Barnes & Noble

This stirring, meticulously produced historical drama pays long-overdue tribute to the nation's first all-black infantry unit, organized to fight for the Union during the Civil War. It provides a great role for Matthew Broderick, who is letter-perfect as the idealistic but callow Colonel Shaw, charged with training an undisciplined group of former slaves that becomes the 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Morgan Freeman is equally impressive as an intelligent, dignified soldier who clashes regularly with cynical malcontent Denzel Washington, whose dynamic portrayal earned him a richly deserved Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. All the acting is great, for that matter, but ultimately Glory's effectiveness is determined by director Edward Zwick (Courage Under Fire), who expertly balances the need for verisimilitude with the demands of cinematic storytelling. He recreates the era, the events, and the attitudes with remarkable fidelity -- in part by relying on the real-life Shaw's diaries -- and stages his harrowing battle scenes with both panoramic sweep and surgical precision. Brimming with emotion and grandeur, Glory documents a long-forgotten aspect of Civil War history in an immensely satisfying manner. The two-disc DVD Special Edition has a rich selection of extras, including from commentary from Zwick, Freeman, and Broderick; a documentary, "The True Story of Glory Continues," narrated by Freeman; and an exclusive featurette entitled "Voices Of Glory." Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Glory is a celebration of a little-known act of mass courage during the Civil War. Simply put, the heroes involved have been ignored by history due to racism. Those heroes were the all-black members of the 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, headed by Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), the son of an influential abolitionist (played by an uncredited Jane Alexander). Despite the fact that the Civil War is ostensibly being fought on their behalf, the black soldiers are denied virtually every privilege and amenity that is matter of course for their white counterparts; as in armies past and future, they are given the most menial and demeaning of tasks. Still, none of the soldiers quit the regiment when given the chance. The unofficial leaders of the group are gravedigger John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman) and fugitive slave Trip (Denzel Washington), respectively representing the brains and heart of the organization. The 54th acquit themselves valiantly at Fort Wagner, SC, charging a fortification manned by some 1,000 Confederates. Glory was based on Lincoln Kirstein's Lay This Laurel and Peter Burchard's One Gallant Rush; the latter book was founded on the letters of Col. Robert Gould Shaw, the real-life character played by Matthew Broderick. The film won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for co-star Denzel Washington, and additional statuettes for Best Cinematography (Freddie Francis) and Sound Recording. Hal Erickson

Product Details

• UPC: 043396160941
• Source: SONY PICTURES
• Region Code: ABC
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Editions: Subtitled, Dubbed
• Time: 2:02:00
• Sales Rank: 15,783

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