Glory

Glory (1989)

Timing: 2:2 (122 min)

7.477/10
1754

7.392/10
6813

7.8/10
152000

All about film

Video 6

Photo 42

Actors and characters

Release date

1989-12-15

Country

United States

Production

TriStar Pictures, Freddie Fields Productions

Genre

Drama, History, War

Budget

$18 000 000

Revenue

$26 828 365

Website

https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/glory

Director

Edward Zwick

Actors

Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Jihmi Kennedy, Andre Braugher, John Finn, Donovan Leitch, JD Cullum, Bob Gunton
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Freddie Fields

Operator

Freddie Francis

Composer

James Horner

Artist

Andrew Precht

Audition

Mary Colquhoun

Editing

Steven Rosenblum
All team (58)

• The film is based on the books “Lay This Laurel” by Lincoln Kirstein and “One Gallant Rush” by Peter Burchard, as well as the letters of Robert Gould Shaw.
• Civil War reenactors (1861-1865) participated in the filming of the film – on a voluntary basis and without pay.
• According to director Edward Zwick, Denzel Washington was actually tied up and actually whipped in that scene, although the whip was special – it didn't lacerate his back, but the blows were still palpable.
• A significant portion of scenes featuring Cary Elwes' character were cut during editing.
• Morgan Freeman applied experience gained during his service in the US Air Force during filming. According to him, close friendships don't form during training.
• Morgan Freeman performed all of his own stunts.
• According to Matthew Broderick, he hardly had to act in the battle scenes, as he was genuinely frightened by the explosions on set.
• The film opens with soldiers playing baseball. The question of when, where, and how this sport was invented remains open, but it quickly gained popularity among soldiers on both sides during the Civil War.
• Edward Zwick initially had some concerns about how African American actors would react to filming with a young white director of Jewish origin, but the actors turned out to be quite friendly.
• The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment's first battle took place on James Island on July 16, 1863. The battle scene was filmed in late February 1989 near the city of Savannah in the state of Georgia. During filming, it snowed, and heaters were required on set.
• Many of the initial shots used footage from a reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg, filmed on its 125th anniversary in 1988. Up to 15,000 people participated in the reenactment.
• Smoke machines were used to prevent the blue of the sky from appearing in the shot. Edward Zwick wanted everything to look as bleak and gloomy as possible.
• Lycopodium, or clubmoss spores (mature dry spores of various species of the genus Lycopodium, containing up to 50% fatty oil, glycerin, and other compounds), was used to create the effects of exploding shells.
• At the end of the film, it is shown how Colonel Shaw's body is thrown into a mass grave with the bodies of Black soldiers. Officers were usually buried with honors, but in Confederate units, regiments consisting of African Americans were treated with such contempt that their officers were buried with the soldiers.
• The film is based on Lincoln Kirstein’s “Lay This Laurel” and Peter Burchard’s “One Gallant Rush,” as well as letters from Robert Gould Shaw.