Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
 MY FAVORITE CIVIL WAR MOVIE! BRILLIANT!, May 15, 2023
Sometimes the smallest of victories can be the greatest ones, even if they are symbolic. This movie shows the courage and tenacity of the african american soldiers who were fighting for at that time, a freedom that would not become to their people for a long time until after their death. Matthew Broderick is AWESOME and you'll forget who Ferris Buehler even is after watching him in this role. If you like war movies, movies about civil war history, or stories about poeple overcoming oppresion, this is the real, raw deal!
Glory is a celebration of a little-known act of mass courage during the Civil War. Simply put, the heroes involved have been ignored by history due to racism. Those heroes were the all-black members of the 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, headed by Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), the son of an influential abolitionist (played by an uncredited Jane Alexander). Despite the fact that the Civil War is ostensibly being fought on their behalf, the black soldiers are denied virtually every privilege and amenity that is matter of course for their white counterparts; as in armies past and future, they are given the most menial and demeaning of tasks. Still, none of the soldiers quit the regiment when given the chance. The unofficial leaders of the group are gravedigger John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman) and fugitive slave Trip (Denzel Washington), respectively representing the brains and heart of the organization.
The 54th acquit themselves valiantly at Fort Wagner, SC, charging a fortification manned by some 1,000 Confederates. Glory was based on Lincoln Kirstein's Lay This Laurel and Peter Burchard's One Gallant Rush; the latter book was founded on the letters of Col. Robert Gould Shaw, the real-life character played by Matthew Broderick.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
 Great Story, Fair Movie, May 1, 2023
In the summer of 1863, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the nation's first black regiment, led an unsuccessful attack on the Confederate's Fort Wagner in South Carolina. They took horrendous casualties, nearly fifty percent, including the young colonel who commanded them, Col. Robert G. Shaw. Tactically, this battle was of little account to the course of the war, but symbolically it had the power of a mighty Niagara. It proved that black men could and would fight and die for their country and their freedom, and opened the way for thousands more to join the ranks of the Union. The balance on the scales of war was tipped unalterably to the Union.
Like that battle whose history it chronicles, `Glory' is a movie whose primary importance lies in its symbolism. While it is a cut above most movies made about the Civil War, it is not of itself a great movie. While adequate, none of the actors involved were up to their best work, not even Denzel Washington who won the best supporting actor Oscar for his role. Matthew Broderick was down-right wooden as Colonel Shaw in one of the weakest performances of his career. And direct Zwick depended far too heavily on the swell of the orchestral score and chorus to note significant moments in his film. Still, after shining through the prism of the symbolic events that it portrayed, this movie somehow managed to become more than the sum of its parts, and if I cannot call it great, I can at least say that it is a good film that is well worth your viewing.
The historical details of uniforms and equipment are nearly flawless in `Glory'. It does take some creative liberties with the history, chiefly by portraying the 54th as being made up mainly of escaped slaves from the South rather than being composed of mostly free black men from New England, as was the case. I found this to be an acceptable liberty, as I believe the writers were trying to tell the larger story of the black Union soldier with this opening chapter. Thomas, one of the principal characters in the regiment is portrayed as an educate free black man from Boston, and stands in for the men who historically made up the 54th.
`Glory' includes several scenes of battle, and for the most part, they are well done. Though they stop far short of showing the actual horror, gore, and savagery that was the typical battle field of the Civil War, they hint most effectively at it. They are far better than the typical re-enactors pageants that pass for battle scenes in many Civil War movies. Unfortunately Zwick chose to use a swelling orchestral score behind the battles instead of allowing the natural din of the fight to enhance the realism of the scenes, and this detracts slightly from their effectiveness.
While `Glory' is not a great movie, it is good enough, with enough stirring moments to make it memorable. It does a fair job of telling a most important story, and should not be missed by anyone with more than a passing interest in the Civil War.
Theo Logos
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
They Entered Glory by the Big Door!, Apr 18, 2023
Usually movies based on historically facts are plagued with inaccuracies. Fortunately this is not the case!
It is a great reconstruction of the Civil War period based on personal letters from Col. Shaw and two books: Kirstein's "Lay this Laurel" and Burchard's "One Gallant Rush". From this solid documental background an outstanding film emerges.
The storyline follows the evolution of the first all Afro American Regiment in the USA Army.
Show step by step from the recruiting, boots camp practice, first war actions till the mighty final charge.
Col. Shaw and his aide Maj. Forbes should fight prejudice within the officers and high command.
Sgt. Major Rawlings should fight to bring together his green bunch of recruits into a soldier's team, proud of themselves and capable to endure and overcome all obstacles.
Pvt. Trip should fight to tame his rebel soul in order to be part of the group.
The movie has many great moments; three of them are delivered in the last fifteen minutes: the soldier's meeting the night before the attack, the regiment passing thru the deployed army and the glorious final charge. Really unforgettable!
Matthew Broderick has the perfect physque-du-rolê to impersonate a very young man (almost wet behind the ears) charged with an overwhelming task. He delivers a nice acting piece.
This said, undoubtedly, the best acting performance are in charge of Denzel Washington, justly awarded with Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and Morgan Freeman.
Edward Zwick as director (he is also a very successful producer) delivers his best film up to this day. Better IMHO to "The Last Samurai" (2003) that was a very good one.
I hope he will give the public a good version of one of my favorite fiction book: "The Lions of Al-Rassan" (promised for next year).
This is for me the best Civil War movie I've seen. Enjoy!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
The Best Movie I've Ever Seen, Apr 4, 2023
Glory is a great movie that is pretty acurate. It goes into great detail when telling about how the 54th Massachusetts Regiment was raised and how the men fought against the Confederates. The bravery of the men who fought in the different battles is shown beautifully. I wish I could give it a rating of ten stars! I loved this movie.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
"Give 'em Hell fifty-fourth!", Feb 7, 2023
This is the kind of film that is very rare: an historically important creation where everything works. The writing is excellent, the acting is superb, the cinematography is outstanding, the scope is epic with a phenomenal score that courses through the movie lending it amazing depth of emotion. This film is flawless and filled to the brim with interesting characters and historical significance. There are many fine acting performances here, the lead actors shining on several occasions. Matthew Broderick has the performance in his career that finally shed that "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" stigma and established him as an A-list actor capable of carrying a dramatic role as well as sustaining comedy. Denzel Washington is mesmerizing to watch, owning each and every scene he is in and completely earning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Cary Elwes, fresh from his enthusiastic performance in the 1987 classic "The Princess Bride," also shows some dramatic chops as surprising as Matthew Broderick brings to the table. Then there is Morgan Freeman, who is the pride and center of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts, and his performance sparkles accordingly. There are so many great performances in this film that I could write for pages describing them all. Of course, there are the incredible battle scenes, as well. They are brilliantly staged, from long-range battle tactics to hand-to-hand combat with muskets fixed with bayonettes. The intensity is realistic and exciting and oftentimes chilling. At the time I saw this film in the theater back in 1989 I considered it the best Civil War film ever made. In my mind, it has yet to be surpassed. "Glory" is exceptional filmmaking on every level and should find a home in every DVD collection. Highly recommended.
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