Sabine River. – That Should Be A Movie

Logline: When 46 hard-fighting Irish-Texan cannoneers face off against an invasion of 15,000, it will result in the only medals issued by the southern Confederacy.

Short Pitch

It is called The Battle of Sabine Pass

It is a war action movie.

In the vein of 300.

It is like Fury meets Glory.

It follows ambitious, jovial Irish officer Dick Dowling

And young runaway drummer boy John Drummond

As they fight to free the Texas coast from Yankee invaders and prejudice against Irish and Catholic immigrants.

Problems arise when most of the Texas army is pulled from the coast and Dowling and his forty-six men find themselves the only ones to stop an invasion of 15,000.

Together their skill, training, dedication to each other and Gaelic love of fighting will result in one of the most lopsided victories of the war.

The idea came to me when I read a paragraph about the battle in The Civil War: Strange & Fascinating Facts by Burke Davis and it grabbed hold of my Irish and Texan descendent soul.

My unique approach is focusing on one unit of artillerymen called The Davis Guard and their struggles with military life, war and bigotry against Catholic Irish.

A set piece would be when Dick Dowling is standing on top of the mud pile called Fort Griffin. He has told the Davis Guard that their officers want them to retreat. “What say you,” says Dowling in a thick Gaelic accent. “No, no!,” reply his men. “Shall we fight,” he ask them. Fight, fight, fight,” they reply in unison. “It’s too hot to walk back to Sabine City,” one jokes. Just then a courier rides up. He carries a small Confederate flag. Dowling grabs the flag, crawling higher on the parapet and waves it toward the approaching gunboats. “Dick Dowling is a dead man before that flag shall come down!”

Target audiences would be men and women 20-70, teenagers, military buffs, action movie fans, history buffs, Civil War reenactors, naval buffs, Navy veterans, service members and their families, Catholics, Irish Americans, Irish people, and of course, Texans.

Audiences would want to see it for its epic stand of fighting Irish against overwhelming odds, its action, adventure, and themes of courage, brotherhood, honor and devotion to duty.

A teenage girl fleeing her criminal past finds love and redemption in the Outlaw Strip of western Louisiana.
Now that should be a movie
Short Pitch.
It’s called As The Crow Flies.
It is a western romance.
In the vein of Redeeming Love.
It is like Tom Sawyer meets Anne of Green Gables.
It follows a book loving petty thief Missouri Cotton.
And teenage Redbone country boy Daniel Moore.
As they eke out a living and search for love and redemption in the No Man’s Land of Western Louisiana.
Problems arise when tensions between whites and the Redbone people turn violent and some of Daniel’s relatives think Missouri is not a good fit for him.
Together they will prove that no matter how wretched someone’s past or family background, love and redemption are stronger.
The idea came to I saw that Curt Iles had just published a new book. Having read and written blogposts about his other books and even grown personally from the messages in Iles’ books, I immediately thought “that oughta be a movie.”
My unique approach would be how the messages of the sophisticated novels like Les Misérables that Missouri likes to read share much in common with the unassuming back wood folk of western Louisiana.
A set piece would be at a bonfire on May Day. All the boys and men are jumping over the fire. Missouri has just learned that all the letters that she had written Daniel had been hidden from him by a family member. She has now realized her sadness and anger toward him were misplaced. Before anyone can stop her, she runs and jumps over the fire. “Feet don’t fail me now,” she yells as the flames leap up and singe her dress. As she comes down for a landing on the other side of the fire, she falls right into the arms of Daniel. “Girl, you are some kind of crazy,” he says. All is forgiven.
Target audiences would be men and women, 30 to 80 years old, fans of westerns and period romances, faith-based viewers, and Louisianans.
People would want to see it due to the themes of love, redemption and grace as well as its western and period piece settings.

That Should Be A Movie

Tag Archives: Sabine River.

That Should Be A Movie: The Battle of Sabine Pass

That Should Be A Movie: As The Crow Flies by Curt Iles