Three days in the summer of 1863; at a place called Gettysburg. Although it received a theatrical release; this four-hour depiction of the bloody Civil War battle was shot as a made-for-television film. But no taint of cheapness or shortcuts should stick to this magnificent picture (well; except maybe for those phony-looking mustaches). Based on Michael Shaara's book The Killer Angels; this film takes a refreshingly slow; thorough approach to the intricacies of battle. In ordinary circumstances; those intricacies might seem of importance only to fans of military strategy or Civil War enthusiasts; yet in Gettysburg they come across as the very stuff of life; death; and unexpected heroism. If the film has a problem; it's that it climaxes too early: the first long segment; detailing the struggle of a "civilian soldier;" Union Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels); to hold his ground against long odds; is an enthralling piece of moviemaking. Daniels; in a heartbreaking performance; does his best film work. Other cast members include Tom Berenger; Sam Elliott; and Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee. Richard Jordan; in his final role; gives a powerhouse performance as Confederate general Lewis A. Armistead. Oh; and you can also try to spot Ted Turner; whose company produced the film; as a Confederate soldier. Writer-director Ronald F. Maxwell seems inspired by the gravity of the battle; long as it is; every moment of Gettysburg is informed by a nobility of purpose. --Robert Horton