Long epic films can either make time fly by or feel like they will never end, but fortunately, Ronald F. Maxwell’s war epic Gettysburg aligns with the first. The movie covers the story of the three-day battle between the American Union and Confederate armies and everything that led up to it. Gettysburg is more than just a Civil War movie, it is also a film about one of the most important battles in American history.
Grossing $12.7 million on a $20 million budget, Gettysburg is incredibly underrated. While it should be considered one of the best war movies of all time, it only had a limited theatrical release and did not have the impact it deserved. The film would eventually gain a wider audience ever since its release in 1993, with many acknowledging it as a war movie that radically changed the genre. After all, it is the first film about the Battle of Gettysburg. Not only is it the first of its kind, but it is also simply an excellent film with a great cast that upholds historical accuracy.
Gettysburg Is A Great Movie About The U.S. Civil War
The Whole Four Hours Is Worth It For The Immaculate Story Telling
Gettysburg’s in-depth coverage of all three days of the battle makes the movie’s plot so incredible. Each day changes the film’s focus, allowing viewers to gain a true understanding of the characters and their significance in this battle. Not to mention, changing the focus on each day prevents the film from seeming to draw out longer than needed. Four and a half hours is a long runtime. Yet, Gettysburg manages to make purpose with these three storylines in every minute of the movie.
The plot of Gettysburg is not the only aspect that makes it a great film. The American National Park Service allowed the movie to be filmed on the real Gettysburg battlefield in Pennsylvania. This was the first time any motion picture was allowed to film on the grounds. The scenery transports its audience back in time so they can actually see what the battle looked like. The fact that the filmmakers convinced the National Park Service to allow filming for Gettysburg on the battlefield truly shows the dedication they had to make this a great Civil War movie.
Gettysburg Has A Brilliant Cast With Jeff Daniels, Sam Elliott & More
They Truly Bring The Characters To Life
As mentioned, Martin Sheen is another excellent actor who stars in Gettysburg alongside Jeff Daniels and Sam Elliot. This type of cast should make it one of the best ensemble casts in war movies. All of these actors have very notable reputations as stellar performers regardless of the genre they’re in. Thus, it is no wonder each of them brought to life Civil War characters with such emotional depth. They all provide an understanding of the standpoints each of the characters came from during the battle and the war overall.
With the experience most of the cast has with war films, it is no wonder they give outstanding performances in Gettysburg. They know precisely what it takes to perform in an action-packed and tense setting. Performing as a soldier, regardless of which side they are on, also requires a certain way to carry oneself. Each of these Gettysburg actors clearly knows how to do so. These performances are then convincing, allowing the film to be a great piece about the Civil War.
Is Gettysburg Historically Accurate?
The Battle Of Gettysburg Certainly Happened
Besides the Battle of Gettysburg being true, the characters that the actors performed were also real people. Naturally, the dialogue they had with one another in Gettysburg is most certainly fictional. Some plot points were also fictional, such as when Chamberlain and his soldiers moved to the Union center on the third day. Therefore, there are some changes from the Gettysburg movie true story. Even with these changes, the film is mostly accurate of the historical events that took place in the Gettysburg battle and the days leading up to it.
Although Gettysburg has some historical inaccuracies, it does feature one of the most accurate depictions of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Gettysburg is also based on Michael Shaara’s book The Killer Angels, which is also very accurate to the real-life battle. The film also does the literary source material justice as it stays true to the original plot. Without this book being very accurate about the battle, Ronald F. Maxwell’s screenplay may not have stayed true to the actual historical events. The novel ultimately allows Gettysburg to have a great plot and an accurate storyline.
Although Gettysburg has some historical inaccuracies, it does feature one of the most accurate depictions of the Battle of Gettysburg. This accuracy, along with the cast and the storyline, make it a highly underrated war film. There are other great Civil War movies, but Gettysburg stands out even among these and is a must-watch not just for fans of the genre.