Good movie with flaws, but very riveting

Rating: Null/10 (6 July 2001)

Despite the numerous historical attacks on minute details by historians and psudo-historians, Gettysburg is a good film: good enough to see time and time again. As a social studies teacher, I have shown the Pickett's Charge scenes to students, and as a movie fan, have seen the movie, and sections of it, repeatedly. The battle scenes are nothing like the gory-yet-riveting Saving Private Ryan or even like those in another Civil War film, Glory, yet they more than measure up in scope and choreography, due in no small part to the reenactors and the main stars. The main characters of the film, however, are the reason to watch Gettysburg. You know you want one side or the other to win, but there's good guys on both sides, and you hope for a draw, and that no one gets hurt. So much for wishful thinking.
This was to be a TV movie, and elements of this are apparent. The often melodramatic speeches by the stars and amateurish acting of the bit players shines through in many spots, and one often winces at some of the over-acted performances and hokey dialogue. One wonders why more heavyweight players weren't in place as generals: many of the actors' resumes are sparce in comparison to the four or five "big stars" of the film.
A surprising star of the film is Randy Edelman's musical arrangement and soundtrack: the music, both the score and historic tunes (Dixie), are performed and mixed perfectly, saving many an otherwise snoozy or sappy scene: one of the best soundtracks in recent years for a historical film, in my opinion.
The Confederate General George Pickett, played by Stephen Lang, almost steals the show. Other good performances are Martin Sheen's pious, contemplative, exhausted Robert E. Lee, Tom Berenger's cautious Gen. Longstreet, and Jeff Daniels' thoughtful Col. Joshua Chamberlain. Sam Elliott played U.S. Cavalry General John Buford, and was his usual excellent self. I could have done without the often-fruity performance of James Lancaster's Col. Freemantle, the British observer. Also, the guy playing J.E.B Stuart quite simply needed to glue his fake beard on better. (I was waiting for Lee to put a piece of Halloween candy in his pumpkin bag when Stuart arrived at Lee's headquarters' door.) But this is nitpicking an otherwise good film.
You'll find yourself quoting quotes from the film. Try waking your kid up in the morning by saying "Colonel Darlin', rise up, me bucco," in a thick Irish brogue. During your next one-sided flag football game, try screaming out "What's happening to my boys?" as did Lang's Pickett during the slaughter; or even saying a frustrated "Damn!" when you don't get those office supplies you ordered, as did Berenger's Longstreet when he found out that his attack was to happen with little artillery support. You'll get weird looks, but it'll prompt a repeat showing of a good historical film.