War here is futile, nasty, without any redeeming value. Branagh furthers his achievement, though, by presenting the seductive side of war. Henry is a tremendous leader of men, able to stir and cajole them to unbelievable efforts. Precious few, I think. Yet, while that battle was forced, it was fought in a war that would benefit only the few, if anyone at all.
Glory is a very different film.
Glory , directed by Edward Zweig, tells the story of the first black regiment to see combat in the American Civil War. During that War, one of whose major causes was slavery in the Southern states, the Union was reluctant to use black soldiers. Underlying prejudice against blacks was nearly as widespread and deep in the North as in the South. Moreover, the South made it very clear that they intended to treat black soldiers and those who fought with them very harshly. So, despite the intense desire of blacks to participate in the war that would liberate them, the Union dragged its heels on using them.