Glory Film Review.

The title of the movie I have chosen to review is called "Glory" released in 1989. The film Glory is Directed by Edward Zwick and stars Matthew Broderick, John Finn, Denzel Washington, and Morgan Freeman all of which did an outstanding job. The film is about the American Civil war and the Fifty-Fourth regiment which was the first black regiment in the Civil war.

The story of the Fifty-Fourth is told through the eyes of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw who is played by Matthew Broderick. The film starts with the battle of Battle of Antietam. After this battle he is asked to lead the all black Fifty-fourth and promoted to Colonel. The black troops were undisciplined and unrefined so Shaw brings in an Irish Sergeant Major named Mulcahy, your typical tough and hell bent on making your life a living hell, to get them in shape and toughen them up to prepare them for war. Mulcahy is played by John Finn and is always yelling and insulting the troops with curses and insulting there preferment's to make them better. On a side note I think he was enjoying ever moment of his character and he did an awesome job of it. After Mulcahy gets through with drilling them to death they are one of the most disciplined regiments in the army. During the early stages of the movie the Fifty-fourth is primarily used as labor until Colonel Shaw blackmails his commander into transferring them to a combat command. There first real battle was a James Island in South Carolina on July 16th, in 1863 to be followed by the attack on Fort Wagner two days later where the film ends.

The lighting of the movie and the camera work were both well done in my opinion. The music used in the movie flowed nicely with the mood of the film especially during Trip's whipping. The emotions on his face and the music made it seem even more moving. The special effects were alright but not as high quality but I think that it was still excellent and very believable. The uniforms looked nice and real so I would also have to give them a plus for there work on costumes as well as props however a few things were off such as when Rawlins hands out the En-field rifles, he calls out each one's serial number. Authentic En-field rifles don't have serial numbers, but the reproductions did. But other then a few little slips here and there you can hardly tell.

From watching this movie and looking up facts about it I learned a lot about the Fifty-fourth and Colonel Shaw. I would have to say that I knew there was an all black regiment but I had no idea about it. I had never even heard about Shaw for that matter or the Battle of Fort Wagner. It is truly a great movie but is not a documentary it is a movie so not everything is fact. It is just based off a true story, but regardless it is a great movie to watch and I highly suggest it if you like war movies. In my opinion this movie goes right up there with The Patriot but still under it.

Now two major people in history around the films time line were President Lincoln and Harriet Stowe. President Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, lead the country through the civil war and was assassinated after the war. Harriet Stowe wrote the book called Uncle Tom's Cabin which enraged many abolitionist and set the country even closer to civil war. When President Lincoln meet her they clam he said" So you're are the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war!"



( Fun Facts )

With the exception of Shaw, none of the primary characters are based on real people in the 54th.

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.

In May of 1900, Sergeant William H. Carney became the first black to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroic actions he'd performed while a member of Company C of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Regiment during the assault on Fort Wagner.

The Fifty-fourth was the first black regular army regiment in the Civil War.

In the opening scenes, when Shaw is seen marching beside his soldiers towards the Antietam battle, the rank insignia on his epaulets change from that of a captain (two bars) to that of a second lieutenant (no insignia within the epaulet borders) because it's a flashback.

As Rawlins hands out the Enfield rifles, he calls out each one's serial number. Authentic Enfield rifles don't have serial numbers, but the reproductions do.

Robert Gould Shaw was the one responsible for inspiring his troops to refuse a lesser pay.

At one point Shaw tells Sergeant Major Mulcahy "at ease." During the Civil War this command did not exist. The command would have been "rest" or "in place rest."