Gloryis now available on streaming, and there are few reasons not to watch it. The Oscar-winningwarmovie just landed on the Roku Channel and is free to watch for anyone who has a Roku.Gloryis an inspiring, timeless epic about true events that happened during the Civil War. If that’s not enough to get audiences to pick up their remotes and putGloryon the TV, it’s also worth mentioning that the movie jump-startedDenzel Washington’s career, as it gave him his first Academy Award.
‘Glory’ Focuses on a Black Regiment During the Civil War
InGlory, Captain Robert Shaw is promoted to the rank of Colonel, on the condition that he leads the 54th Infantry Regiment. The infantry regiment is experimental, as it’s one of the Union’s first infantries composed primarily of Black soldiers. The soldiers are warned that they face grave danger and that any Confederates who find them will kill them, but they’re still willing to fight.
During training, Colonel Shaw and his troops run into many problems. The government doesn’t pay the soldiers the same amount as white soldiers, the quartermaster refuses to give 54th Regiment soldiers some of the supplies they need, and generals avoid sending the 54th Regiment into combat. However,Shaw and his men continue to fight and speak for what they believe to be right, bringing change to the Civil War.
The film has an excellent cast with actors who were just starting to make strides in their careers. Matthew Broderick,not usually knownfor playing authorities, takes a step up in his career as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. Cary Elwes plays Shaw’s fictional second-in-command, Major Cabot Forbes. Morgan Freeman plays one of the higher-ranking Black officers in the 54th Regiment, Sergeant Major John Rawlins. Denzel Washington plays the rebellious Private Trip, and Andre Braugher makes his film debut as the timid Corporal Thomas Searles.
Why It’s a Great Civil War Movie
Hundreds of films are set during the Civil War, but few are interesting enough for viewers to devote two hours if they’re not obsessed with that era of history. EnterGlory, a film with an easy-to-understand premise, fantastic acting, and strong themes about America’s racial divide. The film is based on the real-life 54th Infantry Regiment, mixed with storytelling that makes the history more dramatic and impactful to all audiences.
Although not everything in the film is historically accurate,Glorystill transports viewers to an important time in American history. Characters like Trip and John Rawlins and moments like soldiers tearing up their pay stubs are made up, but the ideas are still similar to real events. The 54th Infantry Regiment wasn’t the first Black infantry regiment in the Civil War, either, but its significance in battle is what made it the focus ofGlory.As seen in the film’s epilogue, the 54th Infantry Regiment helped inspire President Abraham Lincoln to allow 180,000 Black men to enlist, which helped the Union win the Civil War. The epilogue is rippedstraight from history, which is good because it demonstrates why this Civil War story is so impactful.
Gloryalso includes some very large-scale battles that would make any Civil War reenactor cry tears of joy. The film opens with a spectacular battle that leaves Shaw injured, and it ends with an even bigger battle, which cements the 54th Regiment in history. Without footage of the Civil War, it’s about the closest audiences can get to witnessing Civil War battles. The film’s battles are gloriously directed by Edward Zwick, who has made giant battles a defining feature of his career with other films likeThe Last Samurai. Zwick’s battles inGlorychallenge even the greatest war scenes in history, like the battle at Normandy inSteven Spielberg’sSaving Private Ryan.
‘Glory’ Established Two Black Acting Legends
Denzel Washington is one of the biggest actors today, but he had to start somewhere.Gloryis the film that helped establish his presence as a legendary actor. He ended up winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance, and it’s one of only two Oscars he’s earned to this day.Gloryitself earned two more Oscars for Best Sound and Best Cinematography.
Washington’s Oscar win forGlorycertainly wasn’t a fluke. His portrayal of Private Trip is one of his best performances, and the film wouldn’t work without him.Glorydoesn’t really have a physical antagonist throughout the whole film. The driving antagonistic force is essentially racism, which is seen as the 54th Regiment soldiers interact with other Union soldiers, who look down on the Black troops. The racial tensions are emphasized through Washington’s character, who constantly fights with both members of his infantry regiment and other soldiers. So, in a way, Washington was responsible for bringing the protagonist and the antagonist to the screen. He also provides context for the real-life impact, as he believes the 54th Regiment and the end of the Civil War can only do so much to combat racial tensions in America.
Surprisingly,Glorywas a pivotal film for Morgan Freeman as well, to a lesser extent than Washington. Freeman had been in many episodes ofThe Electric Companyin the 1970s, but beforeGlory, he didn’t have much success on the big screen. He was mainly resigned to small, supporting roles in films that struggled to break even at the box office. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for the 1987 filmStreet Smartand acted with Michael Keaton inthe 1988 filmClean and Sober, but it wasn’t until 1989 withGlorythat Morgan Freeman had a major box-office hit. What’s unfortunate is that if Denzel Washington weren’t inGlory, people would remember the film for Morgan Freeman’s performance. He and Washington stand out in the cast, with Freeman being a voice of reason and Washington creating tension. It’s more interesting to watch Washington, but Freeman’s nearly as good.
