"Gettysburg (1993)" Topic

Not sure where to post this, Books Board seemed the closest fit …

The film Gettysburg (1993)

What's the general opinion of it?

From what I recall I enjoyed the first part up to Reynolds arrival and a few parts after that, but there was a lot of seemingly contrived monologues either about the battle in order to explain to the view what was happening or about the rights and wrongs of the war.

I tend to find that these films can be stereo-typical particularly with the CSA representation and any Irish. It's such a shame because I think it detracts from the story.

Just to point out, I'm a Manx Man with a big interest in ACW, no axe to grind. I'm just interested in what people with more knowledge of the period think.

Stay Frosty

I enjoyed it, although I think Tom Berengers beard deserved an oscar and a credit of its own…

Great movie and sticks to the book (Killer Angels). (With the understanding that no movie can cover everything a book can.) Yes there are contrived monolougues and dialogues, but they're used to push the story along or to explain some of the decisions and/or actions. I'm must glad I was able to see it in a theater when it first came out!

If I want to relax and watch a history movie, that is what I choose to watch. I had it in VHS and I now have it on DVD. I have re-read Killer Angels several times also, so I am a real fan.

My great great grandfather was a Manx Man who married an Irish girl and then emigrated to Buffalo NY. I agree re: the Irish stereo types, especially that clownish sergeant in 20th Maine and the generally stale dialogue. Jeff Daniels is very good, but I walked out on the movie -- at the close of July 2nd -- when I first saw it in a theater.

I love it including most of the cast except Martin Sheen as General Lee. I don't know if he was worst as General Lee or Robert Duvall in Gods & Generals.

Oddly I have this in my DVD right now. Started watching last night.

As Civil War Historian supreme Ed Bearss put it:
"My Grandmother would have made a better lee than Charlie Sheen."

And my grandmother had a better beard than that chunk of shag carpet on Tom Berenger's mug.

Many of the scenes are ruined by lousy reenactors and/or lack of reenactors. The fat Reb Sgt. in the beginning always makes me cringe.

Tom Berenger's hat also is an eye-sore. Did he go to Mexico to get it?! Just too weird.

Gettysburg is one of my favorites movies. I have the 2 VHS colllectors set with the extra scenes and the DVD. But I hate Gods & Generals. I have snapped 2 DVD in half that were given to me a gifts because it is so bad.

Gettysburg is a film for the already converted, a lot of my non ACW gaming buddies, friends and family don't like the film due to it's length. Sheen is pretty average as Lee, Berenger is damn good as Longstreet. It's a lot better than Gods & Generals as a story and film, though G&G has better combat sequences. Really didn't like G&G, the part where Stonewall Jackson is having a conversation with a slave was jaw droppingly awful and the film lost me at that part. Other's experience I'm sure will be different.

Gettysburg is a good effort if bloodless to get the PG13 rating. I do have some issues with it:

There were no old/fat infantry in the ANV by July 1863
Bad beards
Too much time spend on Reynolds
The bloody leprechaun – I reenact ACW, sometimes as an officer, any enlisted man who called "Lt darin'" would be in for a bad day – especially of they read my mail first.
Corn fed confederates – there are 300lb re-enactors, but there weren't 300lb infantry any in the AVN. For some reason the Union does not seem to have these porkies.

I like the casing, I even like Martin Sheen.

Gods and Generals is a dud so much so that when I saw it at the cinema I almost walked out at the interval.

I played Gettysburg and G&G on the laptop while painting my ACW figs. It made it easier to screen out Jackson singing carols. I can imagine the conversation in the editing suite –
"Shall we include the footage we have filmed of Antietam, or shall we have Jackson in yuletide?"
"I'm sure our target audience will much prefer the carols."

Not classic movies but entertaining nonetheless

hussarbob1746.webs.com

Lying in bed with terrible ear infection watching it for the first time right now on my laptop.

So far Im really enjoying it. I know nothing about the ACW (a futrue project for our gaming group) and its getting the juices flowing. Just seen Chamberlain succesfully bayonet charge down Little Round Top.

I reckon I am going to have to get some books on the subject now!

Highly entertaining movie. I loved every minute of it, and I'll even include:

1 – the Irish Sergeant(I freely admit I'm part Irish)
2 – General Lee (Sheen is not nearly tall enough, but he had a presence, I could feel it, and from everything I've read about Lee, people were in awe of the man, and Sheen captured that well)
3 – General Longstreet (including his beard and hat. If only Lee would have listened to the man … I freely admit I had relatives who fought for the south)
4 – Colonel Chamberlain (I have disliked Jeff Daniels since day one, and have disliked every move he's ever been in, even if just a little part – EXCEPT Gettysburg. For some reason, he's perfect in this ONE role.)
5 – General Buford (Sam Elliot improves every movie he's in, and he steals the show here, depriving the rebels of the high ground by holding them back for as long as he could on that first day, just on the strength of one of his speeches! Go Buford! I freely admit I had relatives who fought for the North).

Anyone wasting their time complaining about fat extras really should be thanking their lucky stars that a movie of this quality, and of this length, was made. So much was done so well.

Somebody could have made a typical 110 minute Hollywood movie covering the "two" days of Gettysburg, with Brad Pitt as General Lee and George Clooney as General Meade, which showed the repulse of Picketts Charge by Gatling Guns.

Gettysburg rates a 10.

Gods & Generals rates a 1.

Quote: "There were no old/fat infantry in the ANV by July 1863."

98% true, but there were a few exceptions…

Look up William Raine Peck of the Louisiana Tigers. 300+ pounds as a colonel at Gettysburg. Ended the war even heavier and a general.

Found several quotes about fat or heavy or chunky Rebels in my research here in York County PA for a few books I have written. "A fat Reb" gave a girl a Jew's Harp in Gettysburg on June 26 during the Tigers' occupancy of the region.

It appears there were indeed fat Rebels, just not too many. A few sprinkled in as reenactors might be OK, but not nearly the number as in Gettysburg or G&G.