‘Grant’ on History Channel: Why some Ulysses S Grant fans hate Leonardo DiCaprio's ‘inaccurate’ miniseries?
Ulysses S Grant was an admirable man and at the time of his death, he stood alongside men like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. However, he is largely forgotten today and his rightful legacy is tarnished by a fog of myth, rumor and falsehood.
Bringing back his historical achievements, Leonardo DiCaprio's miniseries lifts the fog and paints his life and times on History channel. According to the official description, "'Grant' tells the remarkable and quintessentially American story of a humble man who overcomes incredible obstacles, rises to the highest ranks of power and saves the nation not once, but twice. With a seamless blend of dramatic scenes, expert commentary, and beautifully enhanced archival imagery, this three-part miniseries uncovers the true legacy of the unlikely hero who led the nation during its greatest tests: the Civil War and Reconstruction."
The attempt to tell Grant's story has largely been a success and fans couldn't wait to find out more lesser-known facts. Some even hinted at how they were related to Grant's family or lived close to his old home. "I'm related to Sherman on my mom's side. Our people lived in Galena, IL, on and off around the same time Grant did. Whether #Grant is made well or not (Sherman isn't a redhead so far?!), I need to watch it. My family fought under these men," one tweet read.
Another said, "There is a great photo of Grant's father's business when he wasn't working there. There's a pretty bad photo of when he was there. Most documentaries pick the great one. #Grant." One even went on to say, "Utilizing #Grant as the epitome of White Privilege, Leonardo DiCaprio undercuts the politics of the Civil War. It was the 13th Amendment that institutionalized slavery, creating a multi-billion $ industry. BTW, Robert E Lee was an open advocate for reconstruction unlike Davis."
Underlining the political undertones, one fan posted, "Ah, as I expected. #Grant on the #HistoryChannel is going to be more #MEETComplex rewriting of American history. "This is who we are" leftism where your ancestors are perverted by liberals who hate your ancestry and history and use their cultural power to deface them."
But many hated the docuseries. "I can't get past the inaccurate Civil War uniforms, flags, cannons, and more. I'm having trouble focusing on the actual content. Anyone else or is it just me? #Grant," one fan wrote and another said, "I’m sick of producers hiring foreign actors to portray our American icons. It’s insulting to the incredibly talented actors in our Union. #GRANT."
"I admit feeling annoyed by the #GRANT save our history campaign when presidential homes get all kinds of funding. Meanwhile, I'm literally working for free and giving my profits to @PejepscotHC to save the Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain house from decaying before our eyes."
However, many others admired the three-part miniseries. "#Grant has lightly touched on some of issues, which will probably be more to the forefront in later episodes but some of the angst with his slave-owning in-laws shows how complex and not black and white of a character he is," one fan wrote and another said, "#Grant has been wonderful so far. The commentators, the dramatization, all of it." Another posted, "This #Grant miniseries on History is so well done, as was the Washington miniseries in February. The History channel should do more real history programs like these."
The miniseries will premiere on Memorial Day and air over three consecutive nights beginning Monday, May 25, at 9 pm ET on History channel.
