It shouldn’t surprise most Spy readers that a full-feature documentary about the Talbot Boys controversy might be in the works. After almost ten years of dramatic public debates, legal maneuvers, and protest marches, and widely covered in local and national media, as well as long-form treatment from the likes of the New Yorker and Atlantic magazines, the Confederate soldiers’ memorial story was ripe for the right kind of filmmaker to come to town and pull this powerful narrative together in film format.
Mike Wicklein fits that definition. With documentaries on his vita like Gods and Generals: Journey to the Past about the battle at Gettysburg and Bloody Shenandoah, on the battles that took place in the “Bread Basket” of the Confederacy in 1864, Wicklein has an extraordinary passion for Civil War history going back to his early years growing up in Western Maryland.
Now Wicklein has taken that passion and experience and directed into telling the story of the Talbot Boys saga with a working title of Monumental Struggle. Working hard over the last month or so to win the trust of both sides of this polarizing and painful chapter of Mid-Shore history, Mike and his wife, Linda, have just completed interviews with twelve key stakeholders in the debate. The results of which have now been turned into a short preview of the film to encourage funders of the project.
Mike came by the Spy studio the other day to discuss the project.
Eva M. Smorzaniuk, MD says
This film needs to be made, and to become part of the archives of Talbot County history, and part of the school curriculum in every county of Maryland!