Background
McElwee initially planned to make a film about the effects of General William Tecumseh Sherman's march through Georgia and the Carolinas (the Georgia portion of which is commonly called the "March to the Sea") during the American Civil War. A traumatic breakup McElwee experienced prior to filming made it difficult for him to separate personal from professional concerns, shifting the focus of the film to create a more personal story about the women in his life, love, romance, and religion. Other themes include the spectre of nuclear holocaust in the context of the Cold War and the legacy and complexity of General Sherman's own life.
Structurally, the film follows a repetitive narrative pattern. McElwee becomes enamored with various women, eventually developing feelings for each of his subjects, only to have his romantic hopes dashed. The film is often considered a cinéma vérité piece.
Read more about this topic: Sherman's March (1986 film)
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