A Soldier's Story (1984) User Reviews

Uncle Sam And Uncle Tom

[slokes · 8/10 · 28 May 2006]

The problem with a film like "A Soldier's Story" is that too many will skip it because it is one of those black social films. They expect a boring bitchy sermon. That's too bad, because they miss out on one of the best ensemble films of the 1980s, not to mention a tough mystery story that navigates deep psychological waters in delivering a message far less rosy and doctrinaire than you might expect.

It is World War II, and just outside a Louisiana army base for "colored" troops, a black master sergeant is shot to death on a deserted road. Whites from the nearby town are suspected. Howard Rollins Jr. plays Capt. Davenport, a black lawyer sent by Washington to investigate. The expectation is he will ruffle no feathers and work instead at being what the base commander calls "a credit to your race." But Davenport quickly makes clear he isn't anyone's token, even if it means pressing white suspects or investigating the possibility that whites didn't kill Sgt. Waters at all.

Today, you see the film and notice Denzel Washington has a major role as one of Sgt. Waters' men. But the star of the film is neither him nor Rollins, but Adolph Caesar as the doomed Sgt. Waters. "They still hate you!" he almost laughs as he is being murdered, and one of the many mysteries sorted out in the film is that Waters wasn't talking to the killer but himself.

Waters is bent out of shape not only over white American attitudes towards blacks, but his own attitude about how a black person can be more acceptable in white society. He expresses admiration for Nazi Germany, noting that they have a commendably direct way at getting at the problem of racial purity. For him, the black race is held down by a certain type of southern black, "geechies" he calls them, who play to white stereotyping by not speaking correct English and so on.

Caesar tackles Sgt. Waters as if his were a Shakespearean role, and in a way it is, Shylock crossed with Richard III, filtered through a multitude of American racial prisms, white on black, black on white, black on black. His every twitch and body shudder come over perfectly, especially when you watch a second time. Even in smaller moments, like when he's getting ready to beat the tar out of Denzel, and is joshing with the other non-coms, he never lets go of that glint in his eye or his hold on the viewer's jugular.

Though Rollins and Washington are both very good in support, even better is Art Evans as Waters' sad flunky, Wilkie, who gives two contradictory depositions to Davenport and the deepest insight as to what made Waters tick. Dennis Lipscomb as Capt. Taylor is also fantastic, a white officer who tells Davenport frankly he doesn't want him investigating the murder because of the color of his skin. Taylor's not a bigot, mind, he just wants justice and fears a black officer won't be able to make an arrest in Louisiana. Taylor's more socially awkward than anything else, and scripter Charles Fuller, working from his great "A Soldier's Play," has a lot of fun with him and his exchanges with Davenport.

When Davenport tells him of an especially cruel trick Waters played, Taylor refuses to believe it. "Colored people aren't that devious," he says, a nice line in that you discover Taylor's racism and his naive decency simultaneously.

In his DVD commentary, director Norman Jewison doesn't mention his earlier "In The Still Of The Night," which is odd given the many parallels between the two films. Both are murder mysteries set in the American South with blacks and whites butting heads. Rollins even went on to appear in "Still Of The Night" the TV series. I don't see this film as a copy of that earlier one, but a variation on the same theme, and in many ways an improvement.

Instead of noble Sidney Poitier, you have a deep raft of black acting talent representing a variety of different attitudes and moral shadings. Real stock is taken, too, of America's racial divide, how people can still feel American enough to want to die for their country even if it won't let them drink from the same water fountain. There's something heartbreaking about the scene where we see the black soldiers celebrating being sent off to combat, in the wake of what happened to WWI hero Sgt. Waters. Will they come back with memories of their own Cafe Napoleon?

Some things need getting rid of!

[sol1218 · 8/10 · 20 February 2009]

***SPOILER ALERT*** Drinking himself into a drunken stupor US Army Sgt. Waters, Adolph Caesar, staggered out of Big Mary's Place and was later found by the Tynin Bridge beaten and shot to death.

With Sgt. Waters being black it was immediately suspected that he was murdered by either members of the KKK or local townspeople who, in the deep south in 1944, didn't take too kindly in blacks, even servicemen, being in their town. There was also the fear that the black soldiers, from an all black army garrison, stationed outside of Tynin would take matters in their own hands in revenge of their fellow black Sgt. Waters being murdered by, as suspected, some of Tynin's racist citizens.

