Not as good as "Glory" but an admirable effort

Rating: Null/10 (12 August 2002)

I just saw Gettysburg for the first time. I applaud the producers for their powerful and pain-staking depiction of this amazing event. Unlike the makers of "Pearl Harbor", they knew that the truth of it was infinitely more interesting than any melodramatic fiction a Hollywood screenwriter could make up. I agree with others who have posted that it is too long. Many of the scenes cried out for editing. The acting was generally good, although I would have preferred a different actor to portray Lee. Martin Sheen did what he could, but I think the legendary status of Lee required an actor of similar physical stature and charisma. I thought Tom Berenger's performance was wooden (even though the real Longstreet was a stolid figure,I would have preferred more nuance). But Richard Jordan and Jeff Daniels were very good.