_**Ranks with the top Civil War films**_ Released in 2020, “Grant” is a three-part miniseries based on historian Ron Chernow’s 2017 book of the same name. Without commercials, this is a 4-hour film that’s part dramatic reenactment featuring Justin Salinger in the lead role and part documentary with a diverse cast of erudite and interesting commentators. Ulysses S. Grant has been descibed as “an inspired commander, an adequate president, a dull companion and a roaring drunk.” I take issue with that last description. Grant might’ve had an issue with alcohol, but that doesn’t make him a “roaring drunk.” I know real-life drunkards and they waste their lives sitting around looking for their next drink, accomplishing very little. Drunks don’t lead the biggest military force on Earth and win battle-after-battle, as well as the great war itself. Nor are they able to lead a country the size of the USA for eight years and have a successful marriage & family that overcome great challenges over & over. This might be my favorite Civil War movie of all time, as good or better than the best you can cite, like “Ride with the Devil” (1999), “Glory” (1989), “Cold Mountain” (2003), “The Horse Soldiers” (1959) and “Gods and Generals” (2002). “Grant” is the best cinematic source to understand the big picture of The Civil War, especially as far as the Union’s strategy to victory. For instance,…

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