Movies

In 1861, the Union launched a massive offensive designed to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. The South mobilized about 50, 000 troops as a response to the invasion. At the First Battle of Bull Run, the Confederates defeated the Potomac Army  the 90, 000 strong conscript force. In successive battles, the Confederates won several major victories, threatening to envelop Union forces in the Mississippi region. Brilliant Confederate generals like Robert Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Braxton Bragg were the major military minds in the first 3 years of the war. In the movie, both Jackson and Lee were epitomized as figures of inspiration  classic representations of military heroes.

    Indeed, the movie rests on the principle of classicism. Poetic themes are epitomized (such as Jacksons stand in the Battle of Bull Run) to the point of near idealization. When Jackson stood like a wall despite contimuous Union bombardment, he represented the ideals of courage and fearlessness  qualities which inspired the common soldiers. Movement, camera shots, and lighting techniques are focused on the luminaries of the movie because as the title implies these characters represent everything the war stood for. Lee, for example, is always shown riding on a horse  this is symbolic of leadership. General Grant is shown as a field commander  a reference to historicity.

    Editing is used to cover glitches in the movie. For example, the rugged terrain of Bull Run is transformed into a hilly, plain battlefield. This is done to emphasize the essence of a glorious war (war between contending ideologies). Indeed, throughout the film, there is formal emphasis on stance rather than on division. The idea is to show the audience that both groups only strive for the best  for the good of their country. Dialogue and sound effects tend to be patriotic  again to emphasize the theme of the war  brothers quarrel.