JUST ANOTHER GAL FROM CASPER: WHAT I’M WATCHING RIGHT NOW EDITION…
Here’s another movie I’ve written about before, but it’s so good that I wanted to update it and send this out again…
One Friday night in the spring of 1990, a friend and I headed to the theatre to see 1989’s Glory, the Edward Zwick–directed civil war masterpiece. We arrived a minute or two late, landing us right in the middle of the battle of Antietam as we searched for seats.
I don’t know if that’s why I was drawn into its spell from the start, or if it’s simply because it’s an award-winning film with an amazing cast, script, score, and cinematography. I saw it five times in the theatre over the next week, sometimes alone, sometimes with my cousin (Hi, Guyla!). It’s an incredible movie with so much subtext that I was inspired to steal some of the characters and write an entire novel! (Note: just because I was inspired doesn’t mean it was a good novel, but it was definitely written with enthusiasm).
With Memorial Day Weekend approaching, now’s the perfect time to watch, or re-watch, Glory. Based on historical figures and events, Glory tells the story of one of the first African-American regiments during the Civil War, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The 54th is led by young Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick, uncharacteristically stoic in this role) — the son of abolitionists — and the movie follows the men from training through their first skirmishes, climaxing with a massive assault on Fort Wagoner. Some of the men are free, some escaped slaves. All are determined to contribute toward the war efforts, fighting for a nation that often overlooked and abused them.
Matthew Broderick gives (in my opinion) his best performance ever in this movie — and that’s coming from someone who digs a lot of his movies. His Shaw is young, inexperienced, serious, and in over his head, yet determined to do the right thing. And Cary Elwes infuses Shaw’s friend and right-hand officer Major Cabot Forbes with an easygoing and charming nature, interacting with the men in a way that Shaw can’t. Rank has its privileges, but it also has limitations.
I’ll admit, back in the day I was enthralled by the plight of Robert himself, a man too young to bear the burdens of command — especially this one, ‘cause the North was just as racist as the South. But really, it’s the soldiers themselves, both the characters and the actors who portray them, who deserve the spotlight. (Warning: there’s racist language/attitudes in the following clip.)
Morgan Freeman’s Sgt. Major John Rawlins — fighter, father figure, peacemaker. Denzel Washington’s Private Trip, who battles his own anger issues as well as the Confederates, and who gives voice to the soldiers’ realities vs. ideals. Jihmi Kennedy as a young, naïve private who knows how to shoot a rifle but not how to read. And the late (and sorely missed) Andre Braugher as Corporal Thomas Searles, Robert’s childhood friend whose genteel upbringing means he works twice as hard as the rest of the men to learn what it takes to be a soldier. They don’t always get along; just because they’re black doesn’t mean they’ve all had the same life experiences, but they learn to live, laugh, and ultimately fight together for a common cause.
Glory is a movie about war, prejudice, and what happens when the soldiers are given the opportunity to, as stated by Sgt. Major Rawlins during an impassioned speech directed toward Private Trip, “ante up and kick in like men.” That’s oversimplifying this powerful story, but if you’re looking for thought-provoking material with rich characters, tense battle sequences, superb acting and bits of history (both good and awful), search Glory’s streaming options or make this movie part of your collection on DVD or Blu-Ray.
