GLORY

US, 1989, 122 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, Denzel Washington, Raymond St Jacques, Jane Alexander, Cary Elwes, Cliff de Young.
Directed by Edward Zwick.

In September 1862, the Union Army defeats the Confederate army at Antietam, MD in one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War (1860—1864). A young Union officer from Boston, Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), is wounded and left for dead but finally returns home. There he learns that the Union is forming a regiment of black soldiers only: the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Shaw accepts command of this regiment and persuades his good friend Major Forbes (Cary Elwes) to join him.

The regiment goes to Readville, MA in February 1863 to begin training. One night, Private Trip (Denzel Washington) goes off to visit a local farmhouse. He is caught and treated as a deserter and Shaw orders him flogged. Shaw is dismayed when he finds out that Trip was not a deserter, but only looking for a pair of shoes. Shaw outwits the quartermaster, who refuses to distribute the 700 pairs of shoes sent for the regiment, and obtains them for the men. The men really want to fight, but there is a rumor that, because they are African Americans, the Union army will only use them for manual labor. Other brave soldiers of various backgrounds emerge among the volunteers: Jupiter Sharts (Jihmi Kennedy), Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher) and John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman).

When their paychecks come, they receive only $10 a month instead of the $13 that white soldiers receive. Private Trip encourages the men to tear up the checks, and Shaw does likewise. They finally receive their Union uniforms. Rawlins is made a sergeant major.
The Union deploys the regiment to Beaufort, SC in June 1863. The men want to fight but the Union uses them for labor and orders them to raid a local town for no cause, much to Col. Shaw’s distress.

Finally, the regiment receives orders to go to Charleston, SC. To take the city, the Union army must first subdue the forts that guard the harbor. The men pray for God’s help in the coming battle. Col. Shaw volunteers the 54th to lead the charge against Ft. Wagner, which lies at the mouth of the harbor across a narrow sand causeway. Shaw and almost half the regiment die and are buried in the sand.
Glory is a fine film that expertly re-creates the American Civil War period by taking a little known story of a black Massachusetts regiment along with the conflicts, the prejudice, the training, and the ultimate blood-letting of the war in a vividly staged battle sequence that brings home the violence of all war.

Glory is based on One Gallant Rush by Peter Burchard (1965) and Lay this Laurel by Lincoln Kirstein (1974) as well the letters of its principle protagonist, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. The film portrays Boston society, the role of Frederick Douglas and the abolitionists, as well as the ethos in the North as it went to war against the South.

The American Civil War has been the setting for a great number of movies from Gone with the Wind to The Good, The Bad and the Ugly to Cold Mountain. There have been screen versions of classics as well which depict the war, like TheRed? Badge of Courage, or have the civil war as background, like Little Women. Ken Burns directed an Emmy and Humanitas prize-winning, ten-hour mini series for television entitled The Civil War in 1990. Ronald F. Maxwell made the five-hour long Gettysburg in 1993, told from the Union perspective, and followed it with Gods and Generals in 2003, about the major battles leading up to Gettysburg from the perspective of the South. The Last Full Measure, based on the book by Jeff Shaara, is in long range development as the final film of Maxwell’s trilogy.
The effective screenplay for Glory is by Kevin Jarre. James Horner composed the atmospheric music and choral work.

The director is Edward Zwick, best known for his television series Thirty-something and the film About Last Night. During the 1990s, Zwick took a greater interest in war themes, looking back at tensions and cover-ups during and after the Gulf War in Courage Under Fire (1996) and with terrorist attacks in New York City in The Siege in 1998. He then won acclaim for directing The Last Samurai (2003) in New Zealand with Tom Cruise. The quality writing, the strong plot, and the persuasive performances from Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role, all contribute to Glory’s success. Zwick has made an excellent war film that vividly re-visits a popular theme while offering a cinematic interpretation of a unique aspect of the Civil War.

1. Impact of the film? In the United States? World-wide? Acclaim, awards?

2. The vivid re-creation of the period, Boston locations, Massachusetts training, South Carolina battlefields, the sea? Costumes, decor? The authentic atmosphere? The special effects and the staging of the battles? The musical score, choral background? Negro songs?

3. The title, its implications, ironies?

4. Audience knowledge of the Civil War and its conduct, the clashes between North and South, the place of the black slaves? President Lincoln's influence? Audience sympathies? Action, suffering? Issues of race? A chapter in history of black America?

5. The sources, the history of the war, the letters of Robert Shaw, his age, experience, abolitionist background, wealthy family, poetry, his qualities of observation?

6. The opening with the Battle of Antietam, the soldiers ready, unready? 1862? The attitudes towards the war, not knowing how bloody it would be? The vividness of the attack, the open fields, the trees, the fighting? The explosions, deaths? The continued advances, the holding of the flags? Robert and his being wounded, collapsing, hands over ears? Awakening to the aftermath? Rawlins and his helping him? The wounded, going to the hospital, the sounds of suffering, his own wounds? His internal feelings? His being blooded for the Civil War?

