Hello, all! As we continue our look at war films that feature Napoleonic tactics, it’s time to turn from sea to land with one of the better films about the Civil War [or the War Between the States… or The War of Northern Aggression, depending on who you ask], GLORY. The trailer is embedded below.
There is so much to appreciate about this film that it’s easy to overlook its one rather significant historical misstep [to wit, the infantry regiment that the film is about, the 54th Massachusetts, wasn’t comprised of a bunch of runaway slaves – but, really, if this point ruins the film for anyone, I’d recommend just sticking with books]. First, the casting of Ferris Bueller himself, Matthew Broderick, as the Colonel in charge of the regiment is sublime; he portrays Robert Gould Shaw wonderfully. And, indeed, he reminds those under his command why “colonel” start with “colon.”
As an aside, 1989 was a year that featured another great flick [with an outstanding soundtrack] about a conflicted soldier: BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY. Strange how flicks with similar themes tend to be green-lit and released at the same time [like PLATOON and FULL METAL JACKET, for example – foreshadowing alert].
One of the conventions of screenwriting [and writing in general, I suspect] is to have a hook that manages to draw the audience into the film and the world it hopes to create. GLORY absolutely does so, starting off with a bang. Literally. After a brief introduction that incorporates one of Shaw’s letters [which the film uses intermittently (and quite cleverly), both to help advance the plot and to introduce an even greater sense of verisimilitude], there’s a scene that shocks the audience into a level of attention that only rarely subsides throughout the runtime of the film. For those of you who haven’t seen the film yet, “For God’s sake, come on!” You’ll know what I mean, I assure you. A film that starts with the Battle of Antietam demands your attention, and it just so happens that this one deserves it, too.
There is so much going on in this film that it would be easy for it to have bitten off a bit more than it could chew, but it succeeds on every level – Edward Zwick absolutely nails it here, directing a classic. The cast is superb, and the way that they play off one another allows the film to cover so much ground beyond the battleground – the racism the 54th faced, their frustration at being relegated to non-combat roles, and so forth – that the film becomes more than a war film. As much time as the film spends portraying Shaw and his conflicts, internal and external, its emotional core really rests on Denzel Washington’s shoulders. He carries it well, and his character arc is as good a metaphor for the existence of the 54th as any… and yes, that includes the scene wherein he’s dressed down by Morgan Freeman [a riveting, electric scene] as much as the scene during which he’s flogged. Nothing feels inauthentic or forced, and it would have been easy for the film to go into pedantic territory.
My guess is that everyone who’s read this particular recommendation to this point has already seen the film. If you haven’t, however, please do yourself a favor and check it out. In my opinion, there is not one wasted frame or element [which, to be fair, includes the excellent score written by James Horner (since I dogged his score for TROY, I am obliged to point out how good this one is (and no, it’s not the Carmina Burana bits played in the trailer))], with everything coming together for a film that might be better described as an achievement. Enjoy!
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (Director's Cut); Day 2 - GLADIATOR; Day 3 - TROY; Day 4 - SPARTACUS; Day 5 - BRAVEHEART; Day 6 - MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD]
There is so much to appreciate about this film that it’s easy to overlook its one rather significant historical misstep [to wit, the infantry regiment that the film is about, the 54th Massachusetts, wasn’t comprised of a bunch of runaway slaves – but, really, if this point ruins the film for anyone, I’d recommend just sticking with books]. First, the casting of Ferris Bueller himself, Matthew Broderick, as the Colonel in charge of the regiment is sublime; he portrays Robert Gould Shaw wonderfully. And, indeed, he reminds those under his command why “colonel” start with “colon.”
As an aside, 1989 was a year that featured another great flick [with an outstanding soundtrack] about a conflicted soldier: BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY. Strange how flicks with similar themes tend to be green-lit and released at the same time [like PLATOON and FULL METAL JACKET, for example – foreshadowing alert].
One of the conventions of screenwriting [and writing in general, I suspect] is to have a hook that manages to draw the audience into the film and the world it hopes to create. GLORY absolutely does so, starting off with a bang. Literally. After a brief introduction that incorporates one of Shaw’s letters [which the film uses intermittently (and quite cleverly), both to help advance the plot and to introduce an even greater sense of verisimilitude], there’s a scene that shocks the audience into a level of attention that only rarely subsides throughout the runtime of the film. For those of you who haven’t seen the film yet, “For God’s sake, come on!” You’ll know what I mean, I assure you. A film that starts with the Battle of Antietam demands your attention, and it just so happens that this one deserves it, too.
There is so much going on in this film that it would be easy for it to have bitten off a bit more than it could chew, but it succeeds on every level – Edward Zwick absolutely nails it here, directing a classic. The cast is superb, and the way that they play off one another allows the film to cover so much ground beyond the battleground – the racism the 54th faced, their frustration at being relegated to non-combat roles, and so forth – that the film becomes more than a war film. As much time as the film spends portraying Shaw and his conflicts, internal and external, its emotional core really rests on Denzel Washington’s shoulders. He carries it well, and his character arc is as good a metaphor for the existence of the 54th as any… and yes, that includes the scene wherein he’s dressed down by Morgan Freeman [a riveting, electric scene] as much as the scene during which he’s flogged. Nothing feels inauthentic or forced, and it would have been easy for the film to go into pedantic territory.
My guess is that everyone who’s read this particular recommendation to this point has already seen the film. If you haven’t, however, please do yourself a favor and check it out. In my opinion, there is not one wasted frame or element [which, to be fair, includes the excellent score written by James Horner (since I dogged his score for TROY, I am obliged to point out how good this one is (and no, it’s not the Carmina Burana bits played in the trailer))], with everything coming together for a film that might be better described as an achievement. Enjoy!
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (Director's Cut); Day 2 - GLADIATOR; Day 3 - TROY; Day 4 - SPARTACUS; Day 5 - BRAVEHEART; Day 6 - MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD]
