Sherman's March

“Well, you never solve everything, Ross. You never solve everything. The only thing you've got is a chance for a few passionate hits. You see how foolish it all is. You see what the army comes to. The bunkers, the island, the burned-out house. Hell, it's all a tragedy. It's just a matter of how you get through it. And the most interesting way to get through it is to say, "I can't help it. I'm full of passion and I'm gonna die this moment." It's the only way to pretend you're alive. It's the only way to not be alone and depressed.”

Not knowing what to expect, after watching this film I was taken by idea that it was initially supposed to become a documentary about William Tecumseh Sherman’s march through and complete destruction of the South, but instead becomes something entirely different. McElwee dives into his and other’s personal emotions and takes us with him on his journey to replace the love he once had but lost. In an effort to recount the story of the general, we notice that McElwee in fact has some things in common with him. For one thing, they both embarked on their journey depressed and with a sense of failure. Both felt like they didn’t really belong. I find it interesting how Charleen encourages him to break away from this broken state of mind and be more passionate about things. “This place is like a tomb. No, it's not. It's like pubic hair. Part, part the bushes. Go into the place. Go with it, Ross. It's not like a tomb. That's the trouble with you. You don't know the difference between sex and death. Sex and death? Yes, and death. This is life, this isn't death. When it sits on your face, you can't tell which it is.” In this part of the film, although funny and bizarre, Charleen makes a good point.

On another note, women were important after the destruction of the South because most of the men were either wounded or dead. They are obviously a vital essence to the entire film and the women that McElwee encounters all seem to have something wrong or weird about them, it feels. It is as if he is wandering through the broken South that Sherman left behind in search for love, expecting to find someone sane enough to fit his expectations. They are either in love with an abusive boyfriend or are a bit ‘mentally strange’ themselves. The film does show us the culture and uniqueness of the South and for that I think it is pure gold. The camera captures genuine emotions and conversations that I don’t think I’ve seen much of in other films.

What role do the women play throughout the film?

(Besides McElwee's search for love)