A compelling and littleknown story of the civil war period is studiously reduced to a dry and cautious history lesson in free state of jones. Free state of jones hit theaters on june 24, and matthew mcconaughey takes on a civil war hero. T he american civil war has been combed over in popular culture countless times, but the true story that inspired the new film free state of jones, out friday, may still surprise some viewers. Gary ross upcoming film, free state of jones, which stars matthew mcconaughey, opens in theaters next month. Gary ross free state of jones is based on one of the most fascinating true stories of the civil war. Aug 05, 2015 upcoming movie the free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw and keri russell, tells the true story of newton knight and a mississippi countys open defiance of secession and the war. Post war knight subsequently formed a relationship and marries former slave, rachel gugu mbatharaw, and effectively established the regions first mixed. Newton knight and the legend of the free state of jones. Writer and director gary ross, along with cowriter leonard hartman cleverly intersperse fact with fiction as they follow the life of historical figure newt knight, starting with when he fought with then deserted the confederates in the. But free state of jones is one of those historical dramas with a script thats big on crowning lines of moral fervor and not so big on nutsand. Jun 23, 2016 still, the free state of jones is an antiwar film with a commie message that still glamorizes southern pride, hard work and the good book. Still, the free state of jones is an antiwar film with a commie message that still glamorizes southern pride, hard work and the good book. From this day forward we declare the land north of pascagoula swamp, south of enterprise and east to the pearl river to the alabama border, to be a free state of jones. The film is credited as based on the books the free state of jones by victoria e.
Civil war drama the free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey, has entered production and. The rebellion in jones county has been variously characterized as consisting of local skirmishes to being a fullfledged war of independence. Its available to watch on tv, online, tablets, phone. Advocate staff photo by stephanie warren the east feliciana courthouse in clinton will be the setting of the movie free state of jones. Watch free state of jones starring matthew mcconaughey in this militarywar on directv. Directed by fourtime oscar r nominee gary ross and starring oscar r winner matthew mcconaughey, free state of jones is an epic actiondrama set during the civil war, and tells the story of. Free state of jones, in stark contrast, generally gets the central historical narrative right and even manages to tell some complicated history in a moving and compelling manner. It has oscarseason pretensions of significance it doesnt earn, but also lacks the. Jun 24, 2016 free state of jones begins on the battlefield, with a flurry of the kind of immersive combat action that has long been a staple of american movies. After shooting in louisiana and mississippi, the film is expected to release march 11, 2016. Jones county was not a wealthy area when war broke out in 1861.
For the films expansive civil war battles sequences which included hundreds. Matthew mcconaughey stars in the extraordinarily compelling biopic the free state of jones. All he had so far was the credits executive producer carl ford and the. The film is an epic actiondrama set during the civil war, and tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight matthew mcconaughey, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy. The film follows the life of newt knight, a medic in the confederate army who deserted to protect his. In the civil war epic free state of jones, gugu mbatharaw had to contend with filming in the louisiana swamps, which meant dealing daily with alligators, snakes, and lots and lots of bugs. Film director gary ross developed the movie titled free state of jones 2016, starring matthew mcconaughey and english actress gugu mbatharaw. It assumed legendary status among some county residents and civil war historians, culminating in the release of a 2016 feature film, free state of jones. After the bush shoot, the crew moved for two weeks to. Opposed to slavery, knight would rather help the wounded than fight the union. Major motion picture to be filmed in clinton east feliciana. For this cause alone we have been treated as savages instead of freeman by the rebel authorities. Jun 24, 2016 gary ross free state of jones is based on one of the most fascinating true stories of the civil war. Written and directed by fourtime oscar nominee gary ross the hunger games, seabiscuit, pleasantville, and starring oscar winner matthew mcconaughey, the free state of jones is an epic actiondrama set during the civil war, and tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy.
Set during the civil war, free state of jones tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy. Like in the movie, the battle and its casualties deepened the disillusionment that was. And as such we do hereby proclaim and affirm the following principles. According to the book the free state of jones by victoria bynum, the number of slave owners had grown since the county was settled during the turn of the 19th century, but poor farmers heavily outnumbered wealthy planters. A disillusioned confederate army deserter returns to mississippi and leads a militia of fellow deserters and women in an uprising against the. The free state of jones true story reveals that newton knight enlisted in the army in the early fall of 1861. Written and directed by gary ross, the film stars matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, and keri russell. Jun 22, 2016 free state of jones is an odd film to release in the summer. Buckner mansion, new orleans, louisiana, usa deason 17 of 17 found this interesting interesting. Inspired by the reallife story of confederate deserter and activist newton knight, the civil war action movie the free state of jones is set in. Mississippis longest civil war history vs hollywood, movie, book, audio book.
The popular movie free state of jones starring matthew mcconaughey as newton knight, a nonslave owner, who deserts from the confederate army and leads a biracial guerilla band hiding in the swamps has excited a great deal of interest. In 1863, mississippi farmer newt knight serves as a medic for the confederate army. One of the lesserknown tales of the civil war told in the film free state of jones, opening in theaters friday, june 24 is similar to one that played out in alabama, in a county that became. Free state of jones film wikimili, the best wikipedia. Newton knight, petition to governor william sharkey, july 15, 1865. Opposed to slavery, knight would rather help the wounded than fight the. Free state of jone best quotes theres plenty left to. But free state of jones is one of those historical dramas with a script thats big on crowning lines of. Filming locations 14 filming dates 1 filming locations. Free state of jones is a 2016 american historical war film inspired by the life of newton knight and his armed revolt against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, throughout the american civil war. Free state of jones movie begins filming in louisiana.
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