The Battle of Gettysburg (1913 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Battle of Gettysburg |
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Newspaper promotion of film, 1913
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| Directed by | Charles Giblyn Thomas H. Ince |
| Produced by | Thomas H. Ince |
| Written by | Charles Brown Thomas H. Ince Richard V. Spencer C. Gardner Sullivan (titles) |
| Starring | Willard Mack Charles K. French |
| Distributed by | Mutual Film Hiller & Wick Inc. (re-release) |
| Release date(s) | June 1, 1913 |
| Running time | 50 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent English intertitles |
The Battle of Gettysburg was a movie made in 1913. It was a silent film, which means it had no spoken words. Instead, it used music and written messages on screen to tell the story. This movie was also a war film, showing battles and soldiers.
The film was directed by Charles Giblyn and Thomas H. Ince. It was based on a real event: the Battle of Gettysburg. This battle was a very important part of the American Civil War.
Sadly, most of The Battle of Gettysburg movie is now lost. This means we don't have copies of it anymore. However, some parts of the battle scenes from this movie were used in another film. This other film was a comedy called Cohen Saves the Flag. Both movies were filmed in the same place at the same time! There are some people who say The Battle of Gettysburg was shown in France in 1973, but it's still mostly lost.
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About the Film: The Battle of Gettysburg
This movie was made over 100 years ago, in 1913. It was one of the first big movies to show a famous historical battle. The real Battle of Gettysburg happened in July 1863. It was a major turning point in the American Civil War. The film tried to show the bravery and struggles of the soldiers.
Making a Silent War Film
Making a silent film about a huge battle was a big challenge. Directors Charles Giblyn and Thomas H. Ince worked together. They had to use many actors to look like armies. They also used special effects for the time to show the fighting. Since there was no sound, the actors had to use their body language a lot. Written "intertitles" would pop up on screen. These told the audience what was happening or what characters were saying.
Why is the Film Lost?
Many old silent films are lost today. This is because the film material used back then was not very strong. It could easily break down over time. Also, people didn't always save copies of movies. They didn't know how important they would be later. It's a shame because these lost films are like missing pieces of history.
Who Was In It? The Cast
The movie had many actors playing different roles. Some of them were famous for their time.
- Willard Mack played a main character, but we don't know exactly who.
- Charles Edler played Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was the President of the United States during the Civil War.
- Ann Little (credited as Anna Little) played Virginia Burke. She was a Confederate Sister.
- Joe King played Jack Lamar. He was a Confederate Brother.
- Burton L. King played Jim Burke. He was the sister's sweetheart.
- Other actors included Herschel Mayall, Walter Edwards, J. Barney Sherry, George Fisher, J. Frank Burke, Enid Markey, Gertrude Claire, and Shorty Hamilton.
