Bynum is distinguished professor emeritus of history at texas state university. Reconstruction, which encompassed the decade following the. Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederat. Oscar winner matthew mcconaughey stars in this epic, untold true story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy during the civil war. Free state of jones not free of historical inaccuracies. Free state of jones problem isnt just that its built around mcconaughey because hes considered a bankable movie star and, according to. 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. Watch free state of jones trailers and video, including teasers, extended looks, exclusive clips, footage, sneak peeks, interviews, and more on moviefone.
The free state of jones true story reveals that newton knight enlisted in the army in the early fall of 1861. Significant, obscure in civil war history full disclosure. Free state of jones is the film reconstruction historians have been waiting for. Adding further controversy to the legend is the story of newt knights interracial romance with his wartime accomplice, rachel, a slave. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Free state of jones is an extraordinarily ambitious film, and for that reason, its not perfectnonetheless, until something better comes along, this is the movies most comprehensive and honest portrait of a pivotal and misunderstood period of american history. Free state of jones official trailer own it now on digital hd, blu. Free state of jones is a 2016 american historical period 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. They form the free state of jones, a mixedrace, antiwar communitya safe haven. Oct 01, 2017 i just last night got a chance to watch the movie free state of jones. 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. 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. 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. The movie begins with some very powerful scenes from the battle of corinth, so i was wondering whether the many experts on the war in the west had any comment on the scenes, especially regarding its authenticity as a.
But to cast free state of jones aside as just another bad summer movie might be missing the point. The medic and later captain of the deserters is newton knight, played by matthew mcconaughey. Jul 12, 2016 in the wake of the fourth of july, its only natural that we as a society ring in our cultural values and proclaim exactly just how proud we are to be american. His birth year has been recorded by his son, tom knight, in a biography as 1830, and his grandniece, ethel knight, wrote that he was born in 1829. Jun 29, 2016 the free state of jones explores whiteness in the antebellum south and today, lisa woolfork says, in ways that resonate with current conversations about race. The true story of the free state of jones history smithsonian. Free state of jones is a lost opportunity the undefeated. The grand old columned courthouse has a confederate monument next to it. The free state of jones is perhaps mississippis most enduring civil war legend. Director gary rosss free state of jones, however, which depicts the origins and aftermath of newton knights bigender and biracial anticonfederate insurgency in jones county, mississippi, might be the first to properly and historically situate reconstruction in full relation to the war itself, serving as a vigorous repudiation of lost. Jun 22, 2016 free state of jones is an odd film to release in the summer. Jones county was not a wealthy area when war broke out in 1861.
Prior to secession, slave holders and nonslave holders. Newt knight was a man who defied social rules by deserting from the confederacy, hiding in the swamp with runaway slaves and other deserters to fight the rebels and declare jones county, mississippi as the free state of jones. Fascination with the legend endures not only because white men and women of a deep south state fought against the confederacy. The old county seat, and ground zero for the free state of jones, is ellisville, now a pleasant, leafy town of 4,500 people. Local legends tell of knight and his men forming the free state of jones in the area in and around jones county, mississippi, at the. Learn more about the real newton knight and the rebellion he lead in jones county, mississippi.
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. Jones countys soil wasnt fit for growing much of anything except trees, and the county had the fewest slaves in the state they made up only 12 percent of. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. 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. Rent free state of jones 2016 on dvd and bluray dvd. 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. Although authors sally jenkins and john stauffer labor mightily in the state of jones to make the case for newt knight and jones county as emblems of enlightened insurrection within. With matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, keri russell. 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. In the new film free state of jones, matthew mcconaughey plays confederate soldier newton knight, and depending on whom you ask, knight was either a hero or a traitor. Newton knight was born near the leaf river in jones county, mississippi, in november 1829 to albert knight and his wife.
