The filmmakers of Glory depict the 54th Massachusetts volunteer infantry from the point of view of its commanding officer, Robert Shaw. As shown in the film and from the reading materials, we know that the 54th regime was the first formal U.S. Army regime comprised only of African-American soldiers. After watching the film, we can infer that the filmmakers were interested in depicting the African-American Men from the public’s viewpoint. Rather than depicting the struggles within the African-American soldiers, film is more in line with how the other Northern soldiers and their communities disapprovingly dealt with the 54th Massachusetts volunteer infantry.
The filmmakers of Glory convince the viewer of their argument with numerous characters who are not fond of the 54th regime. First form of negativity comes from Captain Shaw’s childhood friend, Cabot Forbes, the executive officer of the 54th regime. While Shaw is determined to properly train the 54th regime, Forbes does not train the men in correct manner. For example, when the African-American soldiers receive their rifle fr...
The story of the “Fighting Fifty-Forth” is a true testament of how when a country is in war or a time of despair they can ban together as one ,regardless of race to achieve an objective. Although they were treated unfairly and discriminated against, the 54th regiment paved the way for equality of not only African-American soldiers but for all African-Americans.
Glory is an American War film produced in 1989. The movie is about the first all-African-American regiment to be a part of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It is based upon letters written by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who was the commanding officer in charge of the first African America regiment. The regiment was known as the 54th Massachusetts, and it is famous for the heroic actions that took place during the Battle of Fort Wagner, where Colonel Shaw volunteered his men to lead the charge. Although there were many casualties and the battle was not successful, the 54th Massachusetts’ bravery led the Union to accept thousands of African American men into their ranks which helped the Union win the war. In many parts of the film,
Robert Gould Shaw was a son of wealthy Boston abolitionists. At 23 he enlisted to fight in the war between the states. The movie opens by Robert reading one of many letters he writes home. He is captain of 100 Union soldiers most of whom are older than himself. He speaks of the spirit of his men and how they are enthusiastic about fighting for their country just like the men in The Revolutionary war only this time they were fighting to give blacks freedom and to live in a United country where all can speak and live freely.
Many of the African American soldiers wanted to offer their skills in the war but they could not because of their skin color they had to often have kitchen duty, cleaning beds, and
The movie “Glory” tells the history and the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. It became the first black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War. The Regiment was made up of black soldiers – some were Northern freemen, some were escaped slaves. The leader was General Robert Gould Shaw, the son of Boston abolitionists. The men of the 54th Regiment proved themselves worthy of the freedom for which they fighting, and the respect of their fellow white soldiers.
Being a United States History major, the choice for this movie review was simply a no brainer. For this paper I have chosen to review the Civil War based movie named Glory. The movie was released in 1989, just after the centennial of the Civil War ending. Glory was innovative, due to the fact that not many movies portrayed how the blacks were important to the North winning the war against the South. The movie had an all-star cast that consisted of Matthew Broderick as Col. Robert Shaw, Denzel Washington as Pvt Trip, and Morgan Freeman as Sgt Major John Rawlins (IMDB.com). Before critically reviewing this wonderful movie, I only watched the movie for the significance of it being about our nation’s history and war. As I critically watched
The movie Glory is the story of the first African American military unit which fought during the Civil War. This powerful story is told through the eyes of the unit’s leader, Colonel Robert Shaw. The director, Edward Zwick, uses a number of important scenes expressing growth, patriotism and leadership. Whenever there was an obstacle that the 54th regiment needed to overcome faith seemed to be the answer. Faith in their fellow man, faith in their country and faith in God.
Before WORLD WAR I, military service represented a source of black pride. Black educators, clergymen, and the press frequently referred to Negro heroes of America’s past wars. After the Civil War, the U.S, Army maintained four regular Negro regiments –the 9th and 10th Calvary and the 24th and 25th Infantry. These units included veterans of the civil war and the frontier Indian fighting regiments. Retired sergeants often became respected, conservative leaders in their communities. This history set a foundation for black support and involvement in America’s future wars.
Zwick effectively builds the characters of the 54th regiment by portraying the grueling months of training and development. One prominent example of this is in the end of their movie when the 54th is given the chance to fight in an attack on the beach of South Carolina at Fort Wagner. Determined to dismiss the belief that blacks would not be disciplined under fire, the 54th is at the forefront of the suicidal attack on Fort Wagner. During this battle, the 54th displays the courage that persuaded President Lincoln to enlist many more black soldiers.
The military since the Colonial Era has been an impetus for social reform in the United States. The Revolutionary War afforded Black Americans an opportunity to escape from the toils of slavery and fight for freedom. Some Black Americans even earned their freedom by fighting for the Colonists, but still the freedom they fought for wasn’t their own. However, the military was responsible for the freedom of many slaves and some of these freed slaves became legendary soldiers like Salem Poor. His performance in battle gave credibility for future arguments about blacks being allowed to serve.
Black soldiers were among the bravest of those fighting in the Civil War. Both free Blacks in the Union army and escaped slaves from the South rushed to fight for their freedom and they fought with distinction in many major Civil War battles. Many whites thought Blacks could not be soldiers. They were slaves. They were inferior. Many thought that if Blacks could fight in the war it would make them equal to whites and prove the theory of slavery was wrong. Even though Black soldiers had to face much discrimination during the Civil War, they were willing to fight to the death for their freedom. In the movie “Glory“ the director focused on the African Americans in the north that fought in the 54th regiment led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. During the time of the Civil War, the African Americans that fought in the 54th regiment were often treated unfairly but there were always nice people that backed them up.
Glory is a movie that shows how the characters change during the civil war they all became good and honorable men. This movie teaches us that no matter what color or race a person is or what they have been through they will always have what it takes to endure there hardships and become good men, everyone is capable of doing good.
...s, demonstrated through the author's talent, are denouncing the authority figures who were supposed to guide his generation into adulthood but instead turned the youth against each other in the pursuit of superficial ideals. The soldiers were simply the victims of a meaningless war.
Since even before the United States has been classified as a nation, African Americans have served in armed forces. From a little village militias to the army or sailors, African Americans have stepped up to help defend and eventually earn their own freedom. The battle for unification and for recognition of black soldiers has been a slow undertaking. It wasn't until after World War II that the U.S. armed forces became fully and lawfully unified, under a 1948 executive order by President Harry S. Truman. They were “unified”; meaning that the African American troops could be in the same regiments and squads as the white men. Previously they underwent completely separate training and were assorted to their own regiments. Throughout time many groups of enlisted black men have made up the hammer which broke down the racial barriers which were all too common up until about 45 years ago. All of this had to start somewhere, which leads me to the Revolutionary War.
“The war correspondent is responsible for most of the ideas of battle which the public possesses … I can’t write that it occurred if I know that it did not, even if by painting it that way I can rouse the blood and make the pulse beat faster – and undoubtedly these men here deserve that people’s pulses shall beat for them. But War Correspondents have so habitually exaggerated the heroism of battles that people don’t realise that real actions are heroic.”