Glory

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Jihmi Kennedy, Andre Braugher, John Finn
Directed by: Edward Zwick
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama, War
1989

Times Seen:
Tim: 4

Summary: After an all-black regiment is created by the North during the Civil War, a white officer (Matthew Broderick) is put in charge. Together they face skepticism and racism as they push for their right to fight.

Review:

Tim: If you've seen many of them, it's pretty obvious that Glory is one of the best Civil War movies ever made. It tells a powerful story of an all black regiment, and the courage they showed in incredibly difficult times. Racism is a battle we're still fighting in this country today, but it's incredible to see what black men had to deal with during the 1860s. Slavery was still preset in the south, but change was in the air. President Abraham Lincoln made the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves and spurring a new world in the United States. This movie does a great job of portraying this fragile time. African-Americans had their freedom, but they still faced an overwhelming amount of challenges. They were passed over for supplies, laughed at, belittled, and yet, despite all that, they still felt this strong desire to fight. That is remarkable and I love how it was portrayed in this film.

Everything about this movie is brilliant, as director Edward Zwick does an amazing job of telling this story on screen. The film was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and it brought home three- Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound. It certainly deserved all three awards and is quite impressive to behold. I love how it sweeps you back to one of the darkest times in American history, but manages to find inspiration amid the darkness by these men's courage and honor.

The cast is remarkable. Denzel Washington gives an unbelievable performance, one of pain, hatred, yet also of strength and courage. He surely deserves the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress that he received for this role. He's stunning in the film, but it's only one of several great performances. I was really impressed with Matthew Broderick, as he gives a very courageous performance, unlike many of his others. I wouldn't have expected he had a role like this in him, but it's very, very good. Morgan Freeman adds in another solid performance, really contributing to the film. I was also impressed with Cary Elwes and Andre Braugher- really, the cast of this film is pretty incredible.

I can't speak highly enough of this film- Glory is a powerful, emotional story of triumph in the face of overwhelming odds. It's a story of courage that comes out of a dark, evil time. We desperately, desperately need more movies like Glory.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 9



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Schindler's List, Hart's War, Gettysburg, Gods and Generals