The free state of jones and the echo of the black horn. Written and directed by gary ross, its held back by a slow, disjointed plot that doesnt. Written and directed by gary ross, its held back by. Lave watched free state of jones and now hes telling you what he thought about it. Knight starts to question why hes fighting and for whom and, frankly, his purpose in a war that, to his eyes, benefits rich. Matthew mcconaughey seethes with righteous fury in free state of jones, a tale based on an intriguing, littleknown chapter of civil war history that, despite impeccable intentions, becomes. 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. The beginning of a new month means a ton of awesome titles are hitting. Forced to flee, he finds refuge with a group of runaway slaves hiding out in the. For a period, however, it seemed that rosss researchwhich involved reading 40 to 50 books, he sayswould not result in a film. Free state of jones 2016 in 1863, mississippi farmer newt knight serves as a medic for the confederate army. Find out where free state of jones is streaming, if free state of jones is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. Free state of jones depicts realities of reconstruction arts and.
Exploring the free state of jones and finding a grave. A disillusioned confederate army deserter returns to mississippi and leads a militia of fellow deserters and women in an uprising against the. News about free state of jones more about the movie. 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. Free state of jones matthew mcconaughey gugu mbatharaw mahershala ali 2016 in jones county, miss. Battle of corinth the free state of jones civil war. Free state of jones 2016 trailers and clips moviefone. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the. Newton knight november 10, 1829 february 16, 1922 was an american farmer, soldier and southern unionist in mississippi, best known as the leader of the knight company, a band of confederate army deserters who resisted the confederacy during the civil war.
Despite overwhelming odds, knight banded together with other small farmers and local slaves and launched an uprising that led jones county, mississippi to secede from the confederacy, creating a free. Jun 14, 2016 free state of jones is an upcoming american war film inspired by the life of newton knight and his armed rebellion against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi during the american civil war. As it happens, the other day i got the opportunity to see one of the newest blockbusters on the scene, free state of jones. Free state of jones where to stream and watch decider. Yet another antiwhite hollywood propaganda free state of. The new state of jones rests upon the notion that there exists an old state of jones.
Gary ross free state of jones is based on one of the most fascinating true stories of the civil war. 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. The free state of jones literary works of victoria bynum. For two hours and 19 minutes, gary ross script, with a story by leonard hartman, and rosss steady, perceptive direction are fairly engrossing. What the free state of jones says about whiteness cnn. History of the free state of jones welcome to the new. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the free state. The company, led by newton knight, formed a separate government, with unionist leanings, known as the free state of jones, and fought a recorded 14 skirmishes with confederate forces. Forced to flee, he finds refuge with a group of runaway slaves hiding out in the swamps. Im here in jones county, mississippi, to breathe in the historical vapors left by newton knight, a poor white farmer who led an extraordinary rebellion during the. Colonel lowrys confederate raid on jones county pp. Mississippis longest civil war history vs hollywood, movie, book, audio book.
If you are interested in the free state of jones, this group is a place to make those posts. The story of the jones county rebellion is well known among mississippians, and debate over whether the county actually seceded from the state during the war has smoldered for more than a century. Students will be exposed to some of the class division in the south during the 19th century, the antimiscegenation laws that continued into the first six decades of the 20th century, and the fact that some southerners didnt go along. A man of deep convictions, captain newt knight disagreed with the values of the south and was accused of deserting the confederate army. History of the free state of jones welcome to the new state. 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.
Watch free state of jones online stream full movie directv. Downtown has some old brick buildings with wroughtiron balconies. Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederate deserters battled confederate cavalry in the piney woods region of jones county, mississippi. A true story of defiance during the american civil war by victoria e. It has oscarseason pretensions of significance it doesnt earn, but also lacks the bombast of a historical war epic like saving. Jun 24, 2016 gary ross free state of jones is based on one of the most fascinating true stories of the civil war. Long a staple of folklore, fiction, and history, this anticonfederate uprising has inspired five fulllength books and countless articles and essays. The historical imagination and free state of jones the. The latest episode is an epic by director gary ross, free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey as the films hero, newt knight. The rebellion in jones county has been variously characterized as consisting of local skirmishes to being a fullfledged war of independence. Subject of the upcoming film free state of jones, this book provides recollections of the man who took on the confederacy during the civil war and established the liberated mississippi county. Jun 24, 2016 their group becomes more organized every day and more bold.