Sending a US Army black officer to investigate the Waters murder was thought, by the Pentagon, to be the best way to defuse this very dangerous and explosive situation. As things turned out it was, the Waters murder, far more shocking as well as racist then anyone could have imagined! With the racism being instigated my the murder victim himself the late Sgt. Waters!

Powerhouse movie that has black US Army Captain Davenport, Howard E. Rolins Jr, go against type in what his white superior officers expected him to do, white wash his investigation, and get to the meat of the matter in Sgt. Waters' murder. As he uncovered the circumstance's that lead to Waters murder Capt. Davenport became to realize that it was his actions towards the black troops that he commanded, not that of local white racists, that lead to his ignoble demise.

As Capt. Davenport found out there was very bitter hatred towards the black troops stationed outside of Tynin but it was Sgt. Waters own racism, towards some of his men, that eventually lead to his murder. Being a spit & polish as well as educated career man Sgt. Waters look down on some his fellow blacks in them dragging top notch soldiers like himself down.

****SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON*** Using his #1 suck up Pvt. Wilkie, Art Evens, to do his dirty work Sgt. Waters framed Pvt.C.J Memphis, Larry Riley, in a triple murder on the army base. Knowing that the charge wouldn't stick, were not even sure if anyone was murdered in the first place, Waters then getting C.J to take a swing at him, knocking Waters flat on his butt, was a charge-striking a superior officer-which did.

With the good natured C.J now locked up in the stockade a vengeful and sadistic Waters paid him a visit telling C.J that he's to do at least five years for belting him. This lead to a despondent and terrified, in being behind bars, C.J into hanging himself the following evening! It was the unexpected suicide of C.J that lead Sgt. Waters to go on a drinking binge that lead to him ending up murdered! The big question in Capt. Davenport's mind is who among the black troops on the base murdered him!

More then anything else the movie "A Soldier's Story" shows that racism comes in all shapes sizes as well as colors. The bitter racism that Sgt. Waters had for poor C.J Memphis was far more vicious then the racism that the local whites had for him or any other black for that matter. Just because C.J was good natured and didn't have a chip on his shoulder like the infuriated Sgt. Waters did lead to Waters framing him for a number of murders that C.J didn't commit. The chip that Sgt. Waters carried all his adult life was that he couldn't accept the fact that he was black and thus put down by the society that he grew up in. And it was that sick and dangerous distortion of reality that lead not only to Sgt. Waters feelings of insecurity but the racism that he developed over the years against his own, like in the case of C.J Memphis, people! And in the end it was Sgt. Waters' own men whom he commanded that made him pay for it!

Powerful film

[perfectbond · 8/10 · 26 April 2004]

There's much to recommend about this film. First it is refreshing to see a story about racism not done in the typical fashion where 'good' and 'bad' are so clearly delineated (ie. this a story about racism within the black community). Socially conscious director Jewison (In the Heat of the Night) also does a wonderful job (with the help of the scriptwriter of course) in authentically capturing the social climate of that bygone era. The acting is superb throughout. The only faces I recognized were Denzel's and David Allan Grier's but the unknowns (at least to me) were more than competent in their roles, especially Caesar's portrayal of the trouble Sgt. Waters. This film is not only fine cinema but it is also important history. Recommended, 8/10.

Hidden treasure!

[777Mike · 26 June 1999]

This is one of my all time favorite movies. The thing that I find so amazing is that few people have ever heard of it much less seen it. The acting and story line is excellent. This is one of those great whodunits with a great twist that compels us to examine our stereotypes and presumptions. If you find yourself looking for a great tip at the video store check this movie out. I think you'll enjoy it.

Who shot Sergeant Waters?

[ElMaruecan82 · 7/10 · 8 January 2021]

Norman Jewinson's 1967 "In the Heat of the Night" delved into racial prejudices through the unlikely partnership between a White Southern cop (Rod Steiger) and a Black officer played by Sidney Poitier. His name was Virgil Tibbs and his non-welcomed involvement in a murder investigation revealed interesting facets of his personality not entirely devoid of prejudices. The Best Picture winner spoke many powerful statements about racism, while sticking to the basic formula of a mystery thriller, it wasn't just groundbreaking but entertaining.