7. Boston, the 1860s, the abolitionists and society? The governor? Frederick Douglas and his influence? The proposal about the regiment? The social with Robert, Cabot Forbes? Thomas and his place in the household? The Shaws and their love for their son, position? The commission for Robert? The discussions with Forbes, his taking the offer seriously and accepting?

8. Massachusetts 1862, Robert and his age and experience? The voice-over of his letters and comments? Forbes and his friendship, not taking the offer seriously, joining for friendship's sake? The blacks and the volunteers, their background? The introduction, the line-up and the confusion? Marching through the city, the barracks? Mulcahy and the tough regimental style, abusive training? Thomas and the difficulties of training after his volunteering? Robert and his official status, keeping a distance from Thomas and laying down the regulations? Cabot and his continued critiques of Robert and his severity? Learning humanity, walking amongst the men? The training, the shooting training, Sharts and his skill? The need for food, Tripp and his attitudes, hostility? Searching for food, accused of desertion, the regulations and the whipping and its severity, Tripp's defiance? The aftermath? Getting advice from Rawlins, the need for shoes and socks? His going to dine with the paymaster and the Irish prejudice? The return, knocking over the stores, the paymaster giving the shoes and the celebration when they were handed out? The lower pay for the blacks - and Robert's speech, tearing up his own cheque to be equal with the blacks? The decree from the Confederate Parliament, execution for blacks under arms and for white officers? The giving of the uniforms? The songs and the camaraderie with the black soldiers? Being moulded into a group? The parade through Boston, Frederick Douglas, the officials, the Shaws - and everybody's pride?

9. The tension in the Union, the separation of the Confederacy? Whites in the North and the South? Blacks and slaves? The role of President Lincoln? The hostility towards the blacks, suspicions? The clash with the soldiers in South Carolina? Their being seen as slaves, not a fighting unit?

10. The blacks in themselves, their background, work, the training and the drill? Tripp, his escape, the chip on his shoulder, his spurning of Thomas and calling him Snowflake? Bullying him, sneering? Going for the food, being brought back, the whipping? His defiance? His wounds being tended? The anger, the pay cheque? His change of heart, Rawlins giving him advice? The experiences in the South? The prelude to the battle, the group singing - and each giving their testimony and prayer? Tripp and his change of heart? Not wanting to carry the flag, the discussions with Robert? The battle, taking up the flag, helping Thomas, his death? The bodies being thrown into the grave - and the death embrace of Tripp and Robert, black and white?

11. Rawlins, his age and background, burying the troops? The hard experience, volunteering, conscientious, giving wise advice? Controlling Tripp? Supporting Robert? The advice about the shoes? His being promoted, the rank - with the newspaperman observing? The control, confronting the white soldiers and their mockery? Fighting in battle?

12. Sharts, his ignorance, from the farm, not knowing left and right, the simple man, not being able to read, his skill as a shooter and a hunter? His spirit, involvement? His final testimony the night before the battle?

13. Thomas as educated, cultured, freeborn? His place in the household? The volunteering, the presumption about his relationship with Robert? The hard slog and the training, his ineffectiveness? Mulcahy's treatment of him? Tripp's bullying and calling him Snowflake? Robert's distance? His weeping and Tripp's mockery? His bitterness? Christmas - his greeting Robert and Robert's wishing him a happy Christmas? His pride in marching in the parade? In the South, the night before the battle, his joining with the group, finding brotherhood with the men? In the battle, the flag, death?

14. The portrait of Robert Shaw and his experience, accepting of his commission, learning to handle the men, going by the book, his innate humanity? The challenges by Forbes? The discussions with Mulcahy and learning from him? Especially about Thomas? His distance from Thomas - yet the Christmas greeting? The clash with the quartermaster? The shoes, wrecking the store? The decision about Tripp and the whipping? The aftermath? Learning, Rawlins' advice? Not taking the pay? Prepared to die because of the Confederate decree? The parade through Boston and his achievement? The letters revealing his character?

15. The orders to go south? The regiment being seen as slaves? General Hunter and Colonel Montgomery, the sneer? The raids on Darien and the cruelty, the contraband? Robert's disgust, his having to order his men to participate in the firing of the town? The clash with the soldiers? The discussions with General Hunter - and his using his authority to get his regiment transferred to battle? The troops ready, volunteering for leading the battle? The vigil before the battle, his speech, getting off his horse, being with the men? Charging - and dying?

16. Forbes, wealthy young man, seeing himself as weak, drinking? His humanity, defying Robert? Obeying his orders, concern about the men, about Thomas? His support and respect for Robert? Carrying through at the end?

17. The picture of the Union officers in the South, Montgomery and his arrogance, spurning of his own black force, cruelty, greed? General Hunter and the stealing, the fear of being exposed?

18. The picturing of the battles in the South, the final battle, the vigil, the blacks singing and being prepared? The charge, the cannon, the noise? The violence? The deaths - and the aftermath and the burials?

19. The comment on the role of the regiment, its contribution? President Lincoln and his comments about the contribution and the changing of the fate of the war? A film achievement and a piece of Americana?