A sweeping film that transports its viewers back in time over 150 years, UNION is set during the Civil War era. Yet, the movie's central focus is not the war. As Whitney Hamilton's film opens, we learn that at least 400 women fought as men during the Civil War, in both the Union and Confederate armies. UNION is the true story of just one of those women.
Amid the absolute horror and chaos of the war that divided our country, Grace (Hamilton) takes on her dead brother Henry's identity — fighting in the Confederate Army undercover to preserve her life. However, Henry is haunted by the memories of a mysterious woman and her son. Desperate to keep his identity a secret under the watchful eye of his comrades, when Henry is wounded, Virginia (Virginia Newcomb), a grieving widow, helps to nurse him back to health.
To repay Virginia's kindness, and because women had little to no recourse in the era, Henry agrees to marry Virginia so that she can avoid a disturbing arranged marriage and save her farm. However, what transpires next — an epic love story — is something neither Henry or Virginia ever expected. UNION seeks to elevate the LGBTQ+ community of a past era. Though they are often hidden in the fabric of our history, the antebellum and Civil War periods had many gender non-conforming people who engaged in same-sex love affairs. This was during a time when the world was even more hostile towards women and feminine-leaning people then it's now. It was lovely to see Virginia and Henry's love story unfold, and the chemistry between Hamilton and Newcomb carried a great deal of weight in the film. Unfortunately, despite these themes, the real heart of this story gets muddled underneath the many and various moving parts of UNION.
The film opens sometime in the early 20th century with an older Indigenous man telling a young boy Henry's story. Our only indication of the time period is an old fashion automobile that is seen in the frame. As the man unpacks the story, we are swept back in time during Henry's participation in the Confederate Army and during his time with Virginia. However, the lack of title cards giving any indication of time and location leaves viewers disoriented and puzzled.
Additionally, while UNION was committed to showcasing the war itself, the lack of Black cast, as soldiers, enslaved people, or otherwise, was rather baffling considering the context of the Civil War and the sheer numbers of Black Americans who lived in the South during the period. Much of UNION was born out of Hamilton's short film, My Brother's War. However, since the film plays out as a second act to that story instead of an expansion, those who haven’t seen the first film will quickly get lost.
Still, Hamilton's commitment to showcasing the period correctly was aspirational. There is a vast battle sequence near the beginning of the film that really draws you in. However, with so many different characters and various locations, as well as the immense historical context of the film, it was often difficult to connect back with Henry and Virginia's story though it's supposed to stand at the core of the movie.
Running at 135 minutes, and at an often slow pace, the queer love story that centers UNION often falls by the wayside. When it was remembered, it seems puzzling that so many people were causally OK with a same-sex relationship in the 19th century.
It's evident that Hamilton took a great deal of time and care to bring this piece to life. Still, though UNION has some profound themes and excellent historical context, it lacks a much-needed sharpness that could truly center this remarkable LGBTQ story in space and time.
UNION is now available on HBO PPV, Itunes, VUDU, Fandango, Flixfling, Frontier, Redbox, Direct TV, Youtube, Optimum, Google Play, Microsoft, Verizon, BRCT, and Amazon.
Images: Indican Pictures