Gettysburg (1993)

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

Director:

Ron Maxwell (as Ronald F. Maxwell)

Writers:

Michael Shaara (novel), Ron Maxwell (screenplay) (as Ronald F. Maxwell)

Stars:

Tom Berenger, Martin Sheen, Stephen Lang

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Berenger	...	Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet
Martin Sheen	...	Gen. Robert E. Lee
Stephen Lang	...	Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett
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	...	Lieut. Col. Arthur Fremantle
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Maj. Gen. Isaac R. Trimble / Narrator (as Morgan Sheppard)
Kieran Mulroney	...	Maj. G. Moxley Sorrel
James Patrick Stuart	...	Col. E. Porter Alexander (as Patrick Stuart)
Tim Ruddy	...	Maj. Charles Marshall
Royce D. Applegate	...	Brig. Gen. James L. Kemper
Ivan Kane	...	Cap. Thomas J. Goree

Storyline

The four and 1/4 hour depiction of the historical and personal events surrounding and including the decisive American civil war battle features thousands of civil war re-enactors marching over the exact ground that the federal army and the army of North Virginia fought on. The defense of the Little Round Top and Pickett's Charge are highlighted in the actual three day battle which is surrounded by the speeches of the commanding officers and the personal reflections of the fighting men. Based upon the novel 'The Killer Angels'.

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Plot Keywords:

u.s. civil war | gen robert e lee character | battle | civil war | american civil war | 

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Taglines:

Same Land. Same God. Different Dreams.

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and epic battle scenes

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 October 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Killer Angels

Filming Locations:

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$10,769,960

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Television, Esparza / Katz Productions, New Line Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

271 min

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Famous late film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert had opposing views on the film. Ebert thought it was too focused on making the American Civil War buffs happy, but he still ended up enjoying it anyway, especially praising Jeff Daniels in the role of Union Colonel Joshua Chamberlain. Siskel on the other hand disliked the movie, seeing it as Southern pro-Confederate propaganda. However, he did enjoy Daniels' character as well, adding that Daniels deserved an Academy Award nomination for the role.

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Goofs

Buford was, in fact, ordered to the left. He wasn't sent away from the battlefield until late morning on July 2. The first evening of the battle, when Buford meets Hancock in the command post, Hancock mentions that Buford's cavalry will be pulled from the line and moved to cover the left against CSA cavalry. This is inaccurate factually (Buford's badly-mauled cavalry was pulled back to guard supply lines behind Union lines for the rest of the battle) as well as nonsensical - the CSA cavalry was on the REBEL left (the Union RIGHT).

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Quotes

[on Pickett]
Lieutenant General James Longstreet: His record at West Point is still the talk of both armies. He graduated last in his class, dead last. Quite a feat, when you consider his classmates.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Horror of Party Beach (1997)

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Soundtracks

Dixie
(uncredited)
Composed by Daniel Decatur Emmett (circa 1850s)
Played during Lee's march through Pennsylvania

User Reviews

One of the Great War Films of All Time

Its over four hours long,but doesn't feel it. Any while its not gory you do get a sense of the hell of war.

What can I say that hasn't been said already?

The film works mostly because at its center its the story of Jeff Daniel's Joshua Chamberlain, a well educated man who goes off to do his duty even though he knows he may end up dead. Daniel's gives a performance that should have been noticed by the Oscars but wasn't. Its through Daniel's interaction with all the other characters that we come to understand what the war was about.

Even if the odd facial hair makes you crazy, its a great film. I can't recommend this film enough.