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Glory (1989)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
15 December 1989 (USA) moreTagline:
Their innocence. Their heritage. Their lives. Nothing would be spared in the fight for their freedom.Plot:
Robert Gould Shaw leads the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Won 3 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 10 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(36 articles)
July 4th Holiday Movies To Celebrate Your Independence With (From MTV Movies Blog. 4 July 2009, 6:00 AM, PDT)
Messengers 2: The Scarecrow On DVD July 21st!
(From Icons of Fright. 9 June 2009, 9:34 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
A Classic moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Matthew Broderick | ... | Col. Robert Gould Shaw | |
| Denzel Washington | ... | Pvt. Trip | |
| Cary Elwes | ... | Maj. Cabot Forbes | |
| Morgan Freeman | ... | Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins | |
| Jihmi Kennedy | ... | Pvt. Jupiter Sharts | |
| Andre Braugher | ... | Cpl. Thomas Searles | |
| John Finn | ... | Sgt. Maj. Mulcahy | |
| Donovan Leitch | ... | Capt. Charles Fessenden Morse | |
| JD Cullum | ... | Henry Sturgis Russell (as John David Cullum) | |
| Alan North | ... | Gov. John Albion Andrew | |
| Bob Gunton | ... | Gen. Charles Garrison Harker | |
| Cliff De Young | ... | Col. James M. Montgomery (as Cliff DeYoung) | |
| Christian Baskous | ... | Edward L. Pierce | |
| RonReaco Lee | ... | Mute drummer boy | |
| Jay O. Sanders | ... | Gen. George Crockett Strong |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
122 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreCertification:
Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 (2000) (DVD) | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (cable rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | USA:PG (edited version) | Norway:18 (original rating)Filming Locations:
African-American National Historic Site - 14 Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA moreFun Stuff
Trivia:
The Film "Glory" depicts the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry training through the Christmas holidays of presumably 1862 (after the September 1862 Battle of Antietam,) but the real 54th Massachusetts did not organize until March 1863, and were engaged in their first battle on James Island, SC on 16 July 1863, and then Battery Wagner (the final battle in the film) on 18 July 1863. moreGoofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When the African-American children's choir sings right before the burning of the town, the choir sings "My Country 'Tis of Thee." The scene takes place in 1863; these lyrics date to 1831. moreFAQ
Is this movie based on a novel?Which major characters are based on real people?
What other historical figures are represented in the movie?
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"Glory" is a modern film classic that highlights a little-known chapter of the Civil War.
I recently purchased the DVD, and was just as moved (if not more so) as the first time I saw it.
Broderick, Freeman, and Washington, along with a stellar cast play it faultlessly. I still remember the brouhaha over the casting of Matthew Broderick as Shaw, and I see that even now some IMDb posters single him out for fault in "Glory." Sorry, but I disagree. One should remember that the real Col. Shaw was a young man in his mid-20s - hardly a grizzled old veteran - despite his high rank. Broderick actually does bear a resemblance to Shaw, and shouldn't be criticized for his boyish looks. I felt every nuance of the burden he carried, and thought Broderick did a wonderful job.
Denzel Washington's powerful acting may never again have a showcase like it did in "Glory." His beauty, rage, and pride scream in every frame. His Oscar for this break-out role was highly deserved. Trip's character is really the distillation of what this film is all about: the black man's heart-rending battle for worth, recognition, and dignity. As far as I'm concerned no one BUT Washington could have played Trip. Thank God for Denzel!
Morgan Freeman is the film's human core. His quiet compassion and leadership keeps the soldiers focused. His one angry confrontation with Trip proves he has the goods to back up a field promotion to Sergeant Major.
Freeman (an appropriate reminder of where surnames come from) is the father figure the regiment desperately needs in a time of death and crisis. The men look to him for his calming wisdom and reasonable, fair demeanor.
Films like "Saving Private Ryan" raised the technical bar for battle scenes.
The fighting scenes in "Glory" are, unfortunately, it's weakest element. The staging and choreography are mediocre at best. And other than a scene where the 54th Massachusetts is given a hero's flanking onto the battlefield beaches of South Carolina, these shots don't emotionally engage the viewer. Still, in the end, "Glory" isn't about big, noisy battles. It's about the transcendence of the human spirit in the face of bigotry, bad treatment, and almost certain death. It's about a watershed moment in our bloody history that elevated us all and must never be forgotten.
"Glory" is, indeed, glorious.