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Amazon.co.uk Review
"The negroes fought gallantly and were headed by as brave a Colonel as ever lived", was one Confederate soldier's eyewitness verdict on the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers immediately after 247 of their 600-man regiment had fallen in bloody swathes beneath the withering fire from Fort Wagner near Charleston, South Carolina in 1863. Glory is their story: the mustering of the first black regiment in the US Army, their battles with the Southerners as well as with the Northern military authorities, and their own moment of glory when they paid a terrible price for the opportunity to demonstrate to the world their courage. In telling this little-known story, director Ed Zwick single-handedly changed perceptions of the American Civil War: when a Grand Review of the Armies was held in Washington at the end of the war, none of the almost 180,000 coloured troops who fought for the Union were present; when that parade was restaged in 1990 a year after the movie was released, the 54th Massachusetts re-enactors were at the front of the procession.
Zwick's stirring, factually accurate account is greatly enhanced by obsessive period detail and frighteningly realistic battle reconstructions (which were not to be surpassed in scale until 1993's Gettysburg). But Zwick also illuminates individual characters in the regiment with great sensitivity. As crucial as the military set-pieces are the scenes of the men together: talking in the tent or baring their souls in song. Denzel Washington, as the embittered ex-slave, gives a performance of real depth; he richly deserved his Oscar win for the heartbreaking flogging scene alone. Morgan Freeman brings great gravitas to his paternalistic role, and Matthew Broderick's idealistic Colonel Shaw is the centre around which the story revolves. With a clutch of remarkable lead performances, a sensitive and touching script, one of James Horner's finest musical scores, and a director with both the vision and heart to pull it off it's easy to agree with the backcover blurb: "Glory is one of the greatest war movies ever made". Without even a hint of hyperbole, it undoubtedly is.
On the DVD: This is a superb looking (anamorphic) and sounding (Dolby 5.1) print, and the disc has some excellent additional features. Ed Zwick's commentary is insightful and extremely detailed: here's a director who obviously cares deeply about this movie. Of the three featurettes, one is a short-ish promo piece but the other two are genuinely impressive: there's a 20-minute "Making of" feature with major contributions from Zwick, Freeman and Broderick, and best of all a 45-minute "The True Story Continues" feature narrated by Freeman which tells the complete story of the 54th Massachusetts from beginning to end using footage from the movie as well as archive material and film of battle re-enactments. Also included are two deleted scenes, although a third scene which was shot for the movie but not used (the Frederick Douglass' speech) crops up in the "True Story" piece. James Horner's emotive score gets an isolated track all to itself and there are also some filmographies and trailers. All in all, this is a superb DVD. --Mark Walker
Product Description
Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Donovan LeitchDirector: Edward Zwick
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Glory tells the story of the 54th Regiment, one of the first African American regiments that Abraham Lincoln credited with turning the tide of the war. The events portrayed in the film lead up to the heroic and bloody battle at Fort Wagner in which the 54th lost nearly half of its men.
There is nothing better than watching a film that wants to tell you a tale of great heroism, and Glory is one of the best examples of its genre. It is a war film in which perhaps only fifteen minutes of its nearly two hour running time is used to recreate battle scenes. Instead of blasting its audience with carnage and bloodshed, we get to know the men who were involved in these battles and their reasons for fighting. Glory is a film of great depth and subtlety in which powerfully dramatic moments are depicted with very little dialogue. Edward Zwick, the director, obviously understands that an audience has intelligence enough to be completely moved by a sudden swell of music or by a single tear running down a man's cheek. The performances by all five of the main protagonists are astonishing, the cinematography is sublime and the score is beautifully used throughout the film.
The story of the 54th Regiment is emotive and inspiring and Glory is an emotive and inspiring film that pays tribute to all those men who died in the fight for freedom.
There is nothing better than watching a film that wants to tell you a tale of great heroism, and Glory is one of the best examples of its genre. It is a war film in which perhaps only fifteen minutes of its nearly two hour running time is used to recreate battle scenes. Instead of blasting its audience with carnage and bloodshed, we get to know the men who were involved in these battles and their reasons for fighting. Glory is a film of great depth and subtlety in which powerfully dramatic moments are depicted with very little dialogue. Edward Zwick, the director, obviously understands that an audience has intelligence enough to be completely moved by a sudden swell of music or by a single tear running down a man's cheek. The performances by all five of the main protagonists are astonishing, the cinematography is sublime and the score is beautifully used throughout the film.
