Sheen or Duvall; who played Lee better?

This is just a personal opinion, based of course on my personal biases and perceptions, but I thought Sheen was dreadful. I'd always had a very specific idea in my head of how Lee carried himself and Sheen didn't come close. Duvall was better... not perfect by any means, but much better, and, at least he had the right accent.

I am in the minority but I think Sheen's Lee was way better. I liked the way he sounded more. Robert Duvall's Lee didn't sound right to me compared to Sheen's. But that's just me.

Green Goblin is great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1L4ZuaVvaw

Sheen.

Every time I've ever read 'The Killer Angels', 'Gods and Generals' and 'The Last Full Measure' it is with Sheen as Lee. I love Robert Duvall as an actor, but I could not stand his portrayal of Lee in 'Gods and Generals', probably because it was so different than Sheen in 'Gettysburg', which isn't his fault. I know TPTB wanted Duvall to play Lee in Gettysburg, but Sheen owned that role and too bad he was doing the West Wing at the time of 'GandG'.

Sheen by a mile for me. Duvall is a great actor but was too old and frankly he didn't really get much to do anyway except recite speeches. Sheen showed energy, intelligence, passion, toughness and the kindness of lee. Of course he had more of a chance to do so. Duvall also being Virginian and from what I've heard somewhat related to lee, didn't have the objectivity sheen did

I like Sheen better, but I think that's because Lee is just a much better developed character in Gettysburg vs G&G. I like both actors, but I've really admired Sheen since the first time I saw him in the m4tv movie "The Execution of Private Slovik" sometime back in the '70s, so I'm a bit prejudiced.

Really the choice is prime rib vs lobster; they're both great but I like prime rib just a little better.

Duvall, but he should have been about ten years younger.

While Sheen is a fine actor, I felt that Duvall's Lee was a bit closer to the mark, all things considered.

It is thought by some CW historians that Lee didn't possess such a twangy Southern accent as the one Sheen gave him. These folks posit that Lee's accent may have been more of a neutral, aristocratic baritone and that he may have actually sounded more like a New Englander than a Southerner, or at the least his accent may have had only the slightest trace of Southern lilt in it. But of course, Lee was a native Virginian so it's entirely possible that Sheen's accent was the more accurate. We will never know for certain at this remove.

I also felt that Sheen's Lee lacked the proper bearing and quality of austerity that Lee was said to have possessed. Duvall's Lee had the more commanding presence and put across the proper sense of great dignity. Then there are the physical aspects - apart from having a greater natural resemblance to Lee, Duvall is a tad taller than Sheen. Lee was a tall man, around six feet. Sheen was simply too short - everybody else in the film was taller than him (the first time I watched Gettysburg I had to keep reminding myself of who Sheen was portraying). Duvall is no six-footer either, but he somehow seemed bigger in G&G. Maybe it's a head-to-body-size ratio thing, or just the camera angles used.

Having said all that, I still think Sheen's performance was terrific. There's not a lot in it, but for me Duvall just nudges out Sheen as an authentic Lee.

Duvall, by a mile. I thought Sheen was horribly miscast--he looked nothing like Lee in photographs, whereas Duvall did (obviously a family resemblance). And Sheen's Lee came across as having dementia; a strange way to portray someone who up to that point had been a brilliant strategist. (Lee's failures at Gettysburg may have been due to illness; perhaps that was what Sheen was trying to portray...either way, it comes across as odd). Duvall really conveyed the quiet dignity of Lee.
But, as others have pointed out, Duvall had less to do in Gods and Generals; not his fault he was reduced to a supporting character. I really wish Duvall had played Lee in Gettysburg--I think he was much better in the role than Sheen.