Glory (1989)

Director:

Edward Zwick

Writers (WGA):

Kevin Jarre (screenplay)
Lincoln Kirstein (book)
(more)

Release Date:

15 December 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Prejudice | Army | Fighting | American Civil War | Soldier

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

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
Richard Riehle	...	Quartermaster
Daniel Jenkins	...	'A' Company Officer
Michael Smith Guess	...	'A' Company Soldier
Abdul Salaam El Razzac	...	'A' Company Soldier
Peter Michael Goetz	...	Francis George Shaw
Pete Munro	...	Surgeon
Benji Wilhoite	...	Young Soldier
Ethan Phillips	...	Hospital Steward
Mark A. Levy	...	Bigoted Soldier
Randell Haynes	...	Paymaster
Afemo Omilami	...	Tall Contraband
Keith Noble	...	Short Contraband
Dan Biggers	...	Minister
Marc Gowan	...	Dr. William B. Rogers
Raymond Godshall Jr.	...	Dr. Charles G. Thorpe
Bob Minor	...	Contraband Soldier
Joan Riordan	...	White Woman
Saundra Dunson-Franks	...	Black Woman (as Saundra Franks)
Mark A. Jones	...	54th Soldier
Peter Grandfield	...	10th Connecticut Soldier
Mark Margolis	...	10th Connecticut Soldier
Paul Desmond	...	10th Connecticut Soldier
Tom Barrington	...	10th Connecticut Soldier
Michael Fowler	...	10th Connecticut Soldier
Richard Wright	...	10th Connecticut Soldier
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jane Alexander	...	Sarah Blake Sturgis Shaw (uncredited)
Frank Blair	...	Darian Farmer (uncredited)
Carla Brothers	...	Charlotte Forten (uncredited)
Bill Chemerka	...	Confederate Officer (uncredited)
Rachel Lea Grundfast	...	Ellen Shaw (uncredited)
Kevin R. Hershberger	...	Confederate Soldier (uncredited)
Kevin Jarre	...	10th Connecticut Soldier (uncredited)
Jay Lance	...	Union Soldier (uncredited)
William Mathis	...	Union Soldier (uncredited)
Bill Nunn	...	(uncredited)
Larry Peterson	...	Union Officer (uncredited)
Alejandro de Quesada	...	Confederate / Union Soldier (uncredited)
Roger Ragland	...	Cavalry Officer (uncredited)
Raymond St. Jacques	...	Frederick Douglass (uncredited)
Michael Wayne Thomas	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Rodger Williamson	...	Union Cavalryman (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward Zwick

Writing credits (WGA)
Kevin Jarre		(screenplay)
Lincoln Kirstein		(book "Lay This Laurel")
Peter Burchard		(book "One Gallant Rush")
Robert Gould Shaw		(letters)

Produced by
Pieter Jan Brugge	....	co-producer
Sarah Caplan	....	associate producer
Freddie Fields	....	producer
P.K. Fields	....	associate producer (as P.K. Fields Zimmerman)
Ray Herbeck Jr.	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Freddie Francis		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Steven Rosenblum

Casting by
Mary Colquhoun

Production Design by
Norman Garwood

Art Direction by
Keith Pain		(supervising art director)
Dan Webster

Set Decoration by
Garrett Lewis

Costume Design by
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck

Makeup Department
Everett Burrell	....	makeup effects crew: Kevin Yagher Productions
Elle Elliott	....	key hair stylist (as Elle Elliot)
Carl Fullerton	....	makeup department supervisor
Julian Ledger	....	makeup effects crew: Kevin Yagher Productions
Linda Peterson	....	hair stylist
Ron Pipes	....	makeup effects crew: Kevin Yagher Productions (as Ron Pipes II)
Francisco X. Pérez	....	key makeup artist (as Frank Carrisosa)
Sean Rodgers	....	makeup effects crew: Kevin Yagher Productions
Mike Trcic	....	makeup effects crew: Kevin Yagher Productions (as Michael Trcic)
Kevin Yagher	....	makeup effects creator
Mark C. Yagher	....	makeup effects crew: Kevin Yagher Productions
Vera Yurtchuk	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Pieter Jan Brugge	....	unit production manager
Carol Dantuono	....	post-production supervisor (as Carol Dantuono Blake)
Tom Luse	....	assistant unit production manager
Ted Zachary	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vebe Borge	....	second assistant director: second unit
Joseph M. Caracciolo Jr.	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Joe Caracciolo Jr.)
Karen Estelle Collins	....	additional second assistant director (as Karen E. Collins)
Skip Cosper	....	first assistant director
Louis D'Esposito	....	first assistant director: second unit
Douglas Dean III	....	second assistant director (as Douglas F. Dean III)
Dan Lerner	....	second unit director
Douglas S. Ornstein	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Doug Ornstein)
Robert Rothbard	....	second assistant director
Richard 'Dub' Wright	....	additional second assistant director (as Richard Wayde Wright)

