Robert Gould Shaw leads the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices from both his own Union Army, and the Confederates.Robert Gould Shaw leads the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices from both his own Union Army, and the Confederates.Robert Gould Shaw leads the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices from both his own Union Army, and the Confederates.
- Won 3 Oscars
- 14 wins & 18 nominations total
- Capt. Charles Fessenden Morse
- (as Donovan Leitch)
- Henry Sturgis Russell
- (as John David Cullum)
- Col. James M. Montgomery
- (as Cliff DeYoung)
- 'A' Company Soldier
- (as Michael Smith Guess)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe Civil War reenactors who took part in the film did so voluntarily and without pay.
- GoofsIn real life, the 54th Massachusetts didn't accept runaway slaves because Gov. Andrew wanted it to be an elite unit. Nearly all of the men could read and write. One private was a doctor.
- Quotes
[Trip and Searles are about to fight when Rawlins steps in]
Rawlins: Look, goddamn it! The whole world gotta stomp on your face?
Trip: Nigger, you better get your hands off me!
Rawlins: Ain't no niggers around here! Understand?
Trip: Oh, I see, so the white man give you a couple a stripes, and suddenly you start hollerin' and orderin' everybody around, like you the massa himself! Nigger, you ain't nothin' but the white man's dog!
[He starts to walk away, Rawlins stops him and slaps him]
Rawlins: And what are you? So full of hate you want to go out and fight everybody! Because you've been whipped and chased by hounds. Well that might not be living, but it sure as hell ain't dying. And dying's been what these white boys have been doing for going on three years now! Dying by the thousands! Dying for *you*, fool! I know, 'cause I dug the graves. And all this time I keep askin' myself, when, O Lord, when it's gonna be our time? Gonna come a time when we all gonna hafta ante up. Ante up and kick in like men. LIKE MEN! You watch who you call a nigger! If there's any niggers around here, it's YOU. Just a smart-mouthed, stupid-ass, swamp-runnin' nigger! And if you not careful, that's all you ever gonna be!
- Alternate versionsThe newly released Region 2 edition dvd contains two deleted scenes.
- While on guard duty, Trip (Denzel Washington) shoots dead what he believes to be a confederate soldier, only to discover he has killed a 15 year old "apple-picker".
- On the morning of the final battle, (the storming of Ft. Wagner) Major Forbes (Cary Elwes) is visited in his tent by Colonel Shaw. Major Forbes beleives he is going to die and does not want to take part in the assault.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Glory (1989)
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $18,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $26,979,166
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $63,661
- Dec 17, 1989
- Gross worldwide
- $26,979,166
- Runtime2 hours 2 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1