The battle scenes capture the 'terrible beauty' of combat, conveying terror, claustrophobia and violence without being too horrific. The prologue makes the objectives of the two armies clear and the 'updates' in the form of dialogue between the commanders mean the viewer doesn't lose sight of the course of events.

As someone who is both British and interested rather than an expert on the Civil War I found 'Gettysburg' very satisfying. Good night, General.Ī film that runs longer than 'Lawrence of Arabia' and only covers three days of action sounds a long haul but it is not. You are one of the finest cavalry officers I have ever known, and your service to this army has been invaluable. It will not happen again I know your quality. You must take what I have told you, and learn from it, as a man does. Lee: There is another fight comin' tomorrow, and we need you. Lee: I have *told* you, there is no time for that! There is no time! You, sir, with your cavalry, are the eyes of this army. Lee: Perhaps you misunderstood my orders? Perhaps I did not make myself clear. So it is only by God's grace that we did not meet disaster here. Meanwhile, we were engaged here and drawn into battle without adequate knowledge of the enemy's strength or position, without knowledge of the ground. You left here with no word of your movement or movement of the enemy for several days. your mission was to free this army from the enemy cavalry and report any movement by the enemy's main body. Stuart: Sir, I only ask that I be allowed to defend my. Stuart: General Lee, sir, if you will please tell me who these gentlemen are. excellent officers that you have let us all down.

Civil war the killer angels