Art Department
Guy Barnes	....	property master
Tony Belmonte	....	drapery
Kelly Farrah	....	assistant property master
Bobby Joe Garren	....	greens foreman (as Bobby Garren)
Doug Lewis	....	assistant property master (as Douglas C. Lewis)
Mike Margaros	....	labor foreman
Ben Massi	....	paint foreman (as Benny P. Massi)
Bernard Alan McPherson	....	construction foreman (as Bernie McPherson)
Alan Munro	....	production illustrator
Andrew Precht	....	assistant art director
John Root	....	sign painter
Marvin Salsberg	....	construction coordinator
Jeff Spellerberg	....	assistant property master
Mark Woods	....	leadman
Dave Barnes	....	art production assistant (uncredited)
Ken Counts	....	set constructor (uncredited)
Robert Engle	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Patrick Fuhrman	....	set dresser (uncredited)
K. Drew Fuller	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Paul Vincent Fusco	....	props (uncredited)
Jody Gaber	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
Scott C. Garrett	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Amy McGary	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bill Abbott	....	digital sound effects recordist
Bill Abbott	....	sound mixer: second unit
Albert Aquino	....	boom operator
Robert Batha	....	assistant sound editor
Bob Beher	....	assistant sound editor (as Robert Behr)
Lon Bender	....	sound designer (as Lon E. Bender)
Lon Bender	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Lon E. Bender)
Weldon Brown	....	adr mixer
James Cavarretta	....	dubbing recordist (as Jim Cavarretta)
Laurel Doran	....	foley artist
Dean Drabin	....	foley mixer
Sukey Fontelieu	....	foley supervisor
George Fredrick	....	sound editor
Scott Martin Gershin	....	sound editor
Avram D. Gold	....	sound editor (as Avram Gold)
Kevin Hearst	....	sound editor
Devon Heffley Curry	....	adr editor (as Devon Heffley-Curry)
Chris Hogan	....	digital sound editor: weapons
Alan Holly	....	foley mixer
Jack Keller	....	dubbing recordist
Chet Leonard	....	cableman
Steve Mann	....	sound editor
Joseph A. Mayer	....	adr supervisor (as Joe Mayer)
Lisa Miller	....	assistant sound editor
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist (as J. Dan O'Connell)
Kelly Oxford	....	assistant sound editor (as Kelley Oxford)
Dan M. Rich	....	sound editor (as Dan Rich)
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gregg C. Rudloff)
Frank Smathers	....	sound editor
David Spence	....	sound editor
Wylie Stateman	....	digital sound effects recordist
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kim Waugh	....	digital sound effects recordist
Russell Williams II	....	production sound mixer (as Russell Williams)
Marshall Winn	....	sound editor (as Marshall Wynn)
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Phil Hadaway	....	sound recording engineer (uncredited)
Mark Lanza	....	sound editor (uncredited)
John Motyer	....	voiceover recordist (uncredited)
David Young	....	digital sound technician (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Phil Cory	....	special effects coordinator
Hans Metz	....	special effects supervisor (as Han's Metz)
David Simmons	....	special effects supervisor (as Dave Simmons)
Ray Svedin	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Syd Dutton	....	special visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.
Bill Taylor	....	special visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.

