Gettysburg movie

[CO_Kid]

I'm sitting here with insomnia watching the movie Gettysburg. I've been there once, which is shame on me since I lived in PA until I was 20. A couple thoughts from the movie

1. This movie has the best soundtrack ever.

2. I've said it before on here, but in my opinion, Jeff Daniels is the most versatile actor around. He is fantastic in this movie, and can turn around and play a goofball in Dumb and Dumber, a creepy serial killer in Blood Work, George Washington in The Crossing, etc.

 

[Cashfan]

Gettysburg is a fantastic movie. Its historical and accurate, and is loaded with good actors. Every time I see Martin Sheen I think of Robert E Lee.

The cannon scene that begins Pickett's Charge is awesome. Its sad to think about all those fine men that died there and in the war. They knew what was ahead of them and did it anyway. They are real heroes, not the athletes and actors of today.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

It was a great movie, but how do you capture all of the ins and outs of the battle into one movie? They really missed what I consider the flavor of the way the tides of war changed day to day.

 

[kevin in nh]

Gettysburg is a fantastic movie. Its historical and accurate, and is loaded with good actors. Every time I see Martin Sheen I think of Robert E Lee.

The cannon scene that begins Pickett's Charge is awesome. Its sad to think about all those fine men that died there and in the war. They knew what was ahead of them and did it anyway. They are real heroes, not the athletes and actors of today.

It is my favorite too.....I have been there 3 times and it is mind boggling to think of all the armies doing battle....and a shame so many good men died.

 

[redneckemt]

Shame the trilogy will never be finished. You cant watch Gettysburg without watching Gods and Generals. The third movie was canceled after G&Gs box Office numbers

 

[WardenRoss]

Here it is the year 2014 and I still get quite emotional when I watch this movie. My Grandfather's Grandfather and his two brothers were all killed in the Civil War.

Boyhood memories of my Grandfather and the older folks talking about the War had quite an effect on me even though it was about 100 years in the past.

I guess they call that "heritage."

 

[Club Gun Fan]

"Gettysburg" was a movie, remember that. I have studied the battle for a number of years. My focus is Massachusetts units at Gettysburg. About 1/2 of the movie is fiction. The title should have been "The 20th Maine at Gettysburg." Everyone praises the 20th's exploits on Little Round Top and how Chamberlain saved the Union from sure defeat.
In the movie, after the fighting had stopped, the colonel from the 83 PA goes up to Chamberlain and says "Colonel we watched what you did". The left flank of the 83rd was only partially engaged. If the 20th had fallen, undoubtedly the rest of the 83PA would have moved in. How many reinforcements did the South have on hand to rush up and, in historians words "Roll up the Union flank and destroy the Army of the Potomac." There is one problem with this statement. The attack on Little Round Top started about 6:00PM. Around 4:00PM Meade and his staff are on the south slope of Cemetery Hill. Meade noticed a large cloud of dust rising up in the direction of the Emmitsburg Road. He spots a corps flag appearing from out of the dust. He is claimed to have stated, "Thank God it's the 6th Corps." This very scene is depicted in the movie. It is one of the few historically accurate parts. The 6th Corp had just accomplished a forced marched over 25 miles. Anyone know where their line of battle was along Cemetery Ridge? If you said, anchored on the north facing slope of Little Round Top, you'd be correct.
Why was the arrival of the John Sedgwick's 6th Corps so vital to Meade and the Army of the Potomac? Not only was Meade's Army now complete, it also meant the largest corps in his army was now at Gettysburg. The Sixth Corps contained 12,000 men. Larger then any reinforcements in Lee's reserve at that time in the battle. Yes, they had just made a brutal march in the July heat, but, they had 2 hours to rest up. Even if half of the Sixth had been able to respond to a Confederate assault, it clearly would have resulted in a rout of the southern attack.
One question I ask people when I'm at the Copse of Trees, "Did anyone see the movie GETTYSBURG"? Hands go up all over. In the movie, the fighting has stopped on Little Round Top. Chamberlain is told that he will be placed in the quietest spot in the line, near the Copse of Trees. Of course we all know what happened the next day. Longstreet's Assault, otherwise know as Pickett's Charge. One thing some people don't know, every Union regiment that was at Gettysburg have placed monuments or markers where they were in position during the battle. Some have two, three even four markers. I ask them to show me the 20th's position on the line we are presently standing.
There is none, don't waste your time. It was Hollywood saying "Damn history put the 20th here". Never let the facts stand in the way of a good story. In fact the 20th was moved that night. They were put into a position northeast of the Sixth Corp. Fighting at Gettysburg was over for them.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Gettysburg is a fantastic movie. Its historical and accurate, and is loaded with good actors. Every time I see Martin Sheen I think of Robert E Lee.

