Glory (1989 film notes)

Glory

Theatrical release poster
Directed by / Edward Zwick
Produced by / Freddie Fields
Written by / Books:
Lincoln Kirstein
Peter Burchard
Screenplay:
Kevin Jarre
Starring / Matthew Broderick
Denzel Washington
Cary Elwes
Morgan Freeman
Music by / James Horner
Cinematography / Freddie Francis
Editing by / Steven Rosenblum
Studio / Freddie Fields Productions
Distributed by / TriStar Pictures
Release date(s) /
  • December 14, 1989(1989-12-14)
(Limited)
February 16, 1990(1990-02-16)(Wide)
Running time / 118 minutes
Country / United States
Language / English
Budget / $18,000,000[1]
Box office / $26,828,365[2]

Glory is a 1989 American dramawar film directed by Edward Zwick and starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman. The screenplay was written by Kevin Jarre, based on the personal letters of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, and the novels Lay This Laurel, by Lincoln Kirstein, and One Gallant Rush, by Peter Burchard.

The story is based on the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first formal unit of the US Army to be made up entirely of African American men, as told from the point of view of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, its commanding officer during the American Civil War.

The film was co-produced by Freddie Fields Productions, and distributed by Tri-Star Pictures in the United States. It premiered in limited release in the US on December 14, 1989, and in wide release on February 16, 1990, making $26,828,365. It was considered a moderate financial success taking into account its $18 million budget. The soundtrack, composed by James Horner in conjunction with the Boys Choir of Harlem, was released on January 23, 1990. The home video was distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. On June 2, 2009, a widescreen Blu-ray version, featuring the director's commentary and deleted scenes, was released.

The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Editing and Best Art Direction. It won a number of awards from the British Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. Denzel Washington won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Trip.

Plot

Captain Robert Gould Shaw leads a company of Union soldiers from a Massachusetts Infantry Regiment in an attack on Confederate troops at the Battle of Antietam, on September 17, 1862. His regiment suffers heavy losses, Shaw is wounded, and later loses consciousness. He is awakened by a black gravedigger named John Rawlins and sent to a field hospital. While receiving medical attention, Shaw is told that President Lincoln is on the verge of passing the Emancipation Proclamation; freeing slaves in rebel held territory. While on leave in Boston, Shaw is promoted to Colonel, and given command of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first all-black regiment. He accepts, and asks his friend, Cabot Forbes, to be his second-in-command. Their first volunteer soldier is another of Shaw's friends, an educated black man named Thomas Searles.

Many more men join the regiment; including an escaped slave named Trip, a free black man named Jupiter Sharts, as well as the gravedigger Rawlins. At the military camp, the company is forced to endure the unyielding strict discipline of Sergeant Major Mulcahy. After spending time doing mostly menial work, Shaw realizes his unit is to be used only for manual labor. Shaw confronts his commanding officers Charles Garrison Harker and James M. Montgomery, whom he finds are involved in war profiteering and corruption, and threatens to report them to the War Department if the 54th infantry is not deployed for combat. Shaw's request is granted, as the regiment later participates in a skirmish in South Carolina where they successfully repulse a Confederate attack. Soon after, Shaw volunteers the 54th infantry to lead an assault on Fort Wagner. After nightfall, he leads the men in a charge upon the fort. Shaw attempts to rally the men forward, but is shot and killed. Numerous other soldiers including Trip, Rawlins, Thomas, Forbes and Jupiter in the regiment charge up the parapet and die in the fighting too.

The film's epilogue displays a series of graphics stating that Fort Wagner was never taken. It also notes how news of the regiment's courage spurred the recruitment of numerous black volunteers, and by the end of the war, there were more than 180,000 African American men in uniform; a fact which President Lincoln considered instrumental in securing a victory for the Union.