Stunts
John Ashby	....	stunt player
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt player (as Bruce Barbour)
Alonzo Brown Jr.	....	stunt player
Alex Brown	....	stunt player
Tony Brubaker	....	stunt player
Harold Burns	....	stunt player
Hank Calia	....	stunt player
Eric Chambers	....	stunt player
Carl Ciarfalio	....	stunt player
Danny Costa	....	stunt player
Scott Dale	....	stunt player
Gregg Dandridge	....	stunt player (as Greg Dandridge)
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunt player
Nick Dimitri	....	stunt player
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunt player (as Greg Elam)
Ousaun Elam	....	stunt player
George Fisher	....	stunt player
Ralph Garrett	....	stunt player
Jerry Gatlin	....	stunt player
Dale Gibson	....	stunt player
Dick Hancock	....	stunt player
Clifford Happy	....	stunt player
Bill Hart	....	stunt player
Orwin C. Harvey	....	stunt player (as Orwin Harvey)
Eddie Hice	....	stunt player
Johnny Hock	....	stunt player (as John Hock Conrad)
Terry Jackson	....	stunt player
Terry James	....	stunt player
Jeff Jensen	....	stunt player
Mike Johnson	....	stunt player
Harold Jones	....	stunt player
Melvin Jones	....	stunt player
Steve Kelso	....	stunt player
Wayne King	....	stunt player
Paul M. Lane	....	stunt player
Lane Leavitt	....	stunt player
Al Lee	....	stunt player
Irving E. Lewis	....	stunt player (as Irving Lewis)
Dan Mabry	....	stunt player (as Danny Mabry)
Eric Mansker	....	stunt player
Anderson Martin	....	stunt player
Rusty McClennon	....	stunt player
Bufort McClerkins	....	stunt player
Dwayne McGee	....	stunt player
Bill McIntosh	....	stunt player
Jimmy Medearis	....	stunt player
Bob Minor	....	stunt coordinator
Rita Minor	....	stunt player
Bennie Moore	....	stunt player
Perry Nichols	....	stunt player
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt player (as E. Palmisano)
Manny Perry	....	stunt player (as Manuel Perry)
Jeff Ramsey	....	stunt player
Mario Roberts	....	stunt player
Ben Scott	....	stunt player
John-Clay Scott	....	stunt player
Mel Scott	....	stunt player
John Sherrod	....	stunt player
Al Simon	....	stunt player
Lincoln Simonds	....	stunt player
Jeff Smolek	....	stunt player
Neil Summers	....	stunt player
R.L. Tolbert	....	stunt player
Tierre Turner	....	stunt player
William Upton	....	stunt player
Rock A. Walker	....	stunt player (as Rock Walker)
Marvin Walters	....	stunt player
Richard Washington	....	stunt player
Brian J. Williams	....	stunt player
Gerard G. Williams	....	stunt player (as Gerard Williams)
James Winburn	....	stunt player (as Jim Winburn)
Gene Witham	....	stunt player
Ray Woodfork	....	stunt player
Kevin Beard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert Giardina	....	stunts (uncredited)
Randy Tharpe	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ralph Brandofino	....	assistant camera: "b" camera
Allan Bullard	....	grip: second unit (as Alan Bullard)
Keith Bunting	....	grip
Andrew Casey	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Don Cerrone	....	key grip
Marie Cosindas	....	special photographer
Stephen Crawford	....	best boy electric (as Steve Crawford)
Vito DePalma	....	second assistant camera
James P. Dolan	....	gaffer: second unit (as J.P. Dolan)
Fred H. Dresch	....	electrician (as Fred Dresch)
Bobby Earnhardt	....	electrician (as Robert Earnhardt)
Michael Fedack	....	dolly grip
Larry Huston	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Carl Johnson	....	electrician
Stan Keitt	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Steven Mann	....	first assistant camera (as Steven 'Manny' Mann)
Steve Mathis	....	gaffer (as Steven Mathis)
Jeff Moore	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Merrick Morton	....	still photographer
Vinnie Nappo	....	best boy electric: second unit (as Vincent Nappo)
Nick Nelson	....	electrician
Wade O'Connor	....	grip
Briggs Palmer	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Douglas Pellegrino	....	assistant camera: "b" camera (as Doug Pellegrino)
Charles Quinlivan	....	best boy grip
C. Alan Rawlins	....	grip
Riko Schatke	....	grip (as Riko R. Schatke)
George Skelly	....	key grip: second unit
C. Ashley Sudge	....	grip: second unit (as Ashley Sudge)
David Wagreich	....	director of photography: second unit
Joe D'Alessandro	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
John R. Kaplan	....	grip: Boston unit (uncredited)
David Larue	....	grip (uncredited)
Brett Laumann	....	electrician (uncredited)
William M. Weberg	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Billy Dowd	....	extras casting coordinator
Shay Griffin	....	casting: Atlanta
Avy Kaufman	....	casting assistant (as Avy Kausman)
Donna Larson	....	casting assistant
Cynthia Stillwell	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frank Perry Rose	....	costume supervisor (as Frank Rose)
Paul A. Simmons Jr.	....	key costumer: men (as Paul Simmons)
Betty Jean Slater	....	key costumer: women
Layne Brightwell	....	costumer (uncredited)
L. Robert Stanfield	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Battle Davis	....	additional editor (as T. Battle Davis)
Tracey Featherston	....	assistant editor
Robert Frazen	....	assistant editor
Martha Huntley	....	assistant editor
Bob Noland	....	color timer
Brent White	....	assistant editor

