On G List of Movie Reviews
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Glory (1989)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
6/04, 10/06, 7/11, 1/15, 5/20
10/06:
Absolutely riveting and moving, Glory is the top film of 1989 and ranks among the very best of the decade.
Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, Jihmi Kennedy, and John Finn are all outstanding. Above them are the performances
of Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington. Disappointed is I am that not enough credit was paid to Matthew Broderick
for the finest performance of his career. He's simply the leader of the ensemble cast. By looking his face and
then remembering Ferris Bueller's Day Off, it's incredible to see what Matthew Broderick was capable of.
Without doubt, the most spectacular performance is given by Denzel Washington. When I saw the film in 1989 at a theatre,
the first moment he shed tears during the flogging scene, I said, "He just won the Oscar." It's all about the eyes. On the
other hand, the 54th's assault on Fort Wagner underscores how dramatic the scene is. The night before is incredible
because these men knew they were going to die and felt prepared about it.
All in all, Glory, an Edward Zwick's masterpiece that's buoyed by Freddie Francis' cinematography and Kevin Jarre's
script, is a rare film in Denzel Washington's oeuvre that showcases him at his truly best.
7/11:
Without doubt, Glory is the finest Civil War picture made.
Because of his powerful performance, Denzel Washington owns the film. Matthew Broderick is the other winner.
What a great supporting cast, also.
All in all, Glory keeps getting better with repeated viewings.
1/15:
On Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, TCM selected Glory as film of the night, and the choice couldn't have been any better.
There are several things I remember the most: Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, and the final battle scene.
It's also a moving, powerful film that's impossible for anyone not to be swept away. The moment Denzel Washington shed
tears during the flogging scene, it's so obvious that he flat-out won the Oscar. As for Matthew Broderick, it's a
transcendental role in terms of how he went from Ferris Bueller to Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, therefore earning my respect
as a fine actor.
All in all, Glory is a masterpiece.
5/20:
A perfect cinematic example of wartime esprit de corps, Glory has lost none of its power since 1989.
When I think of the film, I think of Denzel Washington. It's such a terrific performance with one of the greatest scenes ever
although flogging had already been abolished by the U.S. Army in 1861. What a shame Matthew Broderick wasn't nominated
for an Oscar; it's one of the finest performances I've seen anyone give.
Of course, the supporting cast is excellent as ever: Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, Andre Braugher, Jihmi Kennedy, and John Finn.
Freddie Francis' Oscar-winning cinematography is brilliant. The Shaw Memorial, scupted by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in
1897 as shown at the end, is in display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
During the assault of Fort Wagner (which did eventually fall to the Union), how Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who's a near Matthew
McConaughey look-alike in real life, and his 54th Massachusetts Regiment led the charge became the inspiration for numerous
African Americans to enlist in the Union which effectively turned the tide of the Civil War. The bodies buried at the beach
or thereabouts were disinterred and reburied at Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort, South Carolina.
All in all, I will be seeing Glory again and again.