The Raid

Excellent, factually based Civil War Western, in which Heflin’s Confederate officer leads a group of soldiers, with whom he has escaped from a Union prison camp, in a plan to avenge the destruction of Southern communities by first taking over, and then sacking, a Northern town close to the Canadian border. Tension is slowly but surely built up as the men try to infiltrate the township; conflicting emotions arise with Heflin’s growing respect for the widow with whom he lodges (Bancroft); and the final, savage massacre is powerfully staged by Fregonese, who makes superb use throughout of Lucien Ballard’s typically moody photography. This was the film that served as a springboard for John Arden in writing his play “Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance”. (Geoff Andrew)