Term Paper on "Race in American Cinema"

Term Paper 4 pages (1558 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Glory directed by Edward Zwick. Specifically it will discuss the ideological message of the film using formalist analysis supported by research on the film and its filmmaker. Race seems to be the only issue in Edward Zwick's classic film "Glory." The leader of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment is white - leading one of the country's first all black regiments. In the film, the fighting men are a cross section of African-Americans, from a former slave to a European educated dandy. Race may seem to be the underlying and concrete issue of the film, but in fact, the director saw the film as a way to illustrate cohesiveness and a shared desire to fight for what they believed was right. However, race, and racial tensions are indeed at the heart of the film. They exist in the unit, in the other fighting units, and in the nation as a whole. The film graphically illustrates those tensions for the viewer, and indicates a country torn by war, but also racial prejudice and stereotypes.

Surprisingly, director Edward Zwick did not envision his film as a story of race. In an interview with an MIT scholar, Zwick notes about the film, "I think the choice was to try to focus on neither blacks nor whites, but on the regiment. One of the points of the story was to explore a time in which both blacks and whites found some commonality of purpose.' The fundamental focus of the film is not Shaw and the rest of the officers but 'the coming together of the regiment, in all its aspects'" (Perry 11). While Zwick's point may have been to show how a motley group of men, some illiterate and never trained before could be molded into a unified fighting force, essentially, the film is a very real look into continued racism in the country.

Many scenes throughout the film indicate the tensions between blacks and whites. It is quite clear not only the Confederates hate blacks. Many of the white soldiers and officers also dislike the African-Americans, and do not want to work with them. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, played by Matthew Broderick, has to convince his friend to lead the regiment with him, and there are scenes of the black soldiers marching through Boston to the jeers of the crowds and other soldiers. One graphic scene during the men's training shows how the Irish Sergeant Major holds the new recruits in contempt. He calls them monkeys and animals, and treats them just the same. He is vulgar and prejudiced, and it takes a reprimand from Shaw to calm him just a little. Much of the U.S. population at the time held the same ideas as the Sergeant Major, and so, simply because of their race, blacks were seen as not trainable, animalistic, and dimwitted.

In fact, the regiment showed these stereotypes were unfounded. They trained well and were one of the bravest regiments in the Civil War. A group of film historians note, "Even without proper equipment or arms, their training is more rigorous than that of most white troops. When they are thrust into battle on the South Carolina coast (their first time), they roundly defeat the rebel forces" (Holsinger et al. 104). In addition, the success of the 54th encouraged the creation of other black regiments in the North. The historians continue, "[T]heir bravery and heroism encouraged Union leaders to recruit additional African-American units. The more than 100,000 such men may, in the end, very well have turned the final tide of battle in favor of the North" (Holsinger et al. 104). While the 54th lost 60 men, including Shaw, at the battle of Battery Wagner, they went on to fight in many other battles, and so were considered one of the most successful Northern regiments of the war.

Another scene that illustrates the tensions between blacks and whites is the scene where Private Trip sneaks away to steal a pair of shoes, and Shaw has him whipped for going AWOL. Even though Shaw was compassionate toward blacks, this scene shows the basic differences between the black commander and his men. He is out of touch with them at many levels, and has no idea what they are experiencing. Because of this, he has no idea the men are suffering with ill-fitting shoes, and so he whips a soldier for something he did not do. Trip, played by Washington, takes his punishment stoically, which illustrates his strength and bravery, two characteristics that will greatly serve him in battle. Other scenes also indicate Shaw's distance from his men. He is often shown on his horse, above them, signifying his leadership and his distance, and he does not mix with the men, or encourage his officers to mix with them - even the ones they know. He seems to think a leader cannot be personable, but it also indicates the very real gap between the white leader and his black recruits. It also shows that even the most well meaning whites really had little understanding of the true nature of black Americans and the unique problems they faced both before the war and after.

It is interesting to note that Zwick's background includes screenwriting, directing, and television development. He graduated from Harvard University and the American Film Institute (AFI). His time in Boston may have given him the first seed of an idea to do a Civil War film about the 54th, as there is a monument in Boston commemorating Shaw and his troops. The beginning of the film also notes Shaw's letters reside in the library at Harvard, which may have been another introduction to the topic for the filmmaker. He began making films in 1976 while at AFI, and his student film there won "first place at the student film competition at the 1976 Chicago Film Festival" (Editors). "Glory" was his second major film, and became a solid hit with critics and viewers. Many reviewers feel it is the best Civil War film ever made (Holsinger et al. 103). The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, and won three. Denzel Washington won best supporting actor, and the film won best cinematography and best sound, too (Holsinger et al. 103). The film has been well received since it was released in 1989, and recently a new "Special Edition" DVD was released with additional footage and commentary by the actors and director.

While critics were generally quite enthusiastic about the film, others were offended by its lack of historical accuracy. The filmmakers did indeed research costumes, sets, and the period heavily for historical accuracy. In an interview, Normal Garwood, the production designer for the film says, "I wanted to get into a sense of authenticity. [...] I just spent the first month researching, researching, and researching. I filled a huge room full of every bit of reference I could find. That was my starting point, finding out exactly what went on and what it looked like" (LoBrutto 209). However, other elements of the film were not so accurate. Another historian notes,

Shaw did not quickly accept the offer to command the regiment; at first the flatly refused it. Most of the soldiers were not runaway slaves; they were recruited in the North and had always been free men. The regiment's suicidal assault on a fort guarding Charleston, South Carolina, the cradle of the Confederacy, was a northward charge, not a southward one. It was Colonel Shaw, not a black soldier, who started the protest against the Union paying its black soldiers less than whites. And so on" ("Clouds of Glory" 103).

In addition, several critics note that while Shaw was historically accurate, the fighting men of the 54th were not, almost all were simply fabrications. Thus, the historical accuracy of the racial… READ MORE

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