Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All

 ((Sun. (1), Tues. (3), 9-11 p.m., CBS))

By PATRICIA O'CONNELL

Filmed in Madison, Ga., by the Konigsberg/Sanitsky Co. in association with RHI Entertainment Inc. Executive producers, Frank Konigsberg, Larry Sanitsky; producer, Jack Clements; supervising producer, Joyce Eliason; director, Ken Cameron; writer, Eliason (based on the novel by Allan Gurganus).
 
Cast: Diane Lane, Donald Sutherland, Cicely Tyson, Anne Bancroft, Blythe Danner, E.G. Marshall, Gwen Verdon, Camille Cooper, Maureen Mueller, Kathy Morris, Wil Horneff, Jesse Zeigler, Garette Ratliff Henson, Jordan Williams, Stephanie Astalos-Jones, Erin Williby, Amber Wallace, Joshua Cantrell, Jacob Cantrell, Damon Pooser, Tim Black, Ed Grady, Jason Kerr, Allan Gurganus.
 

Here is a rarity among TV movies or miniseries: One that you actually wish were longer. "Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All" doesn't tell all in its allotted four hours, and that's a shame, because what's told is entertaining, involving and moving.

The story, which covers 1862-1984, is told from two points of view: That of Capt. Marsden, who went off to the Civil War with his best friend at age 13, and of Lucy, who becomesMarsden's child bride at the turn of the century.

The captain keeps reliving the war well into his dotage, which ignites a war of a different kind with his wife. Lucy is torn between her attempts to rescue him from his obsession and her exasperation at his refusal to let go of his tormented past.

"Confederate Widow" is simply a story of two people, with no pretensions of being a work of sweeping historical context. The mini's source work, Allan Gurganus' novel, is responsible for many of the mini's successes and its chief source of frustration -- much of the lengthy book gets left out. But what's left in is well told and uniformly well acted.

Diane Lane, as the young Lucy, gives a remarkable performance, changing from innocent bride to pillar of steel. Anne Bancroft, playing the older Lucy, picks up effortlessly where Lane leaves off.

Donald Sutherland is a delight as the lusty, eccentric Civil War vet still tormented by the death of his best friend during the war.

All supporting cast members do well. Standouts are Blythe Danner as Lucy's superficial, Southern belle mother, and Cicely Tyson as a former slave who never allows anyone to own her dignity or spirit.

Charles Bennett's production design is a pleasure to look at. Despite the limitations imposed by the telepic's length, Joyce Eliason has done an excellent job of adapting the novel. Director Ken Cameron brings equal grace to the Civil War battles and to the smaller, emotional scenes.

Camera, Edward Pei; editors, Tod Feuerman, Charles Bornstein; production designer, Charles Bennett; sound, Steve C. Aaron; music, Mark Snow.