Music Department
The Boys Choir of Harlem	....	choir
Jim Henrikson	....	music editor
Jerry Kadovitz	....	assistant music editor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Shawn Murphy	....	scoring mixer
Walter J. Turnbull	....	founder/conductor: The Boys Choir of Harlem (as Dr. Walter J. Turnbull)
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Orlebeck	....	transportation captain
Bryce Guy Williams	....	transportation coordinator (as Bryce Williams)
Albert B. Cooper IV	....	transportation (uncredited)
Roy A. Grace	....	driver (uncredited)
Roy A. Grace	....	unit driver (uncredited)
L. Robert Stanfield	....	driver: cast (uncredited)

Other crew
Sheila Allen	....	assistant location manager
B.H. Barry	....	battle consultant
Stan Bielowicz	....	first aid
Kathie Broyles	....	title designer
Sidney Gecker	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Sid Gecker)
Karen Gordon	....	production accountant
Peter Grandfield	....	production assistant
John B. Griffin	....	location manager
Patti Hawn	....	publicist
Jeannie Jeha	....	production coordinator
Patrice A. Kiley	....	production secretary: Georgia
Daniel Kuttner	....	craft service
Kelly K. Learman	....	assistant: Mr. Fields
Maurice Lospinoso	....	craft service
Jimmy Medearis	....	boss wrangler
Pat Newcomb	....	public relations
Doris Newman-Layne	....	production coordinator (as Doris Newman Layne)
Jeffrey A. Okun	....	title designer (as Jeff Okun)
Connie Papineau	....	script supervisor
Pattee Roedig	....	assistant production accountant
Paul Rousakis	....	production assistant
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Gwen Taylor-Stacy	....	assistant production accountant
Paul Warner	....	assistant: Mr. Zwick (as Paul W. Warner)
J. Walt Waters	....	production assistant
Louise Del Araujo	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Billy L. 'Butch' Frank	....	historical consultant (uncredited)
John Guss	....	historical technical assistant (uncredited)
John Guss	....	stand-in: Cary Elwes (uncredited)
Mary Cay Hollander	....	pre-production coordinator (uncredited)
Dane Pizzuti Krogman	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Roger Ragland	....	armorer: cannons (uncredited)
Andy Redmond	....	historical technical assistant (uncredited)
Rodney Saulsberry	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Ned R. Shapiro	....	location manager (uncredited)
Leon Watkins	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Kevin R. Young	....	assistant re-enactor coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
Norman Bielowicz	....	special thanks: Georgia Film Commission (as Mr. Norman Bielowicz)
Patricia Broderick	....	special thanks
Wesley Buford	....	special thanks
Mark Edwards	....	acknowledgment: 4th U.S. Colored Troops
Dale Fetzer	....	acknowledgment: Historical Impressions, Inc.
Shelby Foote	....	special thanks
Ray Giron	....	acknowledgment: Ft. McIntosh Armory (as Dr. Ray Giron)
William Gwaltney	....	acknowledgment: The National Park Service
Ardie Ivy	....	special thanks: vice chancellor, UCLA
Tom Kaufman	....	special thanks: special assistant to the mayor (as Mr. Tom Kaufman)
J. Leonard Ledbetter	....	special thanks: Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Steve Lillard	....	acknowledgment: The Blue-Grey Army Artillery Battalion
Karl Luthin	....	acknowledgment: 7th Illinois Cavalry, Inc. (as Dr. Karl Luthin)
Arthur Mendonza	....	special thanks: city manager (as Mr. Arthur Mendonza)
Ron Nichols	....	acknowledgment: First Arkansas Regt. of African Descent
Mike Riley	....	special thanks: Georgia Film Commission (as Mr. Mike Riley)
John P. Rousakis	....	special thanks (as Mayor John P. Rousakis)
Scott Smith	....	acknowledgment: Old Fort Jackson, Savannah, GA.
Richard F. Snow	....	special thanks: American Heritage

