Glory (1989)
Boasting a ridiculously good cast, which for most was early in their much lauded careers, Edward Zwick’s Glory has class written all over it before you even watch the damn thing. How does this Civil War epic hold up almost forty years later? That’s why Bedsit CInema is here, pumping my opinion into your eyeballs.
Matthew Broderick’s Colonel Robert Shaw is a juvenile leader. A privileged white man given his position managing a unit of black men during the American Civil War; he refuses to explain to or emote with his soldiers, not because he can’t but because he thinks he shouldn’t. This is regardless of their colour, which is of course a massive issue. A fish out of water, he’s learning on the job.
Most people who’ve had managers will have had one who thinks being guarded and unquestionable is being professional and assertive, and most people will have hated those managers. As the unit confronts their foes, the ones within are growing. More and more Captain Shaw’s moustache tells its own story.
Alongside Matthew Broderick are Morgan Freeman (now there’s a name which screams slavery, Free-man), Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Andre Braugher whose appearance made me well up a bit. Denzel’s character is a dickhead, which is a rude way of saying he’s very convincing in the role. Freeman Morgans it up being all wise and shit and Elwes’ wealthy Officer who’s a complete idiot, if a largely well meaning one, emphasises Shaw’s struggles.
Glory is not without the quirks of a younger filmmaker and age when “let’s fix it in post” wasn’t the option it is today with CGI. You can see Edward Zwick has things to improve on, which is an observation rather than a criticism, and he has gone on to become someone whose films I always want to see. My interest of course being the universally acknowledged sign of cinematic quality.
Despite the dried blood on recent wounds and Shaw’s confounding facial hair, Zwick’s visual flair is eye catching, something which graces his films and particularly lends itself to epics- where I personally think he excels. Legends of the Fall, which I rewatched recently and still love every minute of, even if my girlfriend on her first and probably only viewing found the characters insufferable, is an all time favourite of mine.
The Last Samurai is also an exceptional effort. Zwick has recently in the Director’s chair for other Tom Cruise projects, and I enjoyed the Jack Reacher film. I’d love to meet Tom Cruise, I bet it’s fun, depending on your definition of fun. There’s definitely a lot to him, and he certainly has some stories. How honest and open he is I reckon a few shots might help.
Some of Glory’s historical elements are interesting, such as the army being a genuinely good (if incredibly high risk) way of earning solid money and moreover, not starving. Particularly for African American soldiers at the time. Even in World War 1, British soldiers put on weight and got more healthy in basic training so rampant was poverty at the time. They made much better looking corpses.
The action is dramatic and while a little dated very well done, the story compelling and enlightening; Glory is a classy film.
I became obsessed with Broderick’s beard; does his ‘tash change size scene to scene? Yes it does. It’s a visual metaphor for his growth as a person, but more than that, tash watch was fun. Glory is a far better film than I recalled- a rousing, exciting Civil War story with a bit of everything. 8/10
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