I needed to start with a long preamble to assert that Jewison's "A Soldier's Story" certainly carries the same noble intentions but never really manages to elevate itself to the level of its glorious predecessor. The film grabs the viewer's attention thanks to the wonderful characterization of a complex character named Sergeant Waters, played by Adolph Caesar, some stand-out performances from Harold E. Rollins Jr. and a young and promising Denzel Washington, not to mention a well-written screenplay from Pullitzer-winning playwright Charles Fuller (he adapted his own play to the big screen) but there's a problem with the film: it forgot to be one.

We gather that the whole 'whodunit' structure is only an excuse for a character study, but the latter succeeds at the expenses of the former. That's the trick with play adaptations, dialogue is the raw material so they end up loaded with insights that confine to stage lecturing without that emotional kick only the big screen can provide. "A Soldier's Story" reveals some disturbing truths about Black soldiers' mindset in the segregated South and the way self-hatred inhabits the hearts of those torn between duty and their feeling of a tacit oppression but there's never anything crucial at stakes. Even Reginald Rose's play "12 Angry Men" had the life of the accused boy pending on the jury.

But in "A Solider's Story", Waters is dead already. Sure we want to know the truth about his killer, but in fact the real mystery is the victim himself. And Waters is quite a character, I never knew whether to be in awe of or despise him. When we first meet him, he's drowning his sorrow in a Louisiana jazz club, his state of total inebriation betrays a visceral admission of failure, such an overwhelming one that his death was the closest thing to a deliverance; hence his last burst of nerve when he's being beaten later. He's got the time to shout "they still hate you" and laugh manically before a .45 automatic bullet finally silences him. Naturally, we don't know who shot him but the Klan suspicion is way too obvious to fool us. From the start I suspected the killer would be one of his own soldiers and the film one of these stories where everyone has a motive.

Captain Davenport, lawyer by training, is assigned to lead the investigation and he's got three days to conduct the mission; he's played by the late Rollins. He's commanding and charismatic with his shady sunglasses that convey the same mix of threat and dignity as Colonel Mathieu in "Battle of Algiers". His presence inspires the respect and admiration of other Black soldiers and the bafflement of White officers, when it's not sheer disdain, as demonstrated by Colonel Taylor (Dennis Lipscomb). Rollins is the implacable force that confidently drives the plot, the Virgil Tibbs I would say. And his method is straight-to-the-point, investigating the case by interrogating different soldiers who were under Waters' iron-handed commandment.

First there's Private Wilkie, a disgraced former sergeant played by Art Evans. Then C.G. Memphis (Larry Riley) as the Southern gentle fellow who only inspired Waters' disgust, reminding him of the 'yes boss' sellouts of his youth. And there's First Class Petterson, Washington as the rebel who had the guts to stand against Waters and fought him with bare fists. As the flashbacks reveal the tormented relationships Waters had with his troop, we see the ramifications sneaking toward an unfamiliar territory. The "black vs. white" canvas vanishes, unveiling the very demons that inhabited Black people in a context where race still mattered. And for that I command the script and the play by Fuller, and the performances too.

But I also sympathize with Ebert's statement about the rather loose mystery structure, the film waits for the right moments to reveal the clues while in "In Heat of the Night", the narrative was linear and we were never one step behind the protagonists. To put it simply: there's a suicide that is never mentioned until there's twenty minutes left before the ending and a precious information about the weapons could have accelerated the whole investigation. Of course, we had to get through all these testimonies for the sake of the "message" but just because a film has powerful things to share with the viewers doesn't mean they should have a convenient timing as if they were following plot requirements more than sheer logic.

I wish I wouldn't have to point out these technicalities because the film deserved better. And so did Caesar who was simply outstanding with his intimidating tone that only a few facial tics could contradict, showing how full of petty resentment he was. Sure he could pretend to be big despite being towered by each soldier (wasn't he after all the one who made Danny Glover look like a pathetic Daddy's boy in "The Color Purple"?) but Waters is the kind of characters that are so well-written and complex that they end up revealing the complexities of the others. He's the spine of the film, inspiring that quote at the very end (I'm paraphrasing) "who gives you the right to tell you who's the right or wrong Black person" from a tearful Davenport.

