A historical drama film that won three Oscars and a Golden Globe has now landed on Amazon Prime – and viewers are calling it “one of the best movies ever made”.
Glory, the 1989 epic starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, and Morgan Freeman, tells the remarkable true story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment – the Union Army’s first all-Black volunteer unit during the American Civil War.
The film has long been hailed as a landmark in both war cinema and African-American storytelling. Now, 35 years later, it boasts a near-perfect 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a clutch of awards under its belt.
Critics at the time called it “brilliant,” “unforgettable,” and “unflinching,” and online viewers today seem to echo the sentiment: “Denzel’s best performance, and the whipping scene is one of the most powerful in cinema history,” wrote one viewer on Rotten Tomatoes. “Still one of the best war films ever made. That final scene just gets me every time”, commented another.
The heart of Glory lies in its depiction of the real-life formation of the 54th Massachusetts, the first Black regiment to fight for the Union during the American Civil War. At its head was Col. Robert Gould Shaw, played by Matthew Broderick, a white Bostonian from an abolitionist family who was appointed to lead the newly formed regiment in 1863.
The men he commanded came from across the Northern states: some were freemen and others were escaped slaves. Among the fictionalised characters are Trip (played by a young Denzel Washington), a proud runaway and a true rebel, Rawlins (Morgan Freeman), an older recruit, and Thomas (Andre Braugher), a literate friend of Shaw’s.
Denied equal pay, subjected to inferior supplies and training, and mocked by white soldiers, the regiment must first prove their worth just to be allowed to fight. Shaw, initially unsure of his own authority, gradually becomes a fierce advocate for his men.
“It’s a film about honour and injustice in equal measure,” says another fan review. “And the performances are just devastating.”
The film earned Washington the 1990 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and praise for his performance has especially focused on one scehe – where he is subject to whipping – which viewers described as “one of the most powerful scenes in history”.
Washington also took home the Golden Globe for the same performance, and the film won three Academy Awards in total – including Best Cinematography for Freddie Francis and Best Sound.
Glory (1989) is now available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.