Historical Masterpiece, My All Time Favorite Movie

Rating: 10/10 (26 July 2003)

(POSSIBLE SPOILERS)
Glory is probably one of the best acted, best filmed Civil War Movies I have ever seen. Glory is mostly about Col. Robert Shaw of the 54th Mass. and some of soldiers. The movie starts going right into the Battle of Antietam and shows how the South was beating the Union down pretty badly. In the battle the Commander of Shaws regiment is killed and Shaw is knocked out from an explosion.
The lead is played by Matthew Broderick who completely took me off guard as a lead for a Civil War Drama. Denzel Washington (who received an Oscar for his performance) plays the young hot head Pvt. Trip. Morgan Freeman gives as what I believe is one of his best performances ever as Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins and Cary Elwes (another comedic actor) plays Shaws' (Broderick) second-in-command Maj. Forbes.
Glory is not just about war but the fighting of racism between the all African American, former slave regiment and white union officers. Such as the scene during the winter of 1862 when Shaw requests shoes and socks for his seven hundred soldiers and is denied just because the regiment is all-black. Another scene is when Shaw is assigned to accompany an all black regiment into Georgia. While in Georgia the Union Brigade pillages the town and the commander of the brigade says they (African American soldiers) are nothing but animals and you just have to know how to control them.
The whole movie is focused on the fight of racism and the first hour is the regiment getting trained under a Irish Sgt. The ending I thought was excellent but sad at some parts such as when Shaw is hit with the mini ball while trying to rally his men at Fort Wagner. Everything in this movie seemed to look real except the ships in front of the Fort. The battles were well done and the acting is amazing. A must see for a Civil War Buff or anyone who just wants to see an amazing movie.
5/5 Stars