Gettysburg (1993)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Ronald F. Maxwell

Writers (WGA):

Michael Shaara (novel)
Ronald F. Maxwell (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 October 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Same Land. Same God. Different Dreams.

Plot:

In 1863, the Northern and Southern forces fight at Gettysburg in the decisive battle of the American Civil War.

Plot Keywords:

Battle | American Civil War | Gettysburg | Lieutenant General | Reference To Hamlet

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Lt. Gen. James Longstreet
Martin Sheen	...	Gen. Robert E. Lee
Stephen Lang	...	Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett
Jeff Daniels	...	Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
Richard Jordan	...	Brig. Gen. Lewis A. Armistead
Andrew Prine	...	Brig. Gen. Richard B. Garnett
Cooper Huckabee	...	Henry T. Harrison
Patrick Gorman	...	Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood
Bo Brinkman	...	Maj. Walter H. Taylor
James Lancaster	...	Lt. Col. Arthur Fremantle
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Maj. Gen. Isaac R. Trimble / Narrator
Kieran Mulroney	...	Maj. G. Moxley Sorrel
James Patrick Stuart	...	Col. E. Porter Alexander
Tim Ruddy	...	Maj. Charles Marshall
Royce D. Applegate	...	Brig. Gen. James L. Kemper

Also Known As:

The Killer Angels (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

261 min | Sweden:254 min | UK:259 min | Netherlands:244 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints) | DTS (35 mm prints)

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate no. 31000) | Iceland:12 | Canada:PG | Greece:K-13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Esparza / Katz Productions

Trivia:

Except for the professional actors, this movie featured over 13,000 volunteer Civil War re-enactors who paid their own way, provided their own props and uniforms and fought the battles presented on screen using the same tactics as were current at the time.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene where many confederate soldiers are cheering and shaking General Lee's hand while he is on horseback, one man clearly has a tan line from a wristwatch.

Quotes:

Col. Arthur Freemantle: I'm told you're descended from an illustrious military family.
Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead: [scoffs] Who told you that? Kemper?
Col. Arthur Freemantle: He tells me it was your uncle who defended Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, and that he was therefore the guardian of the original "Star-Spangled Banner." I must say, I do appreciate the irony of it all.
Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead: Colonel Freemantle... it does not begin or end with my uncle... or myself. We're all sons of Virginia here.
[he motions with his eyes; Freemantle follows his gaze]
Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead: That major out there, commanding the cannon... that's James Dearing. First in his class at West Point, before Virgina seceded. And the boy over there with the color guard...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The O'Reilly Factor: (2008-02-26)" (2008)

Not the best, but a great representation of the epic battle of the Civil War

All I hear is people griping about how long this film is. That's not the point. The point is it represents what is considered by historians to be the most important battle of the American Civil War.

I will admit that the length of the film kinda takes away from it, but it is nonetheless good.

Save a few historical gaffes (eg. Chamberlain and the 20th Maine at Picket's Charge - in reality, they were being held in reserve near the Round Tops with the rest of the V Corps), this film is very realistic, using thousands of professional re-enactors to fight the battle scenes, which adds to it.

Many battles and side notes were left out (eg. Vincent was mortally wounded on Little Round Top; or did they mention this, I don't remember), but that is okay, given the film focuses on Joshua L. Chamberlain and the 20th Maine, who saved the day at Little Round Top on July 2.

Skirmishes at the Herr Tavern, McPherson's Hill, Little Round Top, and Picket's Charge were all the fighting I remember. But, again, this doesn't really take anything away.

The sweep and grandeur is helped by the superb cinematography (by Kees Van Oostrum) and great acting on the part of Tom Berenger (Longstreet), Martin Sheen (Lee), Jeff Daniels (Chamberlain), C. Thomas Howell (Tom Chamberlain), Sam Elliot (Buford), and the rest of the superb cast. A standout is the late Richard Jordan as Lewis Armistead, the brigade commander in Picket's division who was killed leading his troops "over the top" against Union artillery.

The battle scenes are excellent; Picket's Charge, in real time, is superb, but the furious battle for Little Round Top is one of the most desperate battle scenes ever filmed. You can feel the fear and tension of the 20th Maine as the 44th Alabama (I believe this is correct) charges up the hill again and again. When Chamberlain and his men finally sweep their opponents off the hill?

I think that it may have been good to portray the charging Confederates as well, since they had many interesting stories among them (e.g., the commander of the 44th, William Oates, had a brother, John, who had been ill with a fever and refused to stay behind, and was mortally wounded in the carnage), and the heroics of such people as Vincent himself, and Patrick O'Rourke (who led his New York regiment in a counterattack that saved Vincent's right flank and was killed in the charge) are neglected, but I'm not complaining.

Despite the length and a few overdramatic speeches, this is a great movie.

Seven out of ten.