Gods And Generals

Gods and Generals, 2003, Colonel Joshua Chamberlain (JEFF DANIELS), Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee (ROBERT DUVALL), Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (STEPHEN LANG), Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker (MAC BUTLER), and Capt. Alexander 'Sandie' Pendleton (JEREMY LONDON).

The movie Gods and Generals is a portrayal of the actions that were illustrated very eloquently and captivatingly in the book Gods and Generals, written by Jeff Shaara. The movie even though was less than mediocre in its appeal was full of accurate historic facts. All of the battles, Manassas Junction, Antietam, and Chancellorsville, all occurred. The battle at Manassas shows the Federal troops clearly running from the Confederates, although it does not show the "audience" that was present that day. Chancellorsville was also an accurate representation. Also the characters were all real generals and their roles and actions in the movie were true to real life. The characters personalities are also accurate with all their religious beliefs as can be seen through the book version, which is said to be a true depiction of the characters. However, one historical inaccurate segment of the movie was the scene where 'Stonewall' Jackson was shot by his own men at Chancellorsville. In the movie they dramatized it to quite vast degree. The movie showed his men to shoot him unknowingly and to continue shooting at their own men, unaware of who they were. In truth they stopped after the first shots because they recognized who it was and were greatly shocked and horrified at what they had done. (Gods and Generals the book, pg 440) The characters in the film are all real. The Northern men are not shown much. Only Capt. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is portrayed, leaving out General Hancock, a major player in the beginning of the Civil War. This causes questions about there importance and if they were fighting for the "proper" reasons. A lot is left to the imagination about the North. The Southerners are all represented well and thoroughly throughout the film. Lee is portrayed as a very kind-hearted religious old man who has the respect of his troops and is out to win this war. Jackson is given the most glory as this film includes him in almost every other scene. He is also given a great light of respect from his troops and all around him. Even Jeb Stuart, who in real life was pompous and egotistical of himself and his troops, was given a light of respect by all including Lee which was not seen at all in real life (Gods and Generals the book.) In all the Southerners were surrounded in this great white light while the Northerners were not even given there few shining moments in fame during the beginning of the Civil War.

This movie held