Glory

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Glory

R

1989

2h 2m

War

History

Drama

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Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

62 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Following the Battle of Antietam, Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) is offered command of the United States' first all-African-American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. With junior officer Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes), Shaw puts together a strong and proud unit, including the escaped slave Trip (Denzel Washington) and the wise gravedigger John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman). At first limited to menial manual tasks, the regiment fights to be placed in the heat of battle.

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Critics Consensus

Bolstered by exceptional cinematography, powerful storytelling, and an Oscar-winning performance by Denzel Washington, Glory remains one of the finest Civil War movies ever made.

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Michael H. Price

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

Jul 26, 2022

8/10

Washington, in his best performance since the black-story-white-viewpoint misfire of Cry Freedom, is exceptionally good as a fugitive slave whose tense relationship with Matthew Broderick charges the film's emotional core.

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Joe Pollack

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jul 25, 2022

This is a sad and gallant chapter, and a first-rate movie.

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John Pym

Sight & Sound

Jan 16, 2020

The film's chief virtue is its spectacular choreography. The final battle... is a striking combination of dynamism and clarity.

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Justin Brown

Medium Popcorn

Feb 6, 2026

4/5

I really liked this film and think they did an amazing job with it. Matthew Broderick's performance aside, it was great to see legends Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, and Andre Braugher in scenes together.

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Brandon Collins

Medium Popcorn

Feb 6, 2026

4/5

Despite being disappointed by Matthew Broderick's performance, all of the other actors were working at 100%. There's a reason Denzel won an Oscar for this.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Mar 30, 2025

3/4

...compelling subject matter that’s employed to somewhat uneven yet mostly entertaining effect by Zwick...

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Dranreb A

@CinemaRot Aug 18, 2026

Great movie, it mixes action and story greatly, and most of the scenes are historically accurate. I rated it 4.5/5 because some scenes can feel a little slow, but overall, it’s still a really good movie.

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Judah S

@Judah3963 Jul 4, 2026

It was the best executed Civil War movie I have ever seen.

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Adelay C.

@27adeco Jun 18, 2026

While I appreciate how historically accurate this film seemed to be, I found the acting somewhat dry, the plot slow throughout the first half, and the music was at times too loud or inappropriate for the on screen content. However, I thought the final attempt to capture the fort was well done and did redeem this movie for me, to an extent.

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Porter 0.

@phas7 May 30, 2026

Great Civil war movie.

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Jeffrey F.

@JFairfield85 May 27, 2026

One of the best Civil War movies ever. Some of James Horner's best music.

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Breathe J

@SilverScreenSweetheart May 25, 2026

From beginning to the end, this movie is absolutely phenomenal. Near perfection. It is so strong, powerful, emotional, and deeply patriotic. Laced with outstanding performances from the beautiful Matthew Broderick, the legendary Morgan Freeman, and the unconquerable Denzel Washington, this movie follows the incredible journey of the 54th Regiment, comprised of the first African American Union soldiers in the Civil War. It will make you smile, cheer, and cry, and it will move your heart. The performances were remarkable, the direction was brilliant, the screenplay was flawless, and the result was a masterpiece. Every American should watch this movie at least once in his/her life. God bless you.

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Edward Zwick

Director

Matthew Broderick

Col. Robert Gould Shaw

Denzel Washington

Pvt. Trip

Morgan Freeman

Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins

Cary Elwes

Maj. Cabot Forbes

Jihmi Kennedy

Pvt. Jupiter Sharts

Glory: Official Clip - The Worst Soldier in this Whole Company

2:08

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Glory: Official Clip - Rawlins Confronts Trip

2:10

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Glory: Official Clip - Trip Gets Flogged

2:11

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Glory: Official Clip - Prayers of the 54th

2:13

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Glory: Official Clip - The Battle of Antietam

2:12

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Glory: Official Clip - Shaw vs. the Quartermaster

2:13

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Glory: Official Clip - Breaching Fort Wagner

2:12

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Glory: Official Clip - Shaw and Trip Fall Together

2:11

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Glory: Trailer 1

1:23

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Glory 30th Anniversary (1989) presented by TCM: Fathom Events Trailer

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Synopsis

Following the Battle of Antietam, Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) is offered command of the United States' first all-African-American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. With junior officer Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes), Shaw puts together a strong and proud unit, including the escaped slave Trip (Denzel Washington) and the wise gravedigger John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman). At first limited to menial manual tasks, the regiment fights to be placed in the heat of battle.

Director: Edward Zwick
Producer: Freddie Fields
Screenwriter: Kevin Jarre
Distributor: TriStar Pictures, Columbia Tristar
Production Co: TriStar Pictures, Freddie Fields Productions
Rating: R
Genre: War, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 15, 1989, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.5M
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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