Glory (1989)

As the US Civil War drags on and drains even the vast resources of the north, an experiment is made with black troops, creating a special regiment under an all-white officer corps. The traditional military establishment considers this a bad joke, but a young abolitionist idealist Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Brodrick) from a very privileged family agrees to take on the dubious honor of commanding the black volunteers, mainly illiterate former slaves (among them Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, and Denzel Washington in an Academy Award winning performance) and gains the rank of Colonel. Even his personal friend and second in command, Major Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes), lacks confidence in the project; yet they must overcome countless difficulties in training, procurement, and ensuing hilarity before the unit can even enter the War.

Trivia: The film depicts the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry training through the Christmas holidays of presumably 1862 (after the September 1862 Battle of Antietam,) but the real 54th Massachusetts did not organize until March 1863, and were engaged in their first battle on James Island, SC on 16 July 1863, and then Battery Wagner (the final battle in the film) on 18 July 1863. Matthew Broderick is believed to be a distant relative of Robert Gould Shaw, the character he plays. With the exception of Shaw, none of the primary characters are based on real people in the 54th. The relief sculpture in the credits is the Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Regiment Memorial in Boston Common, by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The inaugural battle for the real 54th Massachusetts was at James Island, South Carolina, on 16 July 1863. The scene depicting this engagement was filmed during late February of 1989 at the Girl Scout Camp on Rose Dhu Island near Savannah, GA. It actually snowed during filming, and heaters had to be brought in to melt the snow. Later, in the Christmas at Camp Readville Scene, filmed in March 1989 at the old Train Roundhouse in Savannah, Georgia, snow blowers were brought in to blow chipped ice onto the ground to give the appearance of a winter snow.

I think at different times I have seen this whole movie, just not all together in one setting. I can't believe it was made 19 years ago. That makes me feel old, because I remember when it came out. All the leads did fantastic jobs in this film. Morgan Freeman is, well, Morgan Freeman. Andre Braugher did great in his movie debuts as the educated black friend of Shaw who was the first to volunteer and then struggled through training. Matthew Brodrick brought a sensitivity to the role that I don't think many could have brought. And then there is Denzel Washington. He was very dynamic in this film and deserved the Oscar.