Cast

  • Matthew Broderick as Col. Robert Gould Shaw
  • Denzel Washington as Trip
  • Morgan Freeman as Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins
  • Cary Elwes as Maj. Cabot Forbes
  • Cliff De Young as Cl. James Montgomery
  • Andre Braugher as Thomas Searles
  • Jihmi Kennedy as Jupiter Sharts
  • Alan North as Gov. John Albion Andrew
  • John Finn as Sgt. Maj. Mulcahy
  • Donovan Leitch as Capt. Charles Fessenden Morse
  • Bob Gunton as Gen. Charles Garrison Harker
  • Jay O. Sanders as Gen. George Crockett Strong
  • Raymond St. Jacques as Frederick Douglass

Production

Development

Colonel Robert Gould Shaw

The premise of Glory is loosely based on the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. Kevin Jarre's inspiration for writing the film came from viewing a monument to Shaw and the 54th.[3]Jarre's screenplay was based on Colonel Shaw's letters and on two books, Lincoln Kirstein's Lay This Laurel and Peter Burchard'sOne Gallant Rush.[4]

Filming

Principal filming took place primarily in Massachusetts and Georgia. Director Zwick did not want to turn the filming of Glory "into a Black story with a more commercially convenient white hero."[5] Actor Freeman noted, "We didn't want this film to fall under that shadow. This is a picture about the 54th Regiment, not Colonel Shaw, but at the same time the two are inseparable."[5] "In order to assure accuracy, Zwick hired Shelby Foote, who would later become a semi-household name courtesy of Ken Burns' popular 1990 PBS nine episode documentary The Civil War, as a technical advisor.[5]

Soundtrack

Glory Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Film score by James Horner
Released / 1/11/1990
Length / 43:21
Label / Virgin Records

The original motion picture soundtrack for Glory, was released by the Virgin Records label on January 11, 1990. The score for the film was orchestrated by James Horner in association with the Boys Choir of Harlem.[6] Jim Henrikson edited the film's music; while Shawn Murphy mixed the score.[7]

Marketing

Novel

A paperback novel published by St. Martin's Press, One Gallant Rush: Robert Gould Shaw and His Brave Black Regiment, was released in January 1990. The book dramatizes the events depicted in the film, expanding on how the 54th Massachusetts turned themselves into battle-ready soldiers.[8] The book summarizes the historical events, and the aftermath, of the first Union black regiment influencing the outcome of the war.[8]

Reception

Critical response

Among mainstream critics in the U.S., the film received mostly positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 93% of 40 sampled critics gave the film a positive review, with an average score of 7.9 out of 10.[9]

"Watching "Glory," I had one reccuring[sic] problem. I didn't understand why it had to be told so often from the point of view of the 54th's white commanding officer. Why did we see the black troops through his eyes - instead of seeing him through theirs? To put it another way, why does the top billing in this movie go to a white actor?"
—Roger Ebert, writing in the Chicago Sun-Times[3]

Vincent Canby, writing in The New York Times, exclaimed: "[Broderick] gives his most mature and controlled performance to date....[Washington is] an actor clearly on his way to a major screen career...The movie unfolds in a succession of often brilliantly realized vignettes tracing the 54th's organization, training and first experiences below the Mason-Dixon line. The characters' idiosyncrasies emerge."[4]Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times called it "a strong and valuable film no matter whose eyes it is seen through."[3] He believed the production design credited to Norman Garwood and Freddie Francis paid "enormous attention to period detail". Ebert just had one qualm about the film wondering why a "black experience" had to be seen "largely through white eyes."[3] Similarly, the Variety staff wrote that the film was "A stirring and long overdue tribute to the black soldiers who fought for the Union cause in the Civil War" and that the film "has the sweep and magnificence of a Tolstoy battle tale or a John Ford saga of American history." On Broderick's performance, they believed his "boyishness becomes a key element of the drama, as the film shows him confiding his inadequacies".[10]Desson Howe of The Washington Post, stated that with Glory, "it's hard not to get carried along".[11] He praised the individual cinematic elements saying the motion picture was "a thoroughly pleasant experience, a lightweight, liberal-heart-swollen high."[11] He did, however, point out some flaws by mentioning Broderick as "an amiable non-presence, creating unintentionally the notion that the 54th earned their stripes despite wimpy leadership".[11] Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader, rated Glory as "pretty watchable" and calling it an "always interesting period film, well photographed by English cinematographer Freddie Francis."[12] The film, however, was not without its detractors. Peter Travers of the Rolling Stone, was not impressed at all with the overall acting, calling Broderick "catastrophically miscast as Shaw".[13] Alternatively, Richard Schickel of TIME described his enthusiasm for the picture by saying, "the movie's often awesome imagery and a bravely soaring choral score by James Horner that transfigure the reality, granting it the status of necessary myth."[14]