Read the free state of jones movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. A restless, some may say rebellious, spirit stirs from the first generations who settled in jones county near ellisville and seceded from the confederacy to create the free state of jones. Free state of jones synopsis during the civil war a defiant southern farmer, newt knight, leads an extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy. When it comes to battles between yeoman farmers and an oppressive, bloodsucking elite, it is natural to cheer for the underdog. 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. However, you do not have to lose one to embrace the other. Bynum believes that knight did not necessarily enlist out of fear of conscription but rather because he just wanted to be a soldier. Yet another antiwhite hollywood propaganda free state of jones i saw this filthy trailer that is anticonfederate, pronegro and racemixing, before the lousy revisionist western pc pos the revenant i saw the movie with a different ticket bought for a cg cartoon movie to sneak in, so not to give money to wetback filmmakers who bash trump. The free state of jones film, starring matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, and keri russell, will be released in may 2016.
Jul 12, 2016 director gary rosss free state of jones, however, which depicts the origins and aftermath of newton knights bigender and biracial anticonfederate insurgency in jones county, mississippi, might be the first to properly and historically situate reconstruction in full relation to the war itself, serving as a vigorous repudiation of lost. Jul 04, 2016 jones countys soil wasnt fit for growing much of anything except trees, and the county had the fewest slaves in the state they made up only 12 percent of the countys population. Directed by fourtime oscar r nominee gary ross and starring oscar r winner matthew mcconaughey, free state of jones is an epic actiondrama set. Free state of jones is a noble, quiet, solemn and slow historical drama polite words for saying its duller than dirt. Free state of jones takes place in 1862, in jones city, mississippi, where a confederate soldier named newton knight matthew mcconaughey finds himself demoralized after witnessing a teen boys death on a bloodsoaked battlefield. Jun 24, 2016 free state of jones problem isnt just that its built around mcconaughey because hes considered a bankable movie star and, according to outdated logic, more likely to ensure a. 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. On october, 1863, a band of deserters from jones county and adjacent counties organized to protect the area from confederate authorities and the crippling tax collections. Opposed to slavery, knight would rather help the wounded than fight the union. Written and directed by gary ross, the film stars matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, and keri russell. Quoted in the true story of the free state of jones by richard grant, smithsonian magazine, march 2016. Rent free state of jones 2016 starring matthew mcconaughey and keri russell on dvd and bluray.
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. Matthew mcconaughey stars as newton knight in gary ross civil war dram. Jun 28, 2016 seen in terms of genre, the free state of jones follows in the footsteps of the adventures of robin hood, the 1938 vehicle for errol flynn, and the more recent braveheart. Written and directed by gary ross, the film stars matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, and keri russell it was released in the united states by stxfilms on june 24, 2016. Despite being kind of slowgoing and overlong at 9 minutes free state of jones is nevertheless a pretty good movie and worth checkingout if you need a break from big summer tent pole movies. She uses a wide range of social history sources to trace the long history not only of newt knight and his gang but also of their ancestors. The soontobe released movie the free state of jones is influenced more by the hollywoodnew york mindset and not on historical records, according to a southeastern louisiana university history professor. Calling themselves the knight company after their captain, newton knight, they set up headquarters in the swamps of the leaf river, where, legend has it, they declared the free state of jones. Jun 28, 2016 but to cast free state of jones aside as just another bad summer movie might be missing the point. Free state of jones tells the story of a knightled rebellion against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, whereby the county allegedly seceded and declared itself a free state.
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