But that's the kind of grand ending that needed a film of higher caliber. Interestingly, I thought the same of its Best Picture co-nominee "Places in the Heart", too wrapped up in its noble intentions that it couldn't transcend them.

Fascinating mystery with a great script and a fine ensemble cast make this a must-see

[llltdesq · 10/10 · 23 November 2001]

This is an excellent film, at it's heart a case study in human psychology, but also a mystery and an intriguing one at that. The cast, mostly unknowns at the time, is fantastic and contains many now-familiar faces, most notably Denzel Washington and David Alan Grier. Adolph Caesar was nominated for an Oscar and Howard Rollins, Jr. probably should have been. Another highlight (at least for me) are the songs sung by Larry Riley and Patte LaBelle. This is a gem of a film, one that is most highly recommended.

Conundrums.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 27 June 2009]

Someone has murdered the top sergeant of an all-black Army company in the middle of World War II and a lawyer -- a black lawyer, Howard E. Rollins, Jr. -- is sent from Washington to investigate the case. The enlisted men in the Southern camp are all black. The officers are all white except Rollins, who is a captain. They've never seen an African-American officer before. In the face of all kinds of opposition from the other officers, who are either naive or racists, and overcoming the recalcitrance of the enlisted men, Rollins pushes ahead until the culprits are discovered and the case solved.

The victim, Adolph Caesar, was the highest-ranking enlisted man who had seen service in France in World War I. Man, is he a complicated person. The men alternatively respect him for his spit-and-polish demands or hate him for his persecution of unsophisticated blacks from the country, the kind who play blues on the guitar and carry around Lucky Tiger balm. Caesar is short and skinny, like the early Frank Sinatra, but he's tough as nails too and is able to clobber a much larger Denzel Washington in a bare-knuckled fist fight. Suspects abound.

It's far from a traditional detective story though, and there are scenes of questioning, accompanied by flashbacks, but no climactic courtroom confrontation. In recent cop movies we know right away who the villains are. In the old-fashioned mysteries, Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes or Philip Marlowe keep a tight rein on their judgments until the final reveal. Not here. The cool Rollins takes his job seriously -- too seriously perhaps -- and wants to arrest everyone seriatim upon whom suspicion happens to fall at any given moment -- men and officers alike. And he's always mistaken until the last few minutes when the miscreants give themselves away and spill the beans gratuitously, even in the absence of any evidence against them. I mean, I should say, there is not a "shred" of evidence against them except their confession. (All evidence comes in "shreds".) The movie is never dull but it meanders around, covering baseballs games and combat exercises. Rollins strides manfully and quietly through his part, linking all these various dynamics and ancillary events, but the show belongs to Adolph Caesar as the heart-breakingly torn-up top sergeant who doesn't know which race he owes allegiance to. That coffee-grinder voice! What a performance. He died two years after the movie was released.

The location shooting is colorful and evocative. Not just the vast emptiness of Fort Chafee, Arkansas, but the brief glimpses we get of "Tynan, Louisiana," where the summer evenings are so hot and drenched, and the air conditioners so uninvented that people simply move their parlors and floor lamps out onto the sidewalks and fan themselves while playing checkers. Everyone glistens with sweat. Once in a while I thought I smelled body odor.

The plot, though, has its weaknesses. Nobody could describe it as taut. That's not necessarily bad. Life itself is rarely taut. But the impression left by the film is not that art is imitating life but that the writer isn't sure where he's going, or how much in the way of drama and significance he can pack into the running time. And none of the white guys are particularly admirable either, though there's plenty of diversity among the black enlisted men. Dennis Lipscomb is the white captain who is Rollins' counterpart. He wants to get the whole thing over with as quickly and quietly as possible. The character redeems himself, but Lipscomb is not a forceful actor but rather the sort who would make a satisfactory clerk, the truculent kind who informs you that the rules preclude his complying with your request.

But, as I say, you're very unlikely to get bored. And although the chief conundrum, which has to do with racial identity, is buried beneath a multitude of digressions, it still lends the movie a deathless power. Fortunately, though the problem still exists, it's not as demanding as it once was. At least the now-integrated armed forces have African-American officers, and some have achieved even higher rank.

