Credit: Netflix

When people talk about Glory, they usually go straight to Denzel Washington, which, to be fair, makes complete sense. The film won him his first Oscar and gave him one of the most unforgettable scenes of his entire career. More importantly, it introduced viewers to a piece of American history they probably never learned much about before.

But when you watch Glory now, the Oscar win isn’t something that attracts you anymore. It’s the fact that this film tells the story of men who genuinely helped change history and still don’t get talked about enough. Think about it. Yes, Glory is a brilliant story. Yes, it has amazing performances, but it’s not just a performance piece or a well-made war drama that made this film win hearts. It is a reminder of people whose contributions have often been pushed to the side.

The film came out in 1989 and was directed by Edward Zwick. It follows the real-life 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first official African American units formed to fight for the Union Army during the American Civil War. And that’s where the film immediately becomes more interesting than a lot of war dramas. These soldiers aren’t just fighting the Confederacy. They are also battling prejudice from the very people they are supposed to be serving alongside. Can you imagine facing racism from the people whom you are there to help?

Matthew Broderick plays Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the young officer chosen to lead the regiment. Shaw believes in what he is doing, but it doesn’t take him long to realise how well-settled racism runs within the Union Army itself. His men are given worse equipment and treated differently. What’s even worse is that they are denied the same opportunities as white soldiers. Does that make sense to you?

At one point, they are even offered lower pay for doing exactly the same job. And sorry, but imagine volunteering to risk your life for a country only to be told your service is worth less than somebody else’s. But what makes Glory amazing to watch is that it doesn’t soften that reality or try to make it more comfortable for the audience.

Alongside Shaw, you’ve got John Rawlins, played by Morgan Freeman, Thomas Searles, played by Andre Braugher, and Trip, played by Denzel Washington. One of the best things about Glory is that it doesn’t rush from battle to battle, trying to keep the action moving. Instead, it spends time with these characters. You get a sense of who they are or where they’ve come from. Because of that, the story becomes more personal.

Trip played by Denzel Washington is probably the character most people remember, and it’s easy to see why. While Shaw still believes institutions can change, Trip has absolutely no patience for that optimism. He doesn’t trust authority or his promises, and whenever people start talking about duty or loyalty, he always asks a very uncomfortable question: why should Black Americans feel loyalty towards a country that has given them so little reason to trust it? This conflict is where the film makes you question the harsh reality of the truth. Sure, the situation has changed, but has it changed that much?

What makes the film even more impressive is how closely connected it is to real history. Parts of the story were built using the actual letters written by the real Robert Gould Shaw, and the 54th Massachusetts wasn’t simply important as a symbol. Their service encouraged thousands of African American men to enlist afterwards. By the end of the war, nearly 180,000 Black soldiers had served in the Union Army, which is remarkable.

That’s probably why Glory continues to work so well decades later. The film never looks at the history from a distance; rather, it encourages the viewers to go in depth. And that’s what makes it an all-time classic.