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Glory
1989
GLORY recounts the bravery of a group of Civil War soldiers often overlooked by history--the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts, a troop of free black men who fought to help win liberty for their enslaved brothers. Based on the historical novels ONE GALLANT RUSH by Peter Burchand and LAY THIS LAUREL by Lincoln Kirstein and the .. Read more
| Starring | Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman |
|---|---|
| Director | Edward Zwick |
| Genres | Drama |
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Glory
GLORY recounts the bravery of a group of Civil War soldiers often overlooked by history--the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts, a troop of free black men who fought to help win liberty for their enslaved brothers. Based on the historical novels ONE GALLANT RUSH by Peter Burchand and LAY THIS LAUREL by Lincoln Kirstein and the letters of Robert Gould Shaw, the film follows the youthful Colonel Shaw (Matthew Broderick) as he takes responsibility for readying these soldiers for battle. Shaw, a privileged young Boston Brahman, finds the job harder than expected because many of the men balk at taking orders from him. Private Trip (Denzel Washington) is especially resistant to Shaw's leadership, but over time the two come to an understanding as they endure the hardships of the war. On July 18, 1863, Shaw volunteers the 54th for the honor of leading the charge against Ft. Wagner, a mission that means almost certain death, with Trip carrying the regiment's colors into battle. This gritty and realistic vision of the horrors of war is a moving and critical examination of a lost piece of history. Beautifully shot and triumphantly acted (by a cast that also includes Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and Andre Braugher), director Edward Zwick's film serves as a tribute to the courage and selfless bravery of the black soldiers of the Civil War.
| Starring | Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Donovan Leitch, Andre Braugher |
|---|---|
| Director | Edward Zwick |
| Studio | SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 57 mins Blu-ray: 2 hrs 2 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | English |
| Dubbed | None |
| Hearing-impaired | None |
| Subtitles | None |
| Released | DVD: 19 Jun 2000 Blu-ray: 17 Aug 2009 Production year: 1989 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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This Civil War tale is a long overdue tribute to America's first black regiment to go into combat, the 54th Massachusetts Voluntary Infantry. The details are culled partly from the letters of the 54th's commander, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (played by Matthew Broderick), a sensitive 25-year-old (but already a veteran) from an abolitionist family who's determined to lead his men into full battle. Shaw faces resistance from both above and below: his racist superiors won't even allow the soldiers boots, and the troops resent the white man's leadership, especially rebellious runaway slave Denzel Washington. While there are undoubtedly pockets of stereotyping, such as the embarrassing scene in which Morgan Freeman, Washington and the rest of the black cast burst into spiritual harmonies, the lasting impression is of Washington's performance in particular and the plight of the men in general. Fabulously photographed by Freddie Francis and with brilliantly staged (and shockingly violent) battle scenes, Glory will bring tears to the steeliest eye.
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Glory heralds the bravery of the American Civil War's first black fighting unit. Most of the emphasis has gone into... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Very Close To 5 Stars
A film that follows the story about the the first ever black regiment in the US Army as it battles in the American Civil War.
If you have any interest in American history then you have to see this film. At times the film verges on cheesiness but there's too much substance to the film to really allow that to happen and I can wholeheartedly recomment this for anyone with an interest in war films that have more than just big explosions. -
Most recent members' review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Glorious Glory
Better than expected by a long way largely because the film avoids the over-sentimental pitfalls which could easily have spoiled it. Principals Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington are as reliable as ever.
Matthew Broderick I'd always regarded as fairly lightweight but he took the central role with acting honours....this is a very worthwhile and ultimately rewarding film. -
News and features
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Stallone to be honoured at Venice Film Festival
- 13 Aug 2009
Hollywood action man Sylvester Stallone will be feted at the upcoming Venice Film Festival with the prestigious Glory to the Filmmaker award. The Rocky star's career as an actor and director will be one of the highlights of the Italian event as his peers celebrate his lengthy career in the movie industry. Organisers have hailed Stallone as a "very original filmmaker" whose projects are "capable of tenderness even when dripping with blood". They add in a statement, "(Stallone's work) has... Read more
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