"NORTH AND SOUTH Trilogy" - Certain Topics

In the past, there have been questions regarding plot points for the three miniseries of the "NORTH AND SOUTH" Trilogy. I thought I would clear up a few matters.


Elkhannah Bent's Survival Following Fight with Orry Main

Some "NORTH AND SOUTH" fans have wondered how Elkhannah Bent (Philip Casnoff) had survived his fight with Orry Main (Patrick Swayze) in the second book, "Book II - Love and War". In the second novel, Orry and Bent had some sort of fight near the James River that ended when Orry shoved the latter over the falls and (at least I thought) to his death. Imagine my surprise when I read "Book III - Heaven and Hell" and saw that Bent never died after all. He ended up in an army hospital in Richmond.

In the second miniseries, NORTH AND SOUTH - BOOK II", Bent rushed inside that warehouse just before it blew up. I thought that was the end of that bugger - until I read the novel, "Heaven and Hell" one year later. When the miniseries, "BOOK III - HEAVEN AND HELL" finally aired, Bent was alive at the beginning of...

Below is an article I had written about the questionable plot points I had discovered, while watching the miniseries, "NORTH AND SOUTH: BOOK II":


The Major Problems of “NORTH AND SOUTH: BOOK II”

In the eyes of many fans of the trilogy of miniseries based upon John Jakes’ saga, ”The NORTH AND SOUTH Trilogy”, the only miniseries not worthy of the entire saga is the third one - ”HEAVEN AND HELL: North and South Book III”. I wish I could agree with them.After all, the production values for ”Book III” had not been as impressive as the other two. And of the three miniseries, ”NORTH AND SOUTH: BOOK II” had the best costume designs. But looking at the three miniseries from the prospective of a writer, I have finally come to the conclusion that it was ”Book II” (set during the Civil War), and not ”Book III” that ended up being a lot more disappointing to me.

None of the three miniseries were exact copies of the novels from which they had been adapted. Changes were made in all three. Despite some flaws, I had no problems with most of the changes in ”Book I” and ”Book III”....

After reading a list of historical inaccuracies in the movie, "TITANIC", I could not help but think about the historical inaccuracies I've found in the "NORTH AND SOUTH" Trilogy - no matter how much I loved it. So, here it is:






"NORTH AND SOUTH" Trilogy - Inaccuracies



1. George and Orry's journey to West Point - I could be mistaken, but I thought most cadets who traveled to West Point from New York City, did so by a steamer up the Hudson River in the mid-1800s.

2. Orry's sword duel w/Bent - I realize many of you found it exciting, but
after asking around, I discovered that it is impossible for someone with Orry's difficulties in studies to be an excellent swordsman. Actually, someone like Bent should have kicked his butt.

3. Ulysses Grant did not graduate from West Point two years ahead of George and Orry (as indicated in ”NORTH AND SOUTH: BOOK II”). He graduated three years before them in 1843.