Or did the movie just jump from 1865 to 1875 without any warning? My knowledge of the aftermath of the American civil war is very limited, and when it said on the screen that the results of the Jones County election were from the year 1875 I was really shocked! At which part of the movie did that 10-year jump happen exactly?
...now,where was I?
Anyone?
...now,where was I?
The movie used around 10 minutes of film time to get from the end of the civil war in 1865 to the election scene that took place in 1875. There was a series of real historical photos where the narrator talked about the period of history that was known as the reconstruction. He also told about federal troops being sent in and the south was under marshal law, partially because of the apprenticeships along with increased Klan activity.
In those minutes of film, Newts wife had a baby, Newt wrote the baby's name in the Knight family bible, Moses got the other black free men's names logged for voter registration, Moses was lynched and castrated for that (but it did not actually say so) just the papers scattered in his yard. Not a lot of character aging shown except Newt's beard was gray/white around the edges as he was shown preaching at Moses' funeral.
The only 2 republican votes counted were those cast by Jasper and The other white guy who rode up on a horse before they went to vote and sang John Brown's Body.
Newt's and none of the black freemen votes were counted.
_____
Books and movies are usually better than real life.