The cannon scene that begins Pickett's Charge is awesome. Its sad to think about all those fine men that died there and in the war. They knew what was ahead of them and did it anyway. They are real heroes, not the athletes and actors of today.

I would suggest you rethink the accurate part. As for Martin Sheen, I think they could have cast someone better then him.

 

[PA Reb]

My favorite topic OP! Back when the movie was being made, I was doing a lot of civil war re-enacting and belonged to several local groups. We went down to Gettysburg as a group to take part in the filming as extras. We stayed in tents for two weeks and had a blast. I also took two wardrobes with me - one for the blue side and one for the gray side - whichever they needed for the day. Ted Turner paid dearly for it but the NPS allowed filming on the actual battlefield twice - once during the Pickett's Charge scenes and once for the Devil's Den scenes. Action, cut, line up again, action, cut, line up again, etc all day long! In the Devil's Den scenes, you can see a union soldier handing the U.S. flag down off of a rock to another soldier. The guy on top of the rock and handing the flag down is a good friend of mine who got 3 seconds of glory on film! I got to meet Sheen (Lee), Daniels (Chamberlain), Berenger (Longstreet), Lang (Pickett), Elliott (Buford), Gorman (Hood) and many others while we were there. I always liked Elliott until I saw in person what he was really like which was a let down. What memories !

 

[Wyatt Burp]

It's a great movie and Daniels was fantastic as Chamberlain. I didn't much like Sheen as Lee because his attempt to show wise contemplation in some scenes but ended up looking dazed and zombie like. Stephen Lang was a perfect Pickett, and he even brought his own beard. The movie had some horribly fake beards. Trivia, I know, since the battle scenes and focus on friends fighting friends was stunning. We saw it at the show and I'm glad I saw it BIG.

 

[PA Reb]

"Gettysburg" was a movie, remember that. I have studied the battle for a number of years. My focus is Massachusetts units at Gettysburg. About 1/2 of the movie is fiction. The title should have been "The 20th Maine at Gettysburg." Everyone praises the 20th's exploits on Little Round Top and how Chamberlain saved the Union from sure defeat.
In the movie, after the fighting had stopped, the colonel from the 83 PA goes up to Chamberlain and says "Colonel we watched what you did". The left flank of the 83rd was only partially engaged. If the 20th had fallen, undoubtedly the rest of the 83PA would have moved in. How many reinforcements did the South have on hand to rush up and, in historians words "Roll up the Union flank and destroy the Army of the Potomac." There is one problem with this statement. The attack on Little Round Top started about 6:00PM. Around 4:00PM Meade and his staff are on the south slope of Cemetery Hill. Meade noticed a large cloud of dust rising up in the direction of the Emmitsburg Road. He spots a corps flag appearing from out of the dust. He is claimed to have stated, "Thank God it's the 6th Corps." This very scene is depicted in the movie. It is one of the few historically accurate parts. The 6th Corp had just accomplished a forced marched over 25 miles. Anyone know where their line of battle was along Cemetery Ridge? If you said, anchored on the north facing slope of Little Round Top, you'd be correct.
Why was the arrival of the John Sedgwick's 6th Corps so vital to Meade and the Army of the Potomac? Not only was Meade's Army now complete, it also meant the largest corps in his army was now at Gettysburg. The Sixth Corps contained 12,000 men. Larger then any reinforcements in Lee's reserve at that time in the battle. Yes, they had just made a brutal march in the July heat, but, they had 2 hours to rest up. Even if half of the Sixth had been able to respond to a Confederate assault, it clearly would have resulted in a rout of the southern attack.
One question I ask people when I'm at the Copse of Trees, "Did anyone see the movie GETTYSBURG"? Hands go up all over. In the movie, the fighting has stopped on Little Round Top. Chamberlain is told that he will be placed in the quietest spot in the line, near the Copse of Trees. Of course we all know what happened the next day. Longstreet's Assault, otherwise know as Pickett's Charge. One thing some people don't know, every Union regiment that was at Gettysburg have placed monuments or markers where they were in position during the battle. Some have two, three even four markers. I ask them to show me the 20th's position on the line we are presently standing.
There is none, don't waste your time. It was Hollywood saying "Damn history put the 20th here". Never let the facts stand in the way of a good story. In fact the 20th was moved that night. They were put into a position northeast of the Sixth Corp. Fighting at Gettysburg was over for them.

You're completely correct but, just like the movie "Patton" with George C. Scott, its only a Hollywood movie! People like you with a true interest are to be commended for taking the time to study the "true story" and to keep passing it on so it doesn't become lost in time. Also, you spoke of the "Copse of Trees" above. It never ceases to amaze me how many people believe that group of trees are the same trees that stood during the battle ! I also wonder how many people actually take the time to climb BRT to see the 20th's marker up there!