Writing for the Entertainment Weekly, Mark Bernardin said the film's strength "belongs to the powerhouse supporting cast – Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher (in his first movie role), and Denzel Washington". He added: "The magic of Glory comes from the film itself. It speaks of heroism writ large, from people whom history had made small."[15]James Berardinelli writing for ReelViews, called the film "without question, one of the best movies ever made about the American Civil War" and noted that it "has important things to say, yet it does so without becoming pedantic"[16]Berardinelli also commented: "For a motion picture made on a relatively modest budget, Glory looks great. From a technical standpoint, the movie is a masterpiece, and the verisimilitude of the battle scenes is not in question."[16] Marjorie Baumgarten of The Austin Chronicle, applauded the film as a "fabulous historical re-creation depicts the experiences of America's first unit of black soldiers in the Civil War and the young Northerner who leads them."[17] Rating the film with 4 Stars, critic Leonard Maltin wrote that the film was "Grand, moving, breathtakingly filmed (by veteran cinematographer Freddie Francis) and faultlessly performed". He ardently exclaimed that it was "One of the finest historical dramas ever made."[18]

"Glory is constructed as an inspirational tale, but the inspiration is not forced or false. It is rooted in the characters and the manner in which they overcome obstacles, including, most prominently, their own personal demons."
—James Berardinelli, writing for ReelViews[16]

Chris Hicks of the Deseret News, said the film was "Big in scope, powerful in its storytelling drama, yet intimate in its character and relationship development." Referring to Broderick, he found the acting "does very well as the young officer, and among his troops are two of our finest actors — Morgan Freeman...and Denzel Washington."[19] In TimeOut, author CM wrote that in terms of authenticity, "the battle sequences are truly impressive." He exclaimed, "the stark clarity of Freddie Francis' cinematography combined with Zwick's intimate style evokes immediacy and fear."[20] On another positive front, the staff of TV Guide commented on the production values of the film, saying they were "Richly plotted, alternately inspiring and horrifying, Glory is an enlightening and entertaining tribute to heroes too long forgotten." While on the acting merits, they noted "Glory also contains especially compelling performances by Broderick, Washington, and Freeman."[21] Film critic Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a thumbs up review saying, "like Driving Miss Daisy, this is another admirable film that turns out to be surprisingly entertaining." He thought the film took on "some true social significance" and felt the actors portrayed the characters as "more than simply black men." He explained: "They're so different, that they become not merely standard Hollywood blacks, but true individuals."[22]

Accolades

The film was nominated and won several awards in 1989–90.[23][24] Among awards won were from the Academy Awards, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards and the Golden Globe Awards. A complete list of awards the film won or was nominated for are listed below.

