Customer Reviews

Glory [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(177)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Glory tells the story of the 54th Regiment, one of the first African American regiments that Abraham Lincoln credited with turning the tide of the war. The events portrayed in the film lead up to the heroic and bloody battle at Fort Wagner in which the 54th lost nearly half of its men.

There is nothing better than watching a film that wants to tell you a tale of great heroism, and Glory is one of the best examples of its genre. It is a war film in which perhaps only fifteen minutes of its nearly two hour running time is used to recreate battle scenes. Instead of blasting its audience with carnage and bloodshed, we get to know the men who were involved in these battles and their reasons for fighting. Glory is a film of great depth and subtlety in which powerfully dramatic moments are depicted with very little dialogue. Edward Zwick, the director, obviously understands that an audience has intelligence enough to be completely moved by a sudden swell of music or by a single tear running down a man's cheek. The performances by all five of the main protagonists are astonishing, the cinematography is sublime and the score is beautifully used throughout the film.

The story of the 54th Regiment is emotive and inspiring and Glory is an emotive and inspiring film that pays tribute to all those men who died in the fight for freedom.

Director: Edward Zwick
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Andre Braugher.
Running Time: 202 minutes.

Perhaps the most beautiful, honest, and mesmerizing combat depiction of all time, "Glory" is a quintessential tale that set the standard for all Civil War representations. Loosely based on both Robert Gould Shaw's letters and the books Lay This Laurel by Lincoln Kirstein and One Gallant Rush by Peter Burchard, this superb motion picture celebrates what is great about filmmaking-promoting bravery, heart, standing up for your beliefs, and most importantly-freedom.

Matthew Broderick stars as Shaw, the young son of a famed Boston abolitionist and the volunteer commander in chief of the all African-American 54th regiment of Massachusetts. Shaw at first does not realize what he has gotten himself into, as the soldiers blatantly disrespect the commander, causing more havoc than training for a war. With the help from fellow officer Morgan Freeman and the intense soldier Denzel Washington (the Oscar-winning role that made him a star), the regiment learns how to overcome the obstacles of racism, learn how to prepare for battle like a family, and ultimately get the chance to fight for what they believe in. Withstanding adversity and finally getting the chance to engage in combat, the 54th regiment stages an incredible battle against the Confederate forces at Fort Wagner, Carolina-paving the way for not only an unforgettable finale, but showing a portrayal of true bravery and pride as the soldiers' heralded defeat cemented a place in history.

Broderick is outstanding in one of his first dramatic roles (branching from stellar comedic roles in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Biloxi Blues"), Freeman delivers his usual grand role as Major John Rawlins, and Denzel Washington is timeless as the rebel soldier Private Trip. A fantastic musical score accompanies much of the training rituals and battle sequences, adding a touch of harmony to the exceptionally choreographed war illustrations. Although it did not receive any major Academy Award wins (diagnosed later as the "Saving Private Ryan" syndrome), "Glory" is one of the most important war films to ever be made. Eloquent, striking, ruthless, brash, and spectacular. The DVD features exceptional bonus commentaries from the main assets of the cast, as well as interesting historical information and readings of Shaw's letters.

This is by far one of the best movies i have ever seen.I can watch this movie over and over and never be bored. One of the few movies I suggest everyone watch.

Glory is a truly extraordinary motion picture in all sorts of ways. As a proud Southerner, I have to say no other film has ever had me cheering for a Union regiment taking on a company of Confederate soldiers. I was a little worried that this film would demonize the South, but it proved to be a most even-handed treatment of all parties. By demonstrating the racism of Northerners -- soldiers and civilians alike -- it paints a most nuanced portrait of the African-American men who seized the opportunity to don the blue uniforms and fight for a country many of them must have been unable to truly call their own. That only makes their heroism and bravery all the more poignant. The War Between the States can never be understood in simple black and white terms on any level, as many a Union soldier clearly wasn't fighting to emancipate the slaves (just as many a Rebel soldier wasn't fighting for slavery).

Even when they actually used to teach actual history in the schools, the story of the 54th Massachusetts regiment was a subject that never really came up -- and that is what gives Glory such an extraordinary amount of historical importance. I wouldn't go so far as to say the heroism and sacrifice of this first African-American regiment in the Union army turned the tide in the War, but it did lead to the acceptance of actual black fighting soldiers in the Union ranks -- and 210,000 such recruits certainly proved important for a fighting force that basically won through strength of numbers (as more blues than grays died in the war).

The movie itself, though, is really about the men who led and made up the 54th Massachusetts regiment -- and there are sterling performances all over the place. As I have said many times in the past, Morgan Freeman is the best actor living today, and his character, Sgt. Major John Rawlins, is really the heart and soul of the whole film. As an older, runaway slave, he has gained a measure of wisdom and restraint that Private Trip (Denzel Washington) has never even imagined. Trip wears the scars on his back proudly, and he is not about to stand down before any man. Washington earned a Best Supporting Actor award for his role, and rightly so. Educated freemen are represented by Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher), who seems ill-suited to the harsh realities of war but shoulders the burden with pride and determination. At the head of these men rides Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), a young officer who secured the position more by family influence than merit, perhaps, but he more than rises to the challenge to fight both for and with his men. Despite his lifelong friendship with Thomas, he has almost no connection with the men of the 54th and must learn to know them and earn their respect. The Union army doesn't even want to supply his men with necessities such as decent shoes and a uniform, nor does it really have any intention of actually sending them into combat. Thanks to the Colonel, though, the fighting men of the 54th do eventually get their chance to prove themselves by leading what is basically a suicidal charge against Fort Wagner in South Carolina.

