Tom Beaudoin's query
Peter Knupfer (PKNUPFER@KSUVM.BITNET)
Tue, 5 Oct 1993 09:15:37 ECT
_Glory_ is a good example of the current generation's understanding of
the Civil War: it stresses the centrality of race and slavery in the making
of the war and tries to display a range of emotions and attitudes about
those issues. On some levels, it succeeds simply because its stylized
characters (rebellious slave; prideful educated free black; Irish drill
sgt; the usual assortment of racists; naive, ignorant young black; arrogant
& selfish eastern snob who learns the real meaning of equality; wise old
soldier) use common stereotypes and literary/narrative devices to get across
a different interpretation of the war's meaning. I found some scenes in
the film very compelling. Others I found very hard to believe, including
the routine whipping of Denzel Washington on a gun carriage -- hard to believe
because I don't believe black troops would have put up with such treatment
for a second, and because I doubt anyone was foolish enough to put Irish
sgts in charge of black troops.