Glory (1989)

Directed by Edward Zwick. Starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, Andre Braugher, Jihmi Kennedy, John Finn, Cliff De Young, Alan North, Bob Gunton, Donovan Leitch, Jay O. Sanders, Richard Riehle. [R]

Stirring, sumptuously-realized Civil War drama based on the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, a regiment of black soldiers fighting for the Union. The regiment is marshaled by Colonel Robert Shaw (Broderick), and although he’s the nucleus of the storytelling, with his own private letters being used as a source for the recreation of events, the film is often at its best when focusing on the lives of the soldiers, especially angry former slave Trip (Washington, in a brilliant Oscar-winning performance). An absorbing story told on a majestic canvas; Kevin Jarre’s screenplay sometimes makes facile statements using melodramatic moments, but also provides a powerful running narrative that earns (and is elevated by) James Horner’s soaring, near-mythic score. A moving filmgoing experience that is simply too enjoyable just to gaze at and listen to (Academy Awards were also given to the sound team and photographer Freddie Francis) to nitpick historical inaccuracies. Andre Braugher’s first film role.

90/100