The story of the 54th Regiment is emotive and inspiring and Glory is an emotive and inspiring film that pays tribute to all those men who died in the fight for freedom.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Having recently watched Gods & Generals and Gettysburg its' sequel, every so often a really "special" film comes along and for me this is it - the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the first Black regiment to fight for the Union side against the Confederacy of the Southern States. Matthew Broderick plays the charismatic Robert Gould Shaw from a Bostonian family of abolitionists who rises to the rank of Colonel, who sees the racism against the black men who are even initially denied proper footwear, uniforms and arms because their role is seen more as that of labourers than fighting men. He also sees the crimes of theft by his superiors. Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman play 2 of the enlisted men. Washingtons attempt to find himself some boots at a nearby farm result in him being whipped for desertion.Washington hates almost everyone,accusing his fellow blacks of being cheap Confederate targets when they initially accept an offer of less wages ($10pm)from the War Department instead of the $13 that had originally been offered and agreed to for all soldiers, Black or White. At this the Colonel declines to accept wages for everyone, officers included.Colonel Shaw has to blackmail a Battalion Commander into using the 54th in actual fighting and they bloody their noses at James Island but not without losses. Morgan Freeman who plays the much more sensible,older man role to which he has been accustomed lectures Washington on his hot-headed ways and at last appears to make Washington realise where he has gone wrong and to channel any hatred he has against the enemy not his fellows. Col.Shaw who is ably supported by a child-hood friend Maj.Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes)volunteers his regiment to lead the attack on an impenetrable Fort Wagner, knowing that it is almost certainly a suicide mission and that none will survive. This gains the 54th the respect of the General in charge of the Battle of Fort Wagner and all other troops. Unusually for such a senior officer Colonel Shaw not only leads his men from the front but also does so on foot. This movie which is brilliantly directed by Edward Zwick and produced by Freddie Fields "enlists" thousands of Civil War re-enacters to carry it off, and James Horner adds a wonderfully haunting musical score.It contains moments of comedy,pride,brutality,discrimination.humility,tear-jerking truthfullness and much more.A truly exceptional film.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The American Civil War does not interest me at all but this movie has made me think twice. It is a deep and thoughtful film based on a real life negro (54th) regiment.
It tracks the regiments formation and struggle to be deemed equal to other white regiments. Unlike other race related movies this one touching and non forceful and at times you feel a deep sympathy for the troops and the officers (white) commanding the regiment.
In all it includes hope, courage and truth. Bonuses on the DVD include well made documentaries on the 54th and directors/actors comments.
This movie is in my 10 all time movies and I highly recomend it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Up The Flag
Although a few years old this DVD is worth a showing, it has a brilliant cast and a compelling story. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Backrow
stunning
This film is one not to miss on many levels
Great story movingly portraying the fate of the 54th
Cavalry regiment. Stunning music. Read more
Great story movingly portraying the fate of the 54th
Cavalry regiment. Stunning music. Read more
Published 2 months ago by c rider
Excellent Movie
Excellent Film Based on a true story and letters found telling the story of the events.
All actors involved are first class in this film ( Denzel washington steals the... Read more
All actors involved are first class in this film ( Denzel washington steals the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Spidey
an uplifting story
This film based on a true story is very uplifting in seeing the relationships that can form when men are placed under difficult circumstances. Read more
Published 6 months ago by colin glazebrook
First Steps
This is an ideal companion for "Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals". The film epitomises the beginning of a long struggle to shake off the degrading stygma of slavery. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Rog
Glory DVD
I have seen this DVD and always wanted to get a copy so that is what I have done. It is a brilliant DVD with a very gripping story line. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Avril
classic
One of my favorite films! I may not be a fan of american history, but this film is so inspirational. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Nicholas Bridal psn/xbl uncleniccius
When you are in command - you are alone
I liked this film very much. It showed how a young man is thrown into the tribulations of becoming an Army officer to satisfy political ends. Read more
Published 13 months ago by DGNB
A Worthy Story Told in Some Style.
I cannot believe that this fine film made over twenty years ago has simply passed me by. I have never seen it and did not even know of it's existence until I stumbled across it on... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Bob Salter
Glory.................the title says it all actually!
Based around the actual letters sent by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw to his parents, this Civil War picture tells the story of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment, the first black... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Spike Owen
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