 

[Club Gun Fan]

I have and I'm glad I did. I even went looking for Farnsworth's stone near the Rose Farm. I saw one of the last remaining Confederate trench east of the railroad cut. I sometimes visit late in the fall, less people and the leaves are off the trees.

 

[Hellraiser]

I would suggest you rethink the accurate part. As for Martin Sheen, I think they could have cast someone better then him.

Didn't watch the movie for a long time for that very reason. I strongly disagree with all of Sheen's politics... but he played that part extremely well. Other than Sean Penn... I have since separated somebody's views from their acting abilities.

How 'bout that actor who played Pickett in the movie... Stephen Lang? He is also very versatile. Played Stonewall Jackson in the prequel... Gods and Generals. Over the years, Lang played Ike Clanton in Tombstone... and the mean Marine Colonel in Avatar.

 

[the ringo kid]

Gettysburg is a fantastic movie. Its historical and accurate, and is loaded with good actors. Every time I see Martin Sheen I think of Robert E Lee.

The cannon scene that begins Pickett's Charge is awesome. Its sad to think about all those fine men that died there and in the war. They knew what was ahead of them and did it anyway. They are real heroes, not the athletes and actors of today.

I also thought that Sheen made a better Lee too. Duval was goood-but not as good as Sheen was.

 

[cmort666]

Joshua Chamberlain was the kind of officer that gets this country through crises, from Trenton to Fallujah. They're shoulder to shoulder with their own men and don't expect them to do anything they wouldn't do themselves.

I wonder how many of them will be left when the Army and Marines are finished being gutted...

 

[PA Reb]

Just to add to what others have already said about the actors, Martin Sheen, although I don't care for some of his political stances, was one of the nicest people I ever met. His portrayal of Lee however wasn't that great in my view. From what I've read about the real Pickett and although he was flamboyant, Stephen Lang's portrayal was way off base and almost silly at times. Sam Elliott seemed alright until there were a lot of ladies around when he turned obnoxious! Patrick Gorman, who played John Bell Hood, was a fantastic person and walks the streets of Gettysburg to this day from time to time in full uniform. Tom Berenger was a nice fellow but I believe Longstreet was a lot more forceful than what Berenger portrayed him to be. He also had a REALLY BAD beard! Jeff Daniels played a good part as Chamberlain but few scenes on LRT are historically accurate. I also saw him turn and run straight into a tree while filming a scene. He wasn't hurt, it was of course edited out but it sure was hysterically funny!

Thanks for indulging me!
PA Reb

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I also consider myself an amateur historian. I also have visited the battlefield uncounted times and emptied libraries of their military history books. As I am a fan of Col Chamberlain and his actions at little round top, I applaud the movie's coverage and cannot resist watching it whenever it is on even with the reconstructed buildings, telephone poles and post war monuments in the background of some scenes. Many men made many sacrifices that will never be properly honored throughout the battle and war, movies have limitations, and directors and producers have biases, I am glad that the movie is as accurate as it is, as with Battle of the Bulge, The Longest Day, Anzio, A Bridge Too Far and the others. If Sepp Dietrich would have had a bridge that he was supposed to have in December 1944 but for a staff error, if the Americans would have been more aggressive at Anzio, if the Germans would have released he panzer reserve on a timely basis at Normandy, if Malta had fallen, if the Kaiser sensibly stayed out of WWI, and on and on, None of that takes away from the courage of the men on the spot, or the courage of others equally or perhaps more deserving than any movie tells. They are all honored where it counts. God bless all here.

 

[Iggy]

I walked the route of Pickett's charge and was staggered to try and imagine how men could/would persevere through the carnage they did.
What a terrible waste of brave young men for any cause.

About 5AM a Park Ranger woke me up and told I couldn't sleep in that pasture, and to pick up my saddle, six gun, and bed roll and git!

Then he gave my car a jump start and I did what he told me.
That Ranger was about as nice feller as I ever met east of the Mississippi river.

 

[rwsmith]

One of the very few movies.....

One of the very few historical movies that was true to life. The book it came from, "The Killer Angels" is a first class read. That was one time I couldn't say "The book was better."

 

[Wyatt Burp]

I walked the route of Pickett's charge and was staggered to try and imagine how men could/would persevere through the carnage they did.
What a terrible waste of brave young men for any cause.

About 5AM a Park Ranger woke me up and told I couldn't sleep in that pasture, and to pick up my saddle and bed roll and git!

Then he gave a jump start and I did what he told me.
That Ranger was about as nice feller as I ever met east of the Mississippi river.

Talk radio guy Michael Medved, ever skeptical about ghosts, aliens, etc., once said he and a college friend snuck in and slept near or on Cemetery ridge, I think it was. Then he said he's not ready to talk about it. A couple years later I called his show and asked if he was ready to describe the experience. He said both of them heard the clanging of gear and looked up in the night to see a mass of semi transparent men in grey walking past them. Just that I'd mention it.