For some time now, we have had Comcast Digital Cable. One benefit of that is that some shows and movies are available on their On-Demand service. This has come in handy as Michelle can sometimes get very demanding about watching “Elmo” i.e. Sesame Street.
We haven’t watched any for-pay movies on On-Demand, but there are some good older movies available free. The first one we watched was Glory.
Glory is about the first company (54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry) of African American soldiers in the Union army during the US Civil War.
It was definitely a good movie (of course, it is a movie and not a documentary). I would rate it 8 out of 10.
“Glory” is a fine Civil War movie, and I highly recommend it. An account of the actions around Ft. Wagner in Time-Life’s Series on the Civil War provides one with a highly factual understanding of the courage required to make this particular charge. At one point, the regiments were funneled on to entirely open sand within range of Confederate artillery and small arms fire. It was certainly a “guts and glory” type of assault. In Boston, not far from the Cheers bar, you will find a memorial to the 54th Mass.
Another excellent example of cinematography about the Civil War is “Gettysburg.” This movie, however, focuses entirely upon the battle.
Those not acquainted with this period in America’s history would extract greater enjoyment from such movies by investing a few hours in learning about the war and its causes. For example, you would come to understand why the North was fighting for control of a pile of sand (Ft. Wagner) and why the South did not have ships available to drive off the Union’s navy.
Glory is certainly a very fine movie. A very fav. of mine because of superb performances of Danzel and Morgan Freeman both as well as the subject of the movie. I’d also recommend “Dancing with Wolves” which is from little earlier period (in the movie) but show the wilderness and how the American history got shaped by those who are less remembered.
Captain_Arrrgh: An understanding of the history definitely helps.
Ejaz: I would classify Dances with Wolves as a very different genre. It doesn’t really show the historical West in any way. Also, the fictional plot of the movie is shown be be in the 1860s or 1870s, i.e. after the Civil War.