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Glory poster

Glory

Movie 1989 122 min Drama, History, War Checked by Dan S · 23 Oct 2026
Official Rating M ClearAge 15+

Why our age differs

Official is M. We say 15+ because battlefield gore and sustained racist abuse land harder than a typical classroom war drama

What we flagged

View all categories
Violence
Strong
Frightening
Moderate
Language
Moderate

Our take

Glory is a hard historical war film: training brutality, racial abuse, and bloody Civil War charges fill the runtime. Racist insults and coarse language appear, including strong swearing in one tirade. Battle wounds and death are clear without modern torture spectacle. We land at M and up because sustained racism and combat violence make this a heavier M than many school-history nights suggest

Uplifting themes

Dignity, solidarity, and fighting for freedom against stacked odds are the film's spine. Sacrifice is honoured without pretending the cost is light Soldiers and leaders grow into mutual respect under fire. Courage looks like protecting one another when the wider army will not A strong entry point to the 54th Massachusetts and Black military service in the Civil War. Useful for older teens studying American history or racism in wartime

Story (may spoil tone)

Robert Gould Shaw leads the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates.

What we flagged

View all categories

Violence
Strong
Frightening
Moderate
Language
Moderate

Details

Violence Strong Whipping, bayonet drills, and full-scale Civil War assaults put bodies…

Whipping, bayonet drills, and full-scale Civil War assaults put bodies on the line. Combat is frequent in the back half and treated as costly, not glamorous

Language Moderate Hell, damn, s-word, and b-word show up in camp and battle. One tirade a…

Hell, damn, s-word, and b-word show up in camp and battle. One tirade adds the f-word plus ugly racial insults that sting as much as the swearing

Frightening Moderate Cannon fire, night marches, and the dread of a frontal assault keep the…

Cannon fire, night marches, and the dread of a frontal assault keep the mood grim. War fear is realistic and prolonged rather than supernatural

Bullying / discrimination Strong Racism from Confederate enemies and from parts of the Union army drives…

Racism from Confederate enemies and from parts of the Union army drives the whole story. Slurs, unequal treatment, and open contempt are constant barriers the regiment faces

Gore / death / weapons Moderate Muskets, bayonets, and battlefield wounds are plain to see. Death on th…

Muskets, bayonets, and battlefield wounds are plain to see. Death on the charge is clear without lingering torture detail

Mental health Mild Fear before battle and the strain of proving worth under hate weigh on…

Fear before battle and the strain of proving worth under hate weigh on the men. Trauma is present in faces and silence more than in clinical talk

Grief / bereavement Moderate Friends and family are lost to war and to the violence that came before…

Friends and family are lost to war and to the violence that came before enlistment. Mourning sits beside duty when the regiment prepares to charge

Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

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Talk after watching

  • The men fight for a country that still treats them as less than equal. What does courage look like when the rules are unfair?
  • Officers and soldiers argue about dignity, pay, and leadership. How should leaders earn trust from people they once overlooked?