Gods and Generals (film)

Gods and Generals
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRonald F. Maxwell
Screenplay byRonald F. Maxwell
Based onGods and Generals
by Jeff Shaara
Produced byMoctesuma Esparza
Robert A. Katz
Mace Neufeld
Robert Rehme
StarringJeff Daniels
Stephen Lang
Robert Duvall
Mira Sorvino
Kevin Conway
C. Thomas Howell
Frankie Faison
CinematographyKees Van Oostrum
Edited byCorky Ehlers
Music byJohn Frizzell
Randy Edelman
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • February 21, 2003 (2003-02-21)
Running time
219 minutes
280 minutes
(Director's cut)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$56 million
Box office$12.8 million[1]

Gods and Generals is a 2003 American epic war drama film written and directed by Ronald F. Maxwell.[2] It is an adaptation of the 1996 novel of the same name by Jeffrey Shaara[3] and prequel to Maxwell's 1993 film Gettysburg. Most of the film was personally financed by media mogul Ted Turner.[4] The film follows the story of Stonewall Jackson from the beginning of the American Civil War to his death at the Battle of Chancellorsville.[5]

It stars Stephen Lang as Stonewall Jackson, Jeff Daniels as Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and Robert Duvall as General Robert E. Lee.[6]

Originally running over five hours in length, the film was cut by an hour and a half for its 2003 theatrical release, with the full "Extended Director's Cut" being released eight years later in 2011.[7] The film was both a critical and commercial failure. Although film critics complimented its performances and historically accurate details such as costumes, they criticized its length, pacing, and screenplay.[8][9][10] The consensus of critics was that it had a "pro-Confederate slant".[8] The Southern Poverty Law Center, as well as numerous writers, pointed out that the film endorsed the "Lost Cause" myth.[11]

Both Shaara and Maxwell expressed displeasure at the theatrical edition of the film, and its poor returns forced Turner to cancel Maxwell's planned adaptation of Shaara's final Civil War novel The Last Full Measure.[7][12][13]

  1. ^ "Gods and Generals". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  2. ^ "Gods and Generals". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  3. ^ Shaara, Jeffrey (1998). Gods and Generals: A Novel of the Civil War (Civil War Trilogy). New York City: Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0345422477.
  4. ^ Longsdorf, Amy. "Ted Turner marshals own financial resources for "Gods and Generals'". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  5. ^ Wilmington, Michael (February 21, 2003). "Epic 'Gods and Generals' tilts genteelly to the South". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  6. ^ Robert Duvall claimed that he is related to Robert E. Lee on his mother's side of the family (Interview on CNN, February 15, 2003).
  7. ^ a b Wertz, Jay (December 27, 2011). "Ron Maxwell Interview - 'Gods and Generals' Extended Directors Cut". Historynet. Weider Media Group. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference GODS AND GENERALS (2003) was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Film Review: Gods and Generals was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Movie Review: Gods and Generals was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference splc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference r2r was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference shaara was invoked but never defined (see the help page).