Ron Maxwell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Ronald F. Maxwell January 5, 1949 Clifton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Alma mater | NYU Tisch School of the Arts |
| Occupations | Film director, screenwriter, producer |
| Years active | 1976–present |
Ronald F. Maxwell (born January 5, 1949) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his trilogy of films about the American Civil War - Gettysburg (1993), Gods and Generals (2003), and Copperhead (2013). [1]
Maxwell was born in Clifton, New Jersey in 1949. His father was a World War II veteran and his mother was a French woman he met during his service. [1]
He attended Clifton High School, [2] and graduated from the Institute of Film at New York University (NYU)'s Tisch School of the Arts in 1970, where he directed a short film adaptation of Albert Camus' short story "The Guest". [1]
Maxwell worked as a producer for the PBS television program Great Performances. After directing the made-for-television films Sea Marks (1976) and Verna: USO Girl (1978), Maxwell made his feature film debut with the comedy Little Darlings (1980). He followed this with the musical drama The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981) and Kidco (1984), and the made-for-TV sequel The Parent Trap II (1986).
Maxwell obtained the film rights to Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Killer Angels in 1981, and worked with Shaara on a screenplay adaptation until his death in 1988. [3] After a deal with PolyGram Pictures fell through, Maxwell was able to obtain financing from Ted Turner, and the film was shot in 1992 as Gettysburg . [3] Although initially planned as a television miniseries, Turner decided to release the film as a theatrically after viewing a rough cut. It was released by New Line Cinema on October 8, 1993, and was a critical success.
In 2003, Maxwell directed Gods and Generals (2003), a prequel to Gettysburg based on a 1996 novel by Michael Shaara's son Jeff. The film failed to replicate the success of its predecessor, and was criticized by historians for advancing the "Lost Cause" myth. [4] [5] The poor reception led Maxwell and Turner to cancel a planned adaptation of Jeff Shaara's The Last Full Measure . [6] [7]
In 2007, Maxwell optioned the film rights to novelist Speer Morgan's 1979 book Belle Starr, about the legendary female outlaw of the Old West.
In May 2011, Warner Bros. Pictures released director's cuts of Gods and Generals and Gettysburg.
In 2012, Maxwell directed his third Civil War feature, Copperhead , with a screenplay by Bill Kauffman and production by Bryan Cassels. [1] Filming was completed in New Brunswick, Canada, in June 2012. [8]
Maxwell is a member of the Writers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and on the Board of Advisors of the Witnessing History Education Foundation. [9] He resides in Virginia. [1]
His daughter, Olivia Maxwell, is an actress.
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Little Darlings | Yes | No | No | |
| 1981 | The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia | Yes | No | No | |
| 1984 | Kidco | Yes | No | No | |
| 1993 | Gettysburg | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2003 | Gods and Generals | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2013 | Copperhead | Yes | No | Yes |
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Year of the Dragon | No | No | Associate | TV movie |
| 1976 | The Mound Builders | No | No | Associate | |
| Sea Marks | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| 1974 | Great Performances | No | No | Associate | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Hard Times | No | No | Yes | Miniseries |
| 1978 | Verna: USO Girl | Yes | No | No | TV movie |
| 1986 | The Parent Trap II | Yes | No | No |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
