It’s been almost 40 years since one of the greatest Civil War movies ever first hit theaters, but now the film has finally arrived on the world’s biggest streaming platform for all to enjoy. Netflix has just recently added Glory to its streaming library — the 1989 Civil War epic stars Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington, and it tells the story of Robert Gould Shaw (Broderick), who commands the first all-Black volunteer fighting company against the prejudices of his own Union army and the Confederates. The star-studded and visceral war epic also features other stars like Morgan Freeman and the late Andre Braugher.
Glory is held in high regard as one of the best war movies ever made. The film sits at nearly perfect marks of 95% from critics and 93% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, and it earned $26 million at the box office. These numbers may not seem impressive now, but most of the film’s modern audience has discovered it through streaming over the last 10 years. Glory is also known for winning Denzel Washington his first Academy Award, and the film also won the Oscar for Best Cinematography and Best Sound. It was nominated in three other categories.
Edward Zwick directed Glory with a script from Kevin Jarre, and the film was inspired by novels such as Lay This Laurel and One Gallant Rush, as well as real letters from this period of history. In 2003, Zwick directed another hit period piece in The Last Samurai, which stars Tom Cruise and Hiroyuki Sanada. He reunited with Cruise years later for the Jack Reacher sequel, Never Go Back, which is currently streaming on Prime Video.
What Are Some Other Popular Civil War Movies?
Lincoln, which stars the great Daniel Day-Lewis and was directed by Steven Spielberg, is another great Civil War movie, though it’s based more in politics and less in the theater of war like Glory. The film is not currently available to watch on streaming, but it is available for rent or purchase on VOD platforms for only a few dollars. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, starring Clint Eastwood, is also a beloved Civil War movie. The film is currently streaming on Prime Video and for free on Pluto TV. 10 years ago, Matthew McConaughey also starred in another Civil War movie, Free State of Jones.
Be sure to check out Glory on Netflix and stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.
Release Date
December 15, 1989
Runtime
122 minutes
Director
Edward Zwick
Writers
Robert Gould Shaw, Lincoln Kirstein, Peter Burchard, Kevin Jarre