(Out of Four Stars) Starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes and Andre Braugher Director

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GLORY

(out of four stars)

Starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes and Andre Braugher Director Edward Zwick Rated R Buy this Movie! Released by Tri-Star Pictures - 12/89

I wouldn‟t hesitate to call Glory the most beautiful movie ever made. From a technical standpoint, the film is a magnificent achievement of glorious grandeur. The sweeping, Oscar- winning cinematography of the Civil War battlefield embodies the breathtaking rush of any classic war film. The majestic, awe-inspiring musical score (by James Horner) accompanies the story thrust faultlessly, capturing the pointless devastation of battle and the courage of the human spirit in one incredible soundtrack. Edward Zwick (who would later revisit different topics of war with Courage Under Fire and The Siege) directs with immaculate precision, going to staggering measures to deliver a moral of utmost importance.

And that‟s what hits me hard every time I see this film. Glory is a stunning testament to a group of men who fought for more than to be on the winning side in the war. It‟s the story of the 54th Regiment of Massachusets - or, the first black unit of American soldiers to ever fight in combat. Matthew Broderick plays Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, a young, slightly naive Northern officer who witnesses the horrifying bloodshed of battle first-hand in the film‟s jarring opening sequence. Shaw‟s parents are wealthy and significant in the political spectrum, and consequently, he is occasionally regarded as the spoiled rich-kid, undeserving of commanding any troops. But Shaw is not like this at all. Although inexperienced, he will tackle a challenge courageously whenever confronted by one. Because of this fierce determination, Robert is elected to instruct and lead the inaugural regiment of Negro soldiers in the Civil War - a decision designed to help turn the tide of battle in the Northerners‟ favor. Enlisting the help of longtime chum Major Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes), Robert accepts the demanding proposal. Blacks everywhere submit their name for service, including Robert‟s childhood friend Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher) and former gravedigger John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman), a man with much subtlety and inner wisdom.

Training the men for combat is no easy chore. Shaw, now acquainted with the devastating fury of battle, commands with strict -- and sometimes brutal -- intentions. Forbes doesn‟t approve of this inhuman treatment, but Shaw makes his objective clear: “I have to prepare them.” To do so, he recruits the brash, profanity-spewing Irish drill sergeant Mulcahy (John Finn), who lectures the troops in the areas of uniform marching and weaponry. The training is rigorous, and the soldiers don‟t hold Colonel Shaw in high regard. This includes Private Trip (Denzel Washington), a sour, relentlessly hateful man who uses his skin color as an excuse to unleash hostility and frustration (mainly by dubbing fellow troops “n--ger”). The Negro soldiers anxiously await the opportunity to don the blue suits and fire their muskets in combat, but as an all-black regiment composed mainly of former slaves, there are significant obstacles to overcome. Namely, the war department may not take them seriously. Supplies may be withheld because Negro soldiers lack “fighting readiness” (read: white troops are more essential and deserve all resources). Of course, this is garbage, and Shaw puts forth a valiant fight to protest the 54th being used exclusively for manual labor. And, they do reach the battlefield.

Many critics have cited that a weak link in Glory is the broad, unconvincing performance by Matthew Broderick in the lead. I wholeheartedly disagree. Broderick, whose innocent, callow physical appearance fits the bill perfectly, is ideal for Colonel Shaw. The character is youthful and naive, yet smug and arrogant - and the actor has no trouble whatsoever with the contrast. Most of Glory is narrated from Shaw‟s perspective, as the letters which he wrote to his mother and father in Boston have become the basis material. This is predominantly the historical account of the black soldiers, and how they dealt with the scenario of warfare as opposed to slavery. Some may argue that Shaw‟s point-of-view is insignificant, and that the story would be better recounted from the direct perspective of the Negro troops. But seeing the events unfold through Shaw‟s eyes is practical and, once his own manner is influenced by his optimistic men, effective in strategy. Just like Trip, Searles and many of the others, the Colonel is inexperienced and fearful of what may await on the battlefront. His emotional and physical journey is much similar to that of his soldiers: it‟s a process of personal discovery, and the knowledge of understanding. Colonel Shaw and his regiment share more in common than we could have imagined.

The remainder of the performances range from great to utterly exceptional. Washington, in a stunning Academy-award winning role, demonstrates the rugged precision and character depth that would become characteristic of his distinguished career. We are able to see inside Private Trip and understand the reasons for his hostile bitterness. Freeman, easily one of the most soothing, delicately talented actors in the business, has a wonderful speech that beautifully sums up the perceptive wisdom of Rawlins and the defensive nature of Trip within the span of two minutes. Andre Braugher is wonderful as a prosperous, high-class black man who struggles amongst his Negro peers. In short, Glory contains the most impressive African-American talent you‟ll ever see in one film. And, despite the fact that he lacks the persuasive range of his colleagues, Cary Elwes submits a fine performance as Major Forbes - a relatively bland surface character, but a good one at that.

Glory is filled with rousing, spectacular battle sequences, particularly the jaw-dropping climactic attack on Fort Wagner. From the costuming to cinematography, the landscapes to period set design - everything in this film is stunning. Glory is a powerful, memorable motion picture that easily captures the title of the finest war movie ever constructed. And I‟m convinced a huge fraction of the dramatic impact would be lost without James Horner‟s exquisite musical score, perhaps my all-time favorite. The term „beautiful‟ is an understatement, so dubbing Glory the greatest film ever made will have to suffice.