Glory: A Look from Within

Glory: A Look From Within

It is the evening before a powerful and epic battle with more than victory at stake. Tomorrow, the 54th regiment will forever stamp themselves as a symbol of hope and freedom in a new world during an attack on Fort Wagner as soldiers for the North. Dozens of men with young children, wives, and an idealistic dream of a free world will die in a matter of hours. As the Northern soldiers gather on this night before war, there are no tears of fear to be shed. The din in the air is that of song and the feeling is that of an inspirational victory. On this night before their death, slaves turned soldiers have put aside their personal differences and become one; a metaphoric battle has been won. This is one of the final scenes from the movie Glory, a power depiction of the heroic efforts of the first African American regiment during the Civil War. The deep, multiple plot layers, and moving acting performances in Glory create a captivating viewing experience.

The story leads up to the summer of 1863, during which the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment led an unsuccessful attack on the Confederate’s Fort Wagner in South Carolina. The 54th regiment was the Nation's first black regiment and because of their skill, courage, and determination, they were credited with paving the way for the successful entry of other black soldiers into the ranks of the Union. In addition, these brave men demonstrated that black men were willing to fight and die both for their country and for their freedom. The setting was primarily outdoors and on the battle

ground. There was some rain during training, but mostly the weather was

mild in climate. The setting also alluded to the camaraderie of the

regiment, and what was most memorable was the manner in which the men,

who were once divided, came together for the common goal and good of

all men regardless of the color of their skin.

Glory did not use make-up for the purpose of beautifying or improving the looks of the actors. Make-up was used to intensify the conditions and the severity of the wounds of soldiers who fought in the “Battle of the States.” The make-up helped to illuminate the emotional intensity of the soldiers and their roles in the war. The composition of the wounds brought reality to the movie and the human aspects of the soldiers. The make-up had a tremendous impact on how the viewer experience the conditions of the soldiers and what they went through to be a part to the war fighting effort. The film stopped short of depicting extreme, graphic violence and gore often see in war movies. This may served the Director’s motivation to keep the focus on the human themes and not on the violence itself.

The aspects of the make-up that are most visual and memorable are the wounds on the soldiers in the 54th. Some of the soldiers were seen with minor flesh wounds and others suffered from more life threatening wounds such as; loss of an arm or leg and even decapitation. There is also effective use of make-up prior to the battlefield scenes. One of the most dramatic sequences in the film involves one of the soldiers deserting the regiment in what turned out to be a search for new shoes (which were not given to African American soldiers.) Before the soldier is very badly beaten by a belt upon capture, his shirt is lifted and the remnant of past beatings is revealed. This dramatic use of make-up creates an emotional reaction for the viewer.

The overall visual impression of the lighting created a sense of reality and truth to the whole plot. The lighting came primarily from natural resources such as sunlight and campfires. The lighting gave true color to the actors’ skin, make-up and costumes. The effective use of light made a historical event vibrant and realistic in the present time period for the viewer. Most of the film was shot during gloomy, cloud-filled periods of time making it a cinematic challenge that was successfully met.

With the exception of an early scene, in which a man gets his head blown off, the film stopped short of showing too much gore and only showed what was needed to convey the message. In every scene the uniforms were effectively displayed in terms of fit and color, and the historical details of the uniforms and

equipment were almost exactly as they were in period of question as

well. Although costumes in the film were historically accurate, the battle scenes and treatment of African American soldiers and citizens were not fully exposed. Glory was light on violence and language to appear to a broader audience, retaining a rating to allow children to view