Gettysburg

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source: Gettysburg

This is the best Civil War movie ever made. An all star cast lead this explosive movie, depicting the famous battle of Gettysburg. Every history buff, and anyone interested in the movie will be well satisfied. Picketts charge made me want to weep for the Confederate soldiers, and you will enjoy this movie too, despite the four hours that it is.

Gettysburg is one of my top ten favorite movies of all time. To the Englishman who suggested that only Americans would like this movie and expressed his disdain for American nationalism, I suggest you watch the following movies: Braveheart, The Patriot, and In the Name of the Father. I bet you will really enjoy those movies. While you're at it, you may want to watch Patton, the movie regarding the American General that rescued Europe from Nazi rule. As for Gettysburg, this movie really brought the battle alive for me. I especially enjoyed the performances of Stephen Lang as Pickett, Richard Jordan as Armistead, and Kevin Conway as Kilrain. Stephen Lang's response to Sheen (General Lee) toward the end of Pickett's unsuccessful charge, was wonderfully delivered, such that it brings tears to my eyes whenever I watch that scene.

Gettysburg. Just the name sends chills down the spine of any 19th Century American History lover, which I happen to be. I was exceedingly pleased that this film delved into the relationships between the officers who attended West Point together, fought in the Mexican-American War together, courted the same women, then met each other on opposite sides of battlefields during the American Civil War. There are technical flaws in the movie, surely. The most notable is the sight of a white van tooling along a road in the background of Pickett's Charge. Look closely and look fast!! But don't look for the technical flaws; look at the overall picture. Don't look for the language flaws; look for the story behind the words. A wonderful film, exceptionally superior work by Tom Berenger, Martin Sheen, Jeff Daniels and Sam Elliott. The makeup is superb. Please. Don't sit down to watch it to rip it apart. Sit down to watch it to grasp this part of American History.

Gettysburg is (obviously) about a battle, and that's what it sticks to: historical figures, strategy, the emotion of war. No doomed romances, or even fancy special effects. The story is told from both sides: we get to know the individuals, and we find ourselves liking and disliking characters from both North and South. These factors give the movie a sense of reality and honesty without all the stuff that often gets thrown in just to manufacture a blockbuster. Jeff Daniels and Thomas Howell gave my favourite performances of the movie, and I really liked the relationship between the brothers. Some parts did drag a bit, making me wonder why the four-hour length was really necessary, especially when sitting through a seemingly unending sequence of marching, marching, marching....Overall, an interesting and entertaining movie I would definitely recommend.

Beautifully filmed dramatized version of the battle. However, if someone without knowledge of American history watched it, they might conclude the the traitors not only won the battle, but the war as well! While we are treated to Lee and his people discussing and planning strategy, we see almost nothing about Meade and the American commanders and their battle plans. And nothing, not even a mention, of Custer's heroic charge against JEB Stuart's calvary to protect the American right flank. There is a much better film on this subject waiting to be made.

This is a life-changing movie. To have portrayed before me so graphically people literally risking their lives for a cause was humbling and daunting. When Col. Chamberlain ordered his Maine regiment, out of ammunition, to fix bayonets, stand up, and charge the Alabama Boys, I was awe-struck. When Gen. Pickett led his division across that field right into the Federal guns, when he led them to wholesale slaughter, and then had to report to Gen. Lee that his plan had failed so miserably, I was in tears. Gen. Lee was upset with Pickett's report, and tried to dismiss him, saying, "Gen. Pickett, see to your division," to which Pickett replied, huskily, "Gen. Lee, I have no division!" That line will stay with me all my life. This movie should be required watching for all Americans!

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly regardless of its length--those interested in the subject matter should have no problems there. Chamberlain's charge is a good choice for dramatic focus, tho it should be noted that there was another Union charge similar in nature under similar circumstances the same day. Martin Sheen is a poor choice as Lee--he just doesn't have Lee's statuesque demeanor or dignity, and his acting was not good here (accent was a particular problem). However, there were good depictions of Hancock, Pickett, and Armistead. The dialogue was moving and original (compare Pearl Harbor), important in a war movie, where dialogue can be abstracted from "plot." The cinematography did well all that was needed in an epic movie. Kudos for this one.

This film showed the horrors and waste of war to maximum effectiveness. Why men would volunteer to expend their lives in such a vain effort is beyond me. Because some unthinking politico says you must run up a hill directly at people who are intent on killing you does not mean you must. A graphic film, well acted, with very realistic scenes.