March 2, 1990 -- ``Glory'' is a straightforward and earnest story of a black unit in the Union Army in the Civil War. Again, Morgan Freeman does a great job as a former slave who is made a sergeant in the unit.

Matthew Broderick plays the Colonel in charge of the unit. Broderick does a good job in his role, but really has to take a back seat to the fine ensemble of black actors who play the soldiers.

The story smacks of Hollywood oversimplification, but the drama is real enough due to fine acting. The best things about the film, however, are the first-rate battle scenes. The photography and the stunt work, the whole feel of the battle scenes is superb, an outstanding job, worthy of a classic story such as ``The Red Badge of Courage.''

Indeed, the film has a strong statement to make about courage, about the awakenings of black pride and what it takes to win freedom. To the film's credit, it does not glorify battle or even overdramatize it. The excitement of the battle scenes is generated by a sense of almost documentary reality and objectivity.

This is a fine film. On a scale of one to 10 it rates an eight.

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