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| Glory [1990] | ![Glory [1990]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51YRZGH4QPL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Edward Zwick
Actors: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Jihmi Kennedy
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
Buy New: £2.67
You Save: £17.32 (87%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (17 reviews)
Sales Rank: 3135
Format: Anamorphic, Pal, Widescreen
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Media: DVD
Running Time: 117 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.6
EAN: 5035822157330
ASIN: B00004T8WY
Release Date: June 19, 2000
Theatrical Release Date: December 15, 1989
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
"The negroes fought gallantly and were headed by as brave a Colonel as ever lived", was one Confederate soldier's eyewitness verdict on the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers immediately after 247 of their 600-man regiment had fallen in bloody swathes beneath the withering fire from Fort Wagner near Charleston, South Carolina in 1863. Glory is their story: the mustering of the first black regiment in the US Army, their battles with the Southerners as well as with the Northern military authorities, and their own moment of glory when they paid a terrible price for the opportunity to demonstrate to the world their courage. In telling this little-known story, director Ed Zwick single-handedly changed perceptions of the American Civil War: when a Grand Review of the Armies was held in Washington at the end of the war, none of the almost 180,000 coloured troops who fought for the Union were present; when that parade was restaged in 1990 a year after the movie was released, the 54th Massachusetts re-enactors were at the front of the procession. Zwick's stirring, factually accurate account is greatly enhanced by obsessive period detail and frighteningly realistic battle reconstructions (which were not to be surpassed in scale until 1993's Gettysburg). But Zwick also illuminates individual characters in the regiment with great sensitivity. As crucial as the military set-pieces are the scenes of the men together: talking in the tent or baring their souls in song. Denzel Washington, as the embittered ex-slave, gives a performance of real depth; he richly deserved his Oscar win for the heartbreaking flogging scene alone. Morgan Freeman brings great gravitas to his paternalistic role, and Matthew Broderick's idealistic Colonel Shaw is the centre around which the story revolves. With a clutch of remarkable lead performances, a sensitive and touching script, one of James Horner's finest musical scores, and a director with both the vision and heart to pull it off it's easy to agree with the backcover blurb: "Glory is one of the greatest war movies ever made". Without even a hint of hyperbole, it undoubtedly is. On the DVD: This is a superb looking (anamorphic) and sounding (Dolby 5.1) print, and the disc has some excellent additional features. Ed Zwick's commentary is insightful and extremely detailed: here's a director who obviously cares deeply about this movie. Of the three featurettes, one is a short-ish promo piece but the other two are genuinely impressive: there's a 20-minute "Making of" feature with major contributions from Zwick, Freeman and Broderick, and best of all a 45-minute "The True Story Continues" feature narrated by Freeman which tells the complete story of the 54th Massachusetts from beginning to end using footage from the movie as well as archive material and film of battle re-enactments. Also included are two deleted scenes, although a third scene which was shot for the movie but not used (the Frederick Douglass' speech) crops up in the "True Story" piece. James Horner's emotive score gets an isolated track all to itself and there are also some filmographies and trailers. All in all, this is a superb DVD. --Mark Walker
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| Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
Righteous and Compelling July 4, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A rousing story about a black platoon facing prejudice and annilation during the American civil war. Matthew Broderick's finest performance as the leader of the first all black regiment fighting the confederates and racism from their own Union army. Supported by the fine Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington. The plight of these brave men will emotionally move you, possibly to tears, although mine was more of a controlled welling, though my lower lip did quiver when the credits rolled.
Touching and Brilliant June 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I watched this film not being much of a fan of war films but I was amazed. The story of Glory deserves to go down in history to the bravery of all the men who fought there.
Led by Colonel Shaw, brilliantly played by Matthew Broderick, who gives the performance his all, he's well cast as the young idealist who leads his troops into battle and Matthew Broderick deserved to get an award for this film.
The rest of the cast are also fantastic, with a beautiful score and amazing effects.
This film deserves much more than 5 stars. A touching film inspiredby actual events.
Give 'em Hell, 54! November 1, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Glory tells the story of the 54th Regiment, one of the first African American regiments that Abraham Lincoln credited with turning the tide of the war. The events portrayed in the film lead up to the heroic and bloody battle at Fort Wagner in which the 54th lost nearly half of its men.
There is nothing better than watching a film that wants to tell you a tale of great heroism, and Glory is one of the best examples of its genre. It is a war film in which perhaps only fifteen minutes of its nearly two hour running time is used to recreate battle scenes. Instead of blasting its audience with carnage and bloodshed, we get to know the men who were involved in these battles and their reasons for fighting. Glory is a film of great depth and subtlety in which powerfully dramatic moments are depicted with very little dialogue. Edward Zwick, the director, obviously understands that an audience has intelligence enough to be completely moved by a sudden swell of music or by a single tear running down a man's cheek. The performances by all five of the main protagonists are astonishing, the cinematography is sublime and the score is beautifully used throughout the film.
The story of the 54th Regiment is emotive and inspiring and Glory is an emotive and inspiring film that pays tribute to all those men who died in the fight for freedom.
Deserves another star.................................... September 21, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Having recently watched Gods & Generals and Gettysburg its' sequel, every so often a really "special" film comes along and for me this is it - the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the first Black regiment to fight for the Union side against the Confederacy of the Southern States. Matthew Broderick plays the charismatic Robert Gould Shaw from a Bostonian family of abolitionists who rises to the rank of Colonel, who sees the racism against the black men who are even initially denied proper footwear, uniforms and arms because their role is seen more as that of labourers than fighting men. He also sees the crimes of theft by his superiors. Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman play 2 of the enlisted men. Washingtons attempt to find himself some boots at a nearby farm result in him being whipped for desertion.Washington hates almost everyone,accusing his fellow blacks of being cheap Confederate targets when they initially accept an offer of less wages ($10pm)from the War Department instead of the $13 that had originally been offered and agreed to for all soldiers, Black or White. At this the Colonel declines to accept wages for everyone, officers included.Colonel Shaw has to blackmail a Battalion Commander into using the 54th in actual fighting and they bloody their noses at James Island but not without losses. Morgan Freeman who plays the much more sensible,older man role to which he has been accustomed lectures Washington on his hot-headed ways and at last appears to make Washington realise where he has gone wrong and to channel any hatred he has against the enemy not his fellows. Col.Shaw who is ably supported by a child-hood friend Maj.Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes)volunteers his regiment to lead the attack on an impenetrable Fort Wagner, knowing that it is almost certainly a suicide mission and that none will survive. This gains the 54th the respect of the General in charge of the Battle of Fort Wagner and all other troops. Unusually for such a senior officer Colonel Shaw not only leads his men from the front but also does so on foot. This movie which is brilliantly directed by Edward Zwick and produced by Freddie Fields "enlists" thousands of Civil War re-enacters to carry it off, and James Horner adds a wonderfully haunting musical score.It contains moments of comedy,pride,brutality,discrimination.humility,tear-jerking truthfullness and much more.A truly exceptional film.
 Not entertaining but more than worth the effort July 7, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Gruelling, hard work, desperate, futile, cruel, edifying, sad, courageous, lamentable, callous, dramatic, wearying, shocking, depressing and mournful. You've been warned...
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