GETTYSBURG
A film review by font@stlvm10.sanjose.ibm.com
Copyright 1993 font@stlvm10.sanjose.ibm.com
If you're looking for another one of those Oscar-worthy "Dances With Wolves meets Glory" type of movie, you'd better not waste your time sitting through GETTYSBURG. I saw it. It was probably the most boring movie I have ever seen. Where does it say that a movie like this has to be four-and-a-half-hours long? There is a scene in the movie, at the start of the final battle of Gettysburg, where the Confederate army has to make a march of one mile through an open field to get to the Union army. This scene is particularly painstakingly boring and repetetive, as the director chooses to chronicle literally every step of the march/ charge. I never thought that I'd ever get *bored* with realistic battle scenes, but this is one movie that manages that task.
It also manages to completely waste a cast of very talented actors: Martin Sheen and Tom Berenger have absolutely nothing to do on screen other than shuffle around and give orders. This is also the first time I've ever seen Robert E. Lee (Sheen) played as if he were some kind of nut. C. Thomas Howell is miscast, and can't carry a phony accent for the duration of an entire scene, let alone the whole movie. And here's the clincher: I don't like Jeff Daniels. But in this movie, his was the only remotely interesting performance. Perhaps with the exception of Richard Jordan, whose character should have had more screen time than he actually does.
As a historical document, this movie is right on target. I think it would have made a much better documentary than anything else, but as a movie, something that is supposed to entertain, it falls flat on its face. In four-and-a-half hours there is very little, if any, character development. It's as if the director forgot about the actors and only focused on recreating battles. The dialogue is pitiful. There are no conversations between characters in this movie, only speeches. Jeff Daniels has one near the beginning, as does every other star, even Sam Elliot, whose performance is little more than a cameo. Practically every single actor gets to preach about one topic or another while the camera moves slowly in to a tight shot and the music plays beneath their words. It's enough to make anybody with reasonable taste sick.
In the end you're left wondering how the hell a movie this bad gets made without somebody somewhere getting either fired or sued. This does not deserve a best picture nomination. It should win all kinds of awards for costume design, sound, maybe choreography of battle scenes or whatever the hell. Other than that, it's a pure waste.
Vince
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