Glory (1989)

Glory is special because it turns a chapter of American history into lived experience—mud, sweat, fear, pride—without ever losing sight of the humanity inside the uniforms. Edward Zwick directs with a clear, steady hand, letting Freddie Francis’s cinematography and James Horner’s aching score carry you from intimate moments of brotherhood to battlefield sequences that feel terrifyingly real. The performances are the film’s heartbeat: Matthew Broderick brings quiet resolve to Shaw, while Denzel Washington burns with intelligence and rage in a role that doesn’t ask for sympathy so much as demands recognition. It’s an emotionally bracing watch—unflinching about racism and violence—so it may not be for viewers looking for a gentler war film, but if you want a stirring, beautifully made drama that earns its tears and its triumph, Glory delivers.

Glory is aiming to honor the 54th Massachusetts with an old-school, rousing war-drama approach—big emotions, clear moral stakes, and a serious attempt to depict racism within the Union ranks as well as the battlefield. The catch is that much of the story is still filtered through Col. Shaw, and if you’re allergic to “important history” being anchored to a white lead, the perspective can feel limiting and a bit too tidy. Matthew Broderick’s subdued performance also won’t work for everyone; if you want a commanding, magnetic center, you may find him miscast even when the film around him is strong. That said, Denzel Washington and the ensemble bring real fire, and the combat and training sequences hit hard—just be ready for graphic violence, racial slurs, and a film that’s powerful but not as nuanced as it thinks it is.