By Army Archerd, Daily Variety Senior Columnist
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - This is one American movie that won't be filmed in Toronto, Vancouver -- or any place other than in the U.S. And while principal photography isn't scheduled to start until Aug. 28, three cameras were rolling last weekend in Leesburg, Va., for ``Gods and Generals.''
Why? Close to 10,000 ``re-enactors'' were involved in the 140th anniversary of the first Manassas battle of the Civil War, and this movie's a prequel to the successful ``Gettysburg,'' the Turner Pictures feature of September 1993 that Daily Variety's reviewer said ``succeeded as a motion picture event and as a re-creation of a pivotal chapter of American history. After a summer of flash and sizzle, audiences may be ready for a healthy dose of substance.'' And mebbe next fall as well?
Robert Duvall plays Robert E. Lee in ``Gods and Generals,'' and while he was not yet at work on the epic, he showed up at the Leesburg site to observe the battle's re-enactment. The event will be woven into the scenes that writer-producer-director Ronald F. Maxwell has yet to shoot.
The film is based on Jeff Shaara's bestseller about the early years of the Civil War (pre-Gettysburg). Shaara acknowledges his indebtedness to Maxwell for suggesting and encouraging him to continue the trilogy of Civil War stories that was his father Michael Shaara's legacy. Maxwell also plans to film Jeff Shaara's book about the battle of Spotsylvania, ``The Last Full Measure,'' after ``Gods and Generals.''
Jeff Daniels will reprise his ``Gettysburg'' role of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, as will C. Thomas Howell as Tom Chamberlain.
Robert Rehme, Robert Katz and Moctesuma Esparza repeat their ``Gettysburg'' chores as exec producers on ``Gods and Generals''; Nick Grillo and Ronald G. Smith produce. The production company, which also includes Civil War buff Ted Turner, is contributing up to $1 million ``to acquire an endangered Civil War battlefield.'' Re-enactors who participate in this film will have the opportunity to have their names inscribed on a permanent monument on the site of this battlefield -- which will be available to the community as a ``home for future re-enactments and tacticals.''
Reuters/Variety