Award / Category / Nominee / Result
62nd Academy Awards[25] / Best Actor in a Supporting Role / Denzel Washington / Won
Best Art Direction / Norman Garwood, Garrett Lewis / Nominated
Best Cinematography / Freddie Francis / Won
Best Film Editing / Steven Rosenblum / Nominated
Best Sound / Donald O. Mitchell, Gregg Rudloff, Elliot Tyson, Russell Williams / Won
41st ACE Eddie Awards[26] / Best Edited Feature Film / ———— / Won
44th British Academy Film Awards[27] / Best Cinematography / Freddie Francis / Nominated
British Society of Cinematographers Awards 1990[28] / Best Cinematography / Freddie Francis / Won
Casting Society of AmericaArtios Awards 1990[29] / Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama / Mary Colquhoun / Nominated
47th Golden Globe Awards[30] / Best Motion Picture – Drama / Freddie Fields / Nominated
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture / Denzel Washington / Won
Best Director / Edward Zwick / Nominated
Best Screenplay / Kevin Jarre / Nominated
Best Original Score / James Horner / Nominated
33rd Grammy Awards[31] / Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television / James Horner / Won
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards 1989[32] / Best Film / ———— / Won
Best Director / Edward Zwick / Won
Best Supporting Actor / Denzel Washington / Won
NAACP Image Awards 1992[33][34] / Outstanding Motion Picture / ———— / Won
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture / Denzel Washington / Won
1989 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Awards[35] / Best Picture / ———— / Nominated
1989 New York Film Critics Circle Awards[36] / Best Supporting Actor / Denzel Washington / Nominated
1990 Political Film Society Awards[37] / Human Rights / ———— / Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards 1989[38] / Best Adapted Screenplay / Kevin Jarre / Nominated

American Film Institute Lists

  • AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies - Nominated
  • AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills - Nominated
  • AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains- Nominated Hero (Buck)
  • AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores - Nominated
  • AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers - #31
  • AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) - Nominated

Box office

The film premiered in cinemas on December 14, 1989 in limited release within the U.S.. During its limited opening weekend, the film grossed $63,661 in business showing at 3 locations. Its official wide release was screened in theaters on February 16, 1990.[2] Opening in a distant 8th place, the film earned $2,683,350 showing at 801 cinemas. The film Driving Miss Daisy soundly beat its competition during that weekend opening in first place with $9,834,744.[39] The film's revenue dropped by 37% in its second week of release, earning $1,682,720. For that particular weekend, the film remained in 8th place screening in 809 theaters not challenging a top five position. The film Driving Miss Daisy, remained in first place grossing $6,107,836 in box office revenue.[40] The film went on to top out domestically at $26,828,365 in total ticket sales through a 17-week theatrical run.[2] For 1989 as a whole, the film would cumulatively rank at a box office performance position of 45.[41]

Home media

Following its cinematic release in theaters, the film was released in VHS video format on June 22, 1990.[42] The Region 1 Codewidescreen edition of the film was released on DVD in the United States on January 20, 1998. Special features for the DVD include, interactive menus, scene selections, widescreen 1.85:1 color anamorphic format along with subtitles in English, Spanish and French.[43]

Director Edward Zwick

A special edition repackaged version of Glory was also officially released on DVD on January 2, 2007. The DVD set includes two discs featuring; widescreen and full screen versions of the film, Picture-in-Picture video commentary from director Ed Zwick and actors Morgan Freeman as well as Matthew Broderick, a director's audio commentary documentary entitled: "The True Story of Glory Continues" narrated by Morgan Freeman, an exclusive featurette entitled: "Voices of Glory", an original featurette, deleted scenes, production notes, theatrical trailers, talent files, and scene selections.[44]

The Blu-ray disc version of the film was released on June 2, 2009. Special features include a virtual civil war battlefield, interactive map, "The Voice Of Glory" feature, "The True Story Continues" documentary, the making of Glory, director's commentary, and deleted scenes.[45] The film is displayed in widescreen 1.85:1 color format in 1080p screen resolution. The audio is enhanced with Dolby TruHD sound and is available with subtitles in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.[45] A UMD version of the film for the Sony PlayStation Portable was also released on July 1, 2008. The disc features dubbed, subtitled, and color widescreen format viewing options.[46]