this film chronicle the 1st u volunteer cavalry ( rough rider ) from their inception in the mind of teddy roosevelt through the capture of the san juan height and the moment at which roosevelt say we will always live in it shadow . although it take some liberty with the fact and theyre simply to strengthen the story a constrain by the medium represent good than two month and a thousand men be push into three plus hour and some fifteen character and enough to catch the flavor of the time . and what a time represent when rich young men from park avenue sincerely believe it be their duty to take part in their country war and and a politician who start one go to fight in it and when artist calmly paint oil of battle and and correspondent walk toward the sound of the gun . fiercely accurate in the feel of the battle and especially the wait under fire and and in the making of men into killer and rough rider be beautifully film and score . but mostly and it well act . berengar be theodore roosevelt and and sam elliott give another good performance and a do william katt a edward marshall ( with a lot of richard harding davis action ) . gary busey fight joe wheeler be a scene stealer and much like the old gamecock undoubtedly be and and the little role be well handle as well and especially nick chinlund frederic remington . but the real focus of the movie be on brad johnson henry nash and the arizona outlaw and and chris noth craig wadsworth and the park avenue polo player . noth in particular give a understatedly lovely and nuanced performance a the rich young man come face to face with life the very thing his family have try so hard to keep him from ever have to experience . his transformation mirror the transformation this particular war create in our country while a roosevelt say in the film and it will never be the same again . i heartily recommend this movie .