History Film / Andersonville

The film first aired in two parts on Creator/{{TNT}} in March of 1996. It is not an adaptation of the novel of the same name, sharing only the setting and a few historical characters. It is VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory, with several plot elements and lines of dialogue being taken from the diary of an Andersonville survivor named John Ransom.

A MadeForTVMovie directed by Creator/JohnFrankenheimer following a group of [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks Union soldiers]] captured at the Battle of Cold Harbor. Josiah Day and his friends are sent to the HellholePrison Fort Sumter, plagued by sadistic guards, thieving gangs of fellow prisoners, starvation and disease. As their numbers dwindle, they struggle to escape, or, at least survive.

The film is not an adaptation of the novel of the same name, sharing only the setting and a few historical characters. It is LooselyBasedOnATrueStory, with several plot elements and lines of dialogue being taken from the diary of an Andersonville survivor named John Ransom.

* TheOldConvict: Dick Potter, a friend of Josiah and the others, was captured some time before them, has a maimed leg and appears prematurely old as he shows them around the prison and gives tips to survive it. Patrick the drummer boy is also affectionately referred to as this, due to being an early prisoner.

* BigBadDuumvirate: Wirz, the commandant of the camp, and Collins, leader of "the raiders" who both torment the other prisoners.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: Munn is always treating new arrivals cordially, offering to show them around and help them out, but one does so to lure them into the raiders territory to be beaten and robbed, while displaying murderous frustration at anyone who thwarts him from doing so.

* CrusadingLawyer: Hopkins who, [[spoiler: defends the raiders during their trial, claiming that everything they did was a byproduct of the camp's inhumane conditions and thus Wirz's fault]].
* CurbStompBattle: The Raiders win pretty much any fight: the spoils from their reign of terror keep them much better fed and stronger than anyone else in the camp.
** However, [[spoiler: the tables turn when everyone in the camp rushes them.]]

* FauxAffablyEvil: Wirz has the facade of a charming, humorous prison captain, yet it does nothing to hide his unquenchable cruelty.

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: While their actions and nature are depicted fairly accurately, in real-life the reign of the Raiders over the rest of the camp lasted for barely a month, while in the movie they have been robbing and killing other prisoners for some time when Josiah and his friends arrive and continue to do so until late in the film, weeks if not months later. Munn, who is portrayed as the second in command of the group and its cruelest member, had only been a prisoner for about two weeks in real-life before the fall of the Raiders.
* HoYay: A possible interpretation of Limber Jim's relationship with Collins. The two definitely have some history based on esteem and respect. Although this could simply be Jim admiring Collins [[MagnificentBastard despite being a Raider]].

* {{Narm}}: "WHOOOOOO?!?!?!?!"
* NeverMyFault: Wirz claims to have tried to provide for the prisoners, while the Confederate High Command is responsible for the camps poor factors. It is unclear if this is true.

The film is not an adaptation of the novel of the same name, sharing only the setting and a few historical characters. It is LooselyBasedOnATrueStory: with several plot elements and lines of dialogue being taken from the diary of an Andersonville survivor named John Ransom.

** However, [[spoiler: the tables turn when [[ZergRush ''everyone'']] in the camp rushes them.]]

* [[{{BFG}} BFK]]: Munn may be a runty guy, but he also carries a ''huge'' bowie knife, the best weapon in the camp... making him probably the deadliest Raider to battle.

** [[TheBully Collier]] seeing ''all'' the other prisoners coming after the Raider camp. He knows there's no way he's going to win this one.