Legendary director John Ford offers something to offend just about everyone in "The Prisoner of Shark Island," his version of the saga of accused Lincoln-assassination conspirator Dr. Samuel Mudd.
*Pretty much all of us can take offense at how Ford romanticizes the Confederacy and the "glorious cause" of the South during the "War Against Northern Aggression."
*Southerners can take offense at how the movie portrays them as sheep who are easily mollified by, say, the mere playing of "Dixie."
*History lovers can take offense at how the picture turns Mudd into an unambiguous hero who never had any connection whatsoever with John Wilkes Booth.
*African-Americans can take offense at the, well, offensive portrayal of blacks throughout the film.
That's a lot of grounds to offend, but despite all this, darned if "Shark Island" isn't entertaining as all get out. Having just seen some of his "Crime Doctor" films last year, I'm amused seeing Warner Baxter in the role of Dr. Mudd. I have to admit Ford's reenactment of the Lincoln assassination is--well, it feels wrong to say it's a kick. So I won't say it.
Flaws and all, it's a compelling movie, and I'm surprised that it's not shown more often given our nation's love of Honest Abe and even our nation's proven fascination with his murder.
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