Alternate Character Interpretation: Sergeant Major Mulcahy. Is he merely a Cruel to Be Kind instructor with no real racist tendencies towards the black recruits, or a genuine racist taking advantage of being able to mistreat the recruits without consequences? Is his "let them grow up" justification for his severe treatment and racist insults toward the recruits sincere, or is just an excuse for his superiors so they won't make him change his methods and attitudes?
Is Mulcahy's training even really that effective, given that most of the 54th only last a raid and two battles before being massacred at the end of the movie?
A drill sergeant's primary purpose is to instill military discipline, so that soldiers understand how to follow orders and work and fight as a unit; otherwise they're just a mob. Mulcahy did that.
Would Shaw still have had Trip whipped had he known beforehand that Trip wasn't actually deserting but only going to find himself a decent pair of shoes? Or would have he ordered the whipping anyway since Trip (despite fully intending to return to camp after finding the shoes) still went AWOL without permission or telling anyone where he was going?
Award Snub: Nominated for five Academy Awards, yet oddly enough, Best Picture wasn't one of them.
Neither was James Horner's score, which is considered one of his best works. Horner was still nominated that year for Field of Dreams though.
Awesome Music: Just about the entirety of James Horner's score. Highlights include "A Call to Arms," "The Whipping," "Preparations for Battle" and, of course, "Charging Fort Wagner".
Everyone Is Jesus in Purgatory: In his review, Civil War historian James R. McPherson suggested that the scene where Shaw is practicing his sword technique to slice up watermelons symbolized a desire by the filmmakers to destroy negative stereotypes of African-Americans. Director Edward Zwick, however, said that they just used watermelons in that scene because pumpkins were out of season at the time of filming.
Genius Bonus: Viewers familiar with the period immediately before the Civil War will know what to expect when it is mentioned that Colonel Montgomery is from Kansas. Kansas Territory had been the site of a decade-long series of armed clashes between pro-slavery and abolitionist settlers known as "Bleeding Kansas," largely considered a prelude to the Civil War.
During the final battle, Searles climbs over the hill and yells, "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHOOOO!".
The scene where Shaw intimidates the quartermaster over confiscated shoes for the slaves. Matthew Broderick isn't really the intimidating type, as you can see.
When Shaw's wounds are being treated in a hospital, there's a soldier whose leg is getting amputated screaming, pleading and writhing in pain in the background. Even though it's covered by a curtain, you can still see what's going on a bit and you can still see the soldier's face. His screams are just very unnerving and chilling, and just make you feel really bad for him too. On top of that, it just shows you how bad war and amputations were back in the day.
The opening with the Battle of Antietam also has this, when a fellow officer gets his head shredded by an exploding cannonball, with viscera splattering on Shaw's face.
Retroactive Recognition: That's Ethan Phillips tending Shaw's wounds after the Battle of Antienam in the beginning. Though Phillips has had a long career before Glory, such as being a regular on Benson as Pete.
One of the white soldiers Trip picks a fight with while the 54th is clearing logs is Mark Margolis.
Special Effects Failure: As Shaw is falling after he has been shot dead, viewers can make out the squib line tied to one of his legs.
Also less apparent is the appearance of a tourist's head in the background of the scene where Rawlins declares a "Year of Jubilee." Both of these are pointed by director Edward Zwick during the course of his DVD Commentary.
My Real Daddy: Moore's Glory was regarded as an improvement, but also a dry-run for his ideas for Promethea. But Keatinge's Glory was regarded as one of the best Image relaunches in years.
Ugly Cute: Henry, who is a giant demon-thing, but also lovely and nice and likes taking pictures with old cameras.