Production Companies

• TriStar Pictures (presents)
• Freddie Fields Productions (as A Freddie Fields Production)

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1990) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1990) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (1999) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (1990) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1993) (Finland) (TV)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1994) (USA) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2004) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• LK-TEL (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (189?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Egmont Films (1990s) (Finland) (VHS)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (1990) (Argentina) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (2004) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• City of Savannah, Georgia  the producers wish to extend special thanks to (as The Citizens of Savannah, Georgia)
• Georgia Department of Natural Resources, The  the producers wish to extend special thanks to
• Georgia Film Commission  the producers wish to extend special thanks to
• High Output  grip and lighting equipment
• Movie Music  soundtrack
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Production Services Atlanta  location lighting and grip equipment (as Production Services Atlanta, Inc.)
• Shotmaker  camera cars and camera cranes provided (as The Shotmaker)
• Soundelux  sound editing
• State of Florida  the producers wish to extend special thanks to (as The State of Florida)
• Tomkats Catering  catering
• Victor Duncan  panavision camera equipment supplied by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (No. 29658) | West Germany:16 | USA:PG (edited version) | Norway:18 (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 (2000) (DVD) | Netherlands:16 | Peru:14

Filming Locations:

African-American National Historic Site - 14 Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

The lines spoken by Colonel Montgomery to the outraged Colonel Shaw when he orders the burning of Darien - "Secesh has got to be swept away by the hand of God like the Jews of old" - are the actual words of Montgomery, quoted in a letter from the real Shaw to his family.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the first battle, somehow bayonets are fixed before they charge. When they first form the line in that scene, bayonets are obviously not fixed. There is never an order given to fix them.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Title Card:Robert Gould Shaw, the son of wealthy Boston abolitionists, was 23 years old when he enlisted to fight in the War Between the States. He wrote home regularly, telling his parents of life in the gathering Army of the Potomac. / These letters are collected in the Houghton Library of Harvard University.
Colonel Robert G. Shaw:Dear Mother, I hope you are keeping well and not worrying much about me. You mustn't think that any of us are going to be killed. They are collecting such a force here, that an attack would be insane. The Massachusetts men passed though here this morning; how grand it is to meet the men from all the States, east and west, ready to fight for their country, as the old fellows did in the Revolution. But this time we must make it a whole country for all who live here, so that all can speak.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV)

This is the definition of a truly great war movie.

To be quite honest, I had low expectations for "Glory." It was just another boring day at school sitting in my history class drawing random drawings in my notebook. Suddenly my teacher says we're going to watch a movie. I wake up from my dreamy state and I decide I'll give it a chance. He loads the VCR tape into the machine and I fix my eyes upon the screen.

I will put "Glory" into a few words--this is what every war movie strives to be and beyond. Glory tells the story of a Civil War colonel (Matthew Broderick) who leads the war's first all-black volunteer regimen into battles and discovers along the way he has to confront the moral question of racial prejudice within, and outside of, his regimen.

So as I'm sitting in history class watching "Glory," I immediately begin to perk up. From the explosive first scene, I was fully awake. My luck skyrocketed when I discovered two of my all-time favorite actors in the film, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington. The movie progressed and I found myself becoming yet more and more drawn into the film--not just watching it, but actually EXPERIENCING every ounce of war, prejudice, and moral questions that face the characters in the movie.

What's even more, is that you find yourself becoming attached to ALL of the characters--every single black soldier--in some strange way, so strange, that when these men fall in battle you feel a jolt of power inside of you that is converted to emotional sadness in your mind.

The final scenes in Glory are mesmerizing. No, more than that--utterly spectacular. The final battle scene at Fort Wagner is so amazingly shot you will think you're actually there fighting along with the black regimen. You're not in your seat watching the film--you feel like you're there! The final battle scene is so spectacular, it will easily remain one of the most memorable battle scenes I've ever witnessed in all of film. After watching Glory, you will find yourself truly moved in all ways possible. You will almost feel like a new person.

All of this paired with a beautiful score by James Horner, Glory is simply one of the best war movies of all-time. Anyone who misses this film is missing out one of the most powerful, moving, and memorable experiences a movie can bring you.

I'm so glad I found myself in history this year.