The 1989 movie Glory, starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freedman and many other stand out actors, is a fantastic, unforgettable film. Meticulously researched and produced, viewers enter the Civil War era as the story of the Union Army’s first black regiment during the Civil War unfolds.
Matthew Broderick is so not Ferris Bueller as Colonel Robert Shaw, the young officer in command of the regiment. The racism his soldiers face while fighting for their country and transforms Shaw from a dashing young officer into a compassionate, mature regimental commander. Washington, Freedman and the other actors playing the foot soldiers are complex heros, each one as brave as he is flawed. The entire movie is beautifully filmed and brilliantly acted. Without giving away the last battle scene, all I can say is that it will give you hope and break your heart simultaneously.
But take warning – This movie is too intense, impacting, and realistic to see alone. I learned this one night years ago when no one else was home, and I watched the video. In tears when the film ended, I vowed to never watch it again. I stuck to my guns (no pun intended) until this Thanksgiving when everybody trooped (again no pun intended) to my sister’s basement for a moviefest. After a mental pep talk about being tough, I joined them, and was glad I did, despite shedding a river of tears again. As before, the movie increased my awareness of what generations of Americans us did to ensure the freedom we enjoy today.
If you haven’t seen Glory, you should. And if you have seen it already, it’s worth seeing again. It’s worth watching with your kids who are adolescents or older. They need to see it. It’s a life-changing movie, because it will leave you humble and grateful. And you will never, never take for granted again the freedom we enjoy in America.
