It's pretty good, though it inevitably comes short of the impossible standards it sets for itself.
Glory
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Excellent Civil War movie for mature teens.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–16
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Glory was written by Charles Cassady Jr.
Parents need to know that there is graphic war violence here; all the bloody killings may be too much for many tweens and some teens. Know your kid. Also, the movie deals with racism and other mature themes. Note: most of the soldiers here die in service.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the history of racism in this country. Families can also research the complex reasons why the US split into Union and Confederacy and clashed in battle, which are not covered in this film.
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Glory
What’s the Story?
GLORY tells the epic story of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first unit of black troops that fought in the American Civil War. Progressive-minded Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) is their leader. Shaw's college friend Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher), a free-born African-American, eagerly joins the regiment, but most of the soldiers are proud but illiterate ex-slaves, some consumed with hatred toward the South. Troublemaker Trip (Denzel Washington) and the other blacks are kept in line, barely, by John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman) who understands the need for obedience if they are all to be soldiers worthy of the name. Shaw imports a trash-talking sergeant to whip the recruits into shape. Feeling they're are being treated as inferior troops, ill-equipped and destined for only boring, non-combat missions, Shaw demands the 54th be allowed to prove themselves in battle. Finally, in an assault on a well-defended Confederate fortress, the black regiment gets their moment of "glory," but at a horrific cost. Their ultimate sacrifice earned the honor that opened the doors for free black men to serve.
Is It Any Good?
This powerful and complex movie is best for mature teens and up; it may be too intense for younger kids. Rigorous, even pitiless codes of military behavior is something worth talking about with kids, especially in military families (the topic actually took up most of Robert Heinlein's novel "Starship Troopers," something that never made it to the big-screen version of the sci-fi tale).
In Glory, Trip straightens out and Rawlins (like Shaw, an actual historical figure) becomes America's first black officer. The noble ideals behind the 54th stand out when Shaw and the 54th meet another so-called black Union regiment in the field; it turns out to be a drunken mob encouraged by their corrupt commander to pillage and rape in already-defeated Southern territories.
Movie Details
Studio: Columbia Tristar, Director: Edward Zwick
Run time: 122 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/15/1989, DVD release: 1/20/1998
MPAA Rating: R for war violence, racism and mature themes.
Run time: 122 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/15/1989, DVD release: 1/20/1998
MPAA Rating: R for war violence, racism and mature themes.
Our Members Say
See all 14 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
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I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
great movie
I thought it was a violent but touching story about the civil war
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
If you can handle violence, you can watch this movie.
A movie all Americans must see. I was in 7th grade when I first saw this movie in class. I was mature enough to handle it, and mature enough to love it. It is very violent. Not for the easily offended.
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
An important view of segregation in the Civil War
This film starring Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington and Matthew Brodrick showed the intensity and diversity of the Civil War in a realistic and sad way. This film cotains 1 gory scene of a soldier getting his head blown up, and all that is seen is a burst of blood, 1 f-word, pervasive use of the n-word, and the Scottish sergeant is cruel and sadistic to the African-American soldiers by whippings and cruel terms. So anyone 12 and up should view this compelling story of the 54th regiment of Massachusetts.
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I rate this title pause for age 15 and give it
Good!
A good movie. I saw this in class when studying the civil war, and we always made jokes about the guy who's head exploded.
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I rate this title on for age 15 and give it
a beautiful and inspiring movie that emotionally stays with you days after
ACTING - 4.5/5 (Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington both gave Oscar-worthy performances, Denzel Washington won the Best Supporting Actor) CINEMATOGRAPHY - 5/5 (Just simply stunning, the angles, the lighting, just simply amazing) SOUND - 4.5/5 - (The cannons, muskets, and cries of war were all haunting and mezmerizing) MUSICAL SCORE - 3.5/5 - (The main theme is overplayed just a bit, but it only takes away little to none of the enjoyment) ART/ SET DIRECTION - 5/5 - (The settings and actions ring true to the days of the Civil War) Overall, a emotional powerhouse that can jerk anybody in tears when the end credits start rolling
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Excellent indeed...
I saw this in eigth grade, so I was thirteen, on a field trip to Washington DC. I recently bought and rewatched it, and I can say that the movie really isn't that bad. There are only three battle scenes (briefly graphic occasionally, but it doesn't focus on being bloody), and the first two are pretty short and far between. Language depends on if you consider racial epithets to be offensive. There are probably twenty or more uses of the "n" word, but other than that, there's really only one "f" word and some minor cursing every now and then. Really, I think if it didn't have the racial slang, this movie would be PG-13 nowadays (it was made before that rating was invented). But if you enjoy war movies like "Saving Private Ryan" (though this is a lot less violent), or good dramas focusing on that time period, then I strongly suggest you watch this movie.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
ho guys of glory
i think this website is good and glory is also a very good movie for kids it taught me a lessona nd i am only nine years old.
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
An excellent war movie! It was a very powerful film with some great performances, and one of the most intense battle scenes I have ever watched. A great movie, some bloody violence (although it is brief for the most part) and language, but appropriate for teens and maybe even preteens.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Glory, best civil war movie
I was in my History class when we saw this film I thought it ill be just one more boring historic film but when the fill begin you can see, is a good film, sow I watch and liked sow much than now I’m here writing this review Glory is a good film, with a story of the Civil War where you really can enter on the history The film begin showing a combat where the young colonel is combating, who take you on the history, and after the tram begin when this colonel command the 54th regiment of Massachusetts because this regiment is composed by blacks voluntaries this cried a lot problems because of the racism An interesting thinks on the movie is when the colonel begins to look the black culture, this show the racism in the society because he is form a white family he didn’t now about the black culture. The colonel is to inexperient and have a lot trouble because of the racism, he work hard and after a long time he acquire the respect of the African American soldiers and he discover how to work with his “boss†to have for the 54th infantry what they need to go to the war, shoes… and convince they to dispatch them to the war to I recommend this film for people how like war movies, polemic (because of the racism), action, and tram.
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
best history movie
i saw this on tv
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Great War Movie!!!!
This movie is a fantastic war movie, but it does have some violence and some swearing. In the beginning of the movie, a man gets shot with a rifle in the head and his head explodes in high detail and a lot of blood is shown... After that part, the violence isn't a big deal; but keep in mind this is a civil war movie, so there's a lot of shooting!! And for the swearing; the f-word is used once and the n-word is used a lot against black soildiers. Thats pretty much everything bad that goes on in this movie. I'd agree with CommonSense, i think 15 is about a good age for this movie... And MAYBE 13-14.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 100% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 100% | of parents say it's too violent |
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