Impressive and moving Civil War movie with long-standing and emotive score by James Horner

Rating: 9/10 (25 March 2012)

Classic Civil War film with an interesting screenplay written by Kevin Jarre , based on the personal letters of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, and the novel Lay This Laurel, by Lincoln Kirstein . Robert Gould Shaw leads the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates . The story is based on the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first formal unit of the US Army to be made up entirely of African American men, as told from the point of view of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) , its commanding officer during the American Civil War. Captain Robert Gould Shaw leads a company of Union soldiers from a Massachusetts Infantry Regiment in an attack on Confederate troops at the Battle of Antietam, on September 17, 1862. His regiment suffers heavy losses, Shaw is wounded, and later loses consciousness. He is awakened by a black gravedigger named John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman) and sent to a field hospital. While receiving medical attention, Shaw is told that President Lincoln is on the verge of passing the Emancipation Proclamation; freeing slaves in rebel held territory. While on leave in Boston, Shaw is promoted to Colonel, and given command of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first all-black regiment . Shaw was approached by his father (Peter Michael Goetz) while in camp in late 1862 to take command of a new All-Black Regiment and writes a letter her mother (Jane Alexander) . He accepts the assignment , and asks his friend , Cabot Forbes (Gary Elwes), to be his second-in-command . At first he declined the offer, but after careful thought he accepted the position. Shaw's letters clearly state that he was dubious about a free black unit succeeding, but the dedication of his men deeply impressed him, and he grew to respect them as fine soldiers. On learning that black soldiers would receive less pay than white ones, he inspired his unit to conduct a boycott until this inequality was rectified . Their first volunteer soldier is another of Shaw's friends, an educated black man named Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher). Later on , join other African-American soldiers (an utter all-star-cast : Morgan Freeman , Denzel Washington) and a tough Sergeant Major Mulcahy (John Finn). At the ending , Shaw volunteers the 54th infantry to lead an assault on Fort Wagner. After nightfall, he leads the men in a charge upon the fort. Numerous soldiers in the regiment charge up the parapet and die in the fighting too .
This wonderful film with an enormous attention to period detail is full of thrills , with battle scenes are truly breathtaking , historical events and moving scenes . Intelligent in its storytelling drama , it turns to be a thought-provoking and powerful story with several emotive moments . The picture's strength belongs to the powerhouse secondary casting with top-notch performances from Morgan Freeman , Andre Braugher , Jihmi Kennedy , Cliff De Young , Bob Gunton , Richard Rhiele , Donovan Leitch among others . Epic and stirring final battle carried out by Shaw volunteers the 54th infantry to lead an assault on Fort Wagner . Colorful cinematography by the British Freddie Francis , a magnificent cameraman and also filmmaker . Special mention to the marvelous soundtrack, composed by James Horner in conjunction with the Boys Choir of Harlem , one of the best of the cinema's history . Lavishly produced by TriStar and stunningly directed by Edward Zwick .The film deservedly received Academy Award nominations for Best Editing and Best Art Direction. It won a number of awards from the British Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. Denzel Washington won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his splendid portrayal of Trip , the proud and upright soldier . Rating : Above average , two thumbs up , it's long overdue and moving tribute to the African-American soldiers who fought for the Union cause in the Civil War . This is an admirable effort with true social significance that results to be surprisingly entertaining.