Aside from the multi-layered story itself, one must be impressed by the realism of the action. War is an ugly business, and that fact is brought home in the very first scenes showing Colonel Shaw's charge during the Battle of Antietam. While there should have been small rivers of blood covering the battlefield, watching a soldier's head basically explode makes for a vivid stamp of realism. While I would question the tactics employed on the assault on Fort Wayne at the end, the movie certainly does capture the nature of the fog of war and the viciousness of hand-to-hand fighting by heroes on both sides. Of course, this is a movie, so there are numerous historical inaccuracies as to the main characters (none of whom, other than Col. Shaw, are based on the actual soldiers) and battles, yet Glory certainly does succeed in telling the story of the 54th Regiment in the most compelling of ways.

This is one of the most historically acurate films about the Civil War. Not only that, it's one of the best acted and best shot movie in many years. Denzel Washington's performance is worth the Oscar he recieved. Matthew Broderick and Morgan Freeman are also exceptional. It's an unforgetable film about an event that changed the course of history.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE EVER SEEN!
Matthew Broderick is AMAZING buy it and you won't be disapointed.

For so long, the image of the Civil War has existed in the collective American mind as a series of sepia-tone Matthew Brady photographs: ghoulish and nightmarish landscapes littered with bodies and body parts. However, with the notable exceptions of his portraits of the field generals, there is a sort of anonymity to the corpses in Brady's works. In one of GONE WITH THE WIND's most powerful scenes, scores upon scores of wounded soldiers lie in the streets, until they appear to be one large, unidentifiable mass of pain--which was the filmmaker's point. Edward Zwick's GLORY was one of the first films to put a human face and individuality to those who fought and died in America's most brutal years. Based upon the true story of Boston's young colonel, Robert Shaw, and his efforts to allow his all African-American outfit (the "54th") to fight on the side of the Union, GLORY is one of those rare films that successfully combines history with movie-making.

Wonderful performances abound in this powerful film: Washington, Broderick, Freeman and Elwes all give their best efforts. But the real star of the show is the camera. The battle sequences, as other reviewers have mentioned, are horrific, as is the scene in the triage tent. (THIS MOVIE IS NOT FOR PEOPLE WITH WEAK STOMACHS.) But the scenes in between, the relatively quiet ones, have as great an impact. I especially have in mind the training sequences. In another director's hands, the scenes in which the troops begin understanding each other, and as the officers begin understanding their troops could have wound up a syrupy mess. Instead, their horrible predicament unites them in an unsentimental, yet sensitive manner. Zwick's camera-work throughout is exemplary, making GLORY one of the best films about America's most tragic episodes.

What a great story. This film is a wonderful film for both C.W. buffs and those who do not necessarily like war films, as well as young adults learning about those characteristics in people they should choose to emulate.
The story of men who have had little contact with other social classes, who are now being confronted with this different culture, has been done countless times in the past, yet this film portrays these men with grace. This film is completely believable (where other films often are not) and adequately develops these characters.
This was probably the first time in human history that white men and black men ever came together in this situation, and it tells the story gloriously (no pun intended).

One of the best ensemble casts of all time. Captivating screenplay. Excellent acting. Impressive battlefield sequences. Mediocre score. Wonderful character development. And the historical perspective of the invaluable contribution of the African American people who fought, and fought well, to win the country's freedom.

Apart from the minor quibble that Matthew Broadwick was grossly miscast as the center piece of the movie (he simply does not have the panache to make a compelling job of the role), this film is perhaps the best movie I have seen on the American civil war, or any war for that matter.

I am no authority on American civil war, but I haven't completely figured out one thing: the pivotal spine of the theme is about the experience of blacks in the war (who had hitherto been "slaves") but still Zwick chose to narrate the saga from the point of view of the "54th's" white commanding officer. Why are we made to see the African American troops through his eyes instead of seeing him through theirs?

Despite that petty rant, and some historical inaccuracies (e.g., the 54th was not the first regiment to hire non-whites), this is a very well-made movie that's definitely worth owning for its absolutely electric atmosphere. And Denzel.

"Glory" is a movie set in the mid 1800's during Civil War time. It centers around one regiment - the 54th Massachusetts - an all-volunteer black group of men. These men were looked down on (many or all as slaves) and had to prove themselves day in and day out. The 54th faced many struggles both mentally and physically... whether it be the acceptance from other Union members and regiments, the need for shoes and socks, the want of new uniforms, being paid less than everyone else, etc. Edward Zwick directs, Matthew Broderick (as a very young Colonel Robert Shaw) and Denzel Washington (as "Trip", a runaway slave with principles and an attitude) star. Denzel stole many a scene in this movie - the best probably being the scene where he deserted to find some shoes and ended up getting whipped in front of the entire 54th. Fine supporting roles from Morgan Freeman (as "Rawlins") and Carl Ewes (as Shaw's best friend "Major Forbes"). The 54th finally get their chance to do battle in a losing cause at Fort Wagner in South Carolina. "Glory" won 3 Oscars - for cinematography, musical score, and supporting actor (Denzel Washington). Only thing odd about this movie I noticed was that they would flash the month and year of what was going on... almost all months indicated were summer months, yet you saw the actors (and horses) breath in many a scene - indicating it was very cold. Great movie, but not sure the 'extras' on this new (2001) 2-disc set are worth the higher price of the original single disc release.