Languorous 'Gods and Generals' hurt by too little substance

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | February 21, 2003 | Michael Machoskey

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The first Civil War movie of consequence, D.W. Griffith's heroic and horrific masterpiece, "Birth of a Nation," was an electrifying polemic that demonized the North and the slaves, and glorified the Klan.

Yet, for all of "Birth of a Nation's" moral faults, the subject made for exciting cinema. President Woodrow Wilson remarked that it was "like history written with lightning."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Cincinatus and I went to see "Gods and Generals" this past weekend. There were only two showings at the theater, 1PM and 7PM. The room was packed. The movie was riveting and thought provoking. I highly reccommend it.

[RogueIsland]

It was a good film, but I do wish that the battles were portrayed with a little more context. I think Gettysburg did better at placing the battle in context and explaining the strategic and tactical aspects of it. I realize that that's not what G & G is about, per se, but I do think it would have helped strengthen the narrative.

[Jonah Hex]

We want - no, we need - to see the blood, the death, the mistakes and the horror of war to remind us what it really is.

He must have left the theater for a smoke during the depiction of Fredericksburg, the git.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

They did leave out a huge chunck but it would have been much longer if they'd done it all. I think Civil War buffs noticed the omissions and feel an explaination of the battles leading up to The Wilderness needed to be there, but all in all it was very good.

[ppaul]

What about the arrogance and callousness of the Northern generals, who senselessly wasted their troops on futile charge after charge?

Did this guy actually see the movie?
He must have been in line at the snack counter then.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The LIBERAL mind is missing neuron pathways.

[ppaul]

Some great links here:

"He's given me my country back." A REAL Review of 'God's and Generals' (Post your review here)

Thanks for 'Gods and Generals': Michael Medved's open letter to Ted Turner

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Did this guy actually see the movie?

Public schools just don't have enough history, they prefer LIBERAL guilt trips, like this: Upscale school revives a satire about race*** Fears lurked near the surface among her fellow thespians-in-training. Maybe blacks in the audience would take offense at references to "darkies" or "jigaboos." Or whites would resent being portrayed as fumblers who couldn't change a diaper or cook an egg without help. Or maybe everyone would sigh impatiently at yet another lecture on the virtues of diversity.

"I'm sure I'll get comments, like, 'Enough of this white-bashing,' " said Ms. Freeman, a 22-year-old English and theater teacher. "Of course, I worry about it, but I'd rather that theater be provocative than predictable."***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thank you for the LINKS!

[MosesKnows]

we need - to see the blood, the death, the mistakes and the horror of war

"It is well that war is so terrible -- or we should grow too fond of it."
Gen. Robert E. Lee

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Russ]

As we were leaving the theatre Saturday after seeing Gods and Generals(which we thoroughly enjoyed) four teenage boys were behind us. One commented to the others as to how great the movie was and the others agreed. Then he said, "My teacher told us not to waste our time that it was a terrible movie. I don't know why he said that."

If our young people ever learn to think for themselves the liberal establishment will be out of business.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

That a teacher would say such a thing makes me furious. It shows such bias and inablitiy to be an educator. Parents need to understand what is being done to their children.

[Bringbackthedraft]

We saw the move this past weekend. The Fredericksburg portrayal could have been done better. Wasn't there snow on the ground, and wasn't it freezing at that time which turned the bodies stiff? We managed to endure the contrailed sky, the floppy bayonets and the some modern acruments on some of players. The battle scenes were very panoramic(?) and the amount of troops shown looked representative of the actual participants. The worst part of the movie was the Bonnie Blue Flag rendition featuring Ted Turner. The DVD which will eventually be released is allegedly 6 hours long. A bladder burster for sure.

[Lee'sGhost]

"Where's the bald-faced greed of the Southern generals, who were willing to risk everything to maintain a luxurious existence on the backs of millions of blacks?"

Sorry, I just don't think greed was a motivator, at least not as we use the word today. Certainly some Southern generals owned plantations and slaves, but they were protecting out of a sense that that was their way of life they were protecting, not because they were greedy. The concept just doesn't fit.

Nor does it fit with the idea that they were "willing to risk everything" to maintain a "luxurious existence." How did he even come up with that line of thought? There is no doubt that these people understood that NOT defending their homes would be the end their way of life. This guy has everything upside down.

Anyway, I too saw the movie, and have seldom been more impressed. I've been to other moves where I walked and felt more "blown away," but there are several reasons for that. Having seen Gettysburg and having read the reviews for G&G, there was little I did not already know. What impressed me was that the movie was so muli-dimensional and with so many facets. The cinimescope, the hisory, the culture, the personalities, story, politics, the theology, on and on. Someimes there were so many elements coming together at one time it was overwhelming. In that sense, it was one of the greatest movies I've seen.

As for me, I'm glad they did not dwell on Bobby Lee more than they did as I think Duvall's portrayal would have fallen underneath the weight of the real Lee's legend. And I wish that the Chamberlain character had been more fully developed as a balance to Jackon/Lang. And, I'm sorry folks, but there can be only one reason that Lang was at least seriously discussed as an Academey Award nominee -- because he did such a damn good job making devotion look relevant and NORMAL.

People who call themselves film critics but couldn't find anything to like about G&G simply are too blinded by their liberal/anti-religious/Southernphobic biases to admit the obvious -- Lang's depiction of Jackson was one of the finest pieces of acting ever performed. That the Jackson charater did not come off looking like a smarmmy, religious nut case is the proof -- and they can't stand it.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

All they have is the lie.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The cinimescope, the hisory, the culture, the personalities, story, politics, the theology, on and on. Someimes there were so many elements coming together at one time it was overwhelming. In that sense, it was one of the greatest movies I've seen.

It's a movie that drains you. It has all the elements you describe and truly draws you in.

[Petronski]

They did leave out a huge chunk but it would have been much longer if they'd done it all. I think Civil War buffs noticed the omissions and feel an explaination of the battles leading up to The Wilderness needed to be there, but all in all it was very good.

I understand from a thread about this film in early January that the DVD Director's Cut will run approximately SIX hours. I suspect the bulk of the missing items will turn up there. I just can't wait to buy my copy.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I know we'll be getting the dvd. Thanks for the info.

[meowmeow]

The dichotomy of Jackson as a loving, gentle family man and an absolutely ruthless warrior should make for an interesting conflict.

That kind of sums it up – the libs just don’t get it and never will.

Saw G&G this past weekend. Was glad to see the theater was packed. Everybody was socializing before the movie and during the intermission. It was like seeing a movie with a couple hundred friends. We really enjoyed it!