North and South (miniseries)

• 1. Origins And Adaptation

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  The American Broadcasting Company network aired the first installment of North and South on the 3rd of November 1985. This three-part miniseries adaptation drew directly from John Jakes' trilogy of novels published in the early 1980s. The initial broadcast became the seventh-highest rated miniseries in television history. A second part followed on the 4th of May 1986, achieving similar success with audiences. The final chapter arrived much later on the 27th of February 1994 under the title Heaven and Hell: North and South Book III. Critics and viewers received this third installment poorly compared to its predecessors. The story centers on Orry Main of South Carolina and George Hazard of Pennsylvania. These two men become best friends while attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. Their friendship eventually places them on opposite sides of the Civil War. The Mains are rural planters who own slaves near Charleston. The Hazards run an iron manufacturing business in a small Pennsylvania mill town. Their economic differences mirror the growing national divide that led to war.

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• 2. West Point And War

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  Young Southerner Orry Main boarded a train toward West Point in the summer of 1842. He met Northerner George Hazard on his way to the same academy. They quickly formed a close bond as cadets. At the Academy they encountered classmates like George Pickett and Thomas Stonewall Jackson. An amoral egomaniac named Elkanah Bent harassed both men from their position as drillmaster. After two years of training the men returned home for a summer leave. George's sister Virgilia immediately disliked Orry when she learned his family kept slaves. During the Mexican War, Bent ordered George and Orry to lead a suicidal charge against Mexican forces at the Battle of Churubusco. Both survived but Orry was shot in his left leg and permanently crippled. George later quit the army after beating Bent following a threat to kill him if he harmed Orry again. Traumatized by his injuries, Orry temporarily became a recluse. When Madeline helped Priam escape one slave got whipped for helping him. The men graduated from West Point two years later before leaving to fight in the Mexican War.

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• 3. Social Divisions And Slavery

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  Madeline Fabray LaMotte Main lived under the control of her husband Justin who beat and raped her. She remained silent while her father hid Orry's letters to ensure she married Justin. Justin killed Maum Sally for trying to help Madeline escape after she slashed his eye with a sword. Ashton Main Huntoon conspired with Forbes LaMotte to harm Billy Hazard out of jealousy. She informed James Huntoon about Virgilia's relationship with Grady the coachman. Ashton slept with many of Billy's friends while bitter over his rejection of her. She got pregnant and begged Madeline for help to perform a secret abortion. Ashton married James Huntoon though she did not plan on being a committed wife. Elkanah Bent recognized the resemblance between Madeline and a former popular prostitute at a brothel. He subtly interrogated James Huntoon about people in his wedding picture including Orry and Madeline. Ashton visited her family's plantation to carry out Bent's revenge against Orry. She told Madeline that her mother was a high-priced part-black prostitute in New Orleans. Unless Madeline left Orry with no explanation Ashton would reveal this secret and ruin Orry's public reputation.

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• 4. Cast And Production History

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  Patrick Swayze played Orry Main while James Read portrayed George Hazard in the 1985 miniseries. Lesley-Anne Down starred as Madeline Fabray LaMotte Main and Wendy Kilbourne played Constance Flynn Hazard. Kirstie Alley appeared as Virgilia Hazard and Genie Francis took the role of Brett Main. Terri Garber played the selfish sister Ashton Main Huntoon. Philip Casnoff portrayed the nemesis Elkanah Bent. All these actors returned for the 1986 sequel. Parker Stevenson and Mary Crosby recast the roles of Billy Hazard and Isabel Hazard respectively. The production featured many well-known guest stars including Elizabeth Taylor and David Carradine. Hal Holbrook played President Abraham Lincoln and Johnny Cash appeared as abolitionist John Brown. Gene Kelly played Bent's father Senator Charles Edwards. Robert Mitchum portrayed Colonel Patrick Flynn M.D. Filming resulted in four marriages among cast and crew. Read and Kilbourne married in 1988 after meeting on set. Frakes and Francis also married in 1988 having previously played opposite each other on a failed soap opera. Lesley-Anne Down married assistant cameraman Don E. FauntLeRoy during filming of Book I.

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• 5. Reception And Legacy

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  The North and South miniseries received numerous awards around the world. David Carradine won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in 1986. Lesley-Anne Down also won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role that same year. The costuming team won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Costuming for Episode 4. Virginia Darcy won for Hairstyling while the makeup team won for Makeup in Episode 6. Bill Conti received recognition for Music Composition and Stevan Larner for Cinematography. Editing teams won awards for both single camera production and sound editing across multiple episodes. A fourth installment titled Heaven and Hell: North and South Book III premiered on the 27th of February 1994. This final chapter was poorly received by critics and audiences compared to the first two parts. All three miniseries are now available on streaming platforms including iTunes Prime Video and Google Play. The Varèse Sarabande Soundtrack Club released the entire score to the 1985 series in a four-CD box set on the 25th of February 2008. The complete score for Book II followed on the 3rd of October 2008.

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