A Soldier's Story -- A Compelling One Indeed

[Sparky48 · 9/10 · 9 March 2012]

Who murdered Sgt. Waters? This is the mystery posed at the outset of "A Soldier's Story," as we see Waters-speaking incoherently and obviously intoxicated-being shot to death on a country road. The setting is Tynin, Louisiana, and the year is 1944, near the end of WWII. Tynin, like the rest of the Deep South, is a town plagued by racial segregation and Klan terrorism. That said, everyone on the Tynin army base, both black and white, has no doubt that the black sergeant's killing was at the hands of white racists, some are even certain that it was the work of the KKK.

Enter Capt. Davenport, a Negro army officer/lawyer assigned by Washington to investigate Waters' killing. No stranger to racial hostility himself, he perceives himself as a crusader, out to see that justice-ultimately racial justice--is served for the murder. However, he has the unfortunate experience of learning that internal black racism can be just as hostile and damaging as the external racism historically afflicted by white society.

Howard Rollins plays Capt. Davenport, the no nonsense, stoic black army officer investigating Waters' murder, and Dennis Lipscomb plays Captain Taylor, the late Waters' white commanding officer, who, like Davenport, desperately wants Waters' killers prosecuted. However, Taylor earnestly tries to persuade Davenport to relinquish the investigation, believing that as a black man, there's no way that Davenport can possibly "get at the truth" behind the killing.

But it is Adolph Caesar who commands most of your attention throughout this movie in the role of the sadistic Sgt. Vernon Waters. The mystery of Sgt. Waters' murder is the focal point of "A Soldier's Story," and, fittingly, Caesar is "the man" of this movie. Through a series of film flashbacks of Waters, via Davenport's interviews with black soldiers of Waters' platoon and Captain Taylor, we learn that Waters was an intensely embittered, disillusioned black master sergeant who believed that Southern blacks, perpetuating stereotypes of minstrelsy and ignorance, impede the black race from attaining acceptance and respect from white society. That said, he embarks on his own personal crusade to rid the black race of such dregs so that the race can prosper and progress.

With his raspy, deep voice, Caesar spent most of his career doing narrations for Hollywood productions. (While hearing him deliver his lines in this movie, and if you're over 45, you can't help but to reminisce about the classic tag line he delivered in TV commercials for the United Negro College Fund way back in the day-"A mind is a terrible thing to waste.") But it is in this role as Sgt. Waters in "A Soldier's Story" that Caesar displays his powerful talent as a dramatic actor, in a role that would eventually become his signature. It is with his penetrating voice that he effectively embodies the hatred and bitterness that personifies the Waters' character. Although small in stature, his screen presence is commanding, and at times even chilling, particularly when he vents his animosity and sadism toward the Southern Negroes of his platoon, whom he deprecatingly refers to as "geeches." It is a hatred so intense that as Pvt. Wilke (Water's subordinate) explains to Davenport, "You could just feel it." Caesar would go on to win a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for "Best Supporting Actor" for his portrayal of Sgt. Waters in "A Soldier's Story," a performance that would make him a star overnight. Unfortunately, he would suffer an untimely death two years after the movie was released, just as he was coming into his own as a Hollywood celebrity.

In what was only his second appearance in a Hollywood movie, Denzel Washington delivers a solid performance as "Pvt. Peterson," the outspoken and assertive soldier from Alabama, totally unafraid to challenge Waters' bigotry toward the Southern black soldiers. In stark contrast to Peterson, veteran actor Art Evans plays Pvt. Wilkie, Waters' docile and acquiescent flunky, who, in an effort to regain his rank of sergeant, a rank Waters had stripped, is more than willing to facilitate the sergeant's dastardly deeds.

In one of the movie's most memorable performances, Larry Riley plays "C.J. Memphis," a Mississippi farmhand turned soldier who becomes the most unfortunate and tragic victim of Water's malevolence. Although engaging and exceptionally talented, both musically and athletically, Memphis is obviously the most illiterate and "uncultured" soldier of Waters' platoon, and a rube too naïve to realize that of all of the Southern soldiers, he's the "geeche" that Waters despises most.

In addition to the movie's intriguing drama and suspense, "A Soldier's Story" features prime musical entertainment. Iconic R&B vocalist Patti LaBelle plays "Big Mary," owner of a bar where the black soldiers from the army base frequent. Her mesmerizing blues/gospel singing, coupled with Riley's own fine Mississippi Delta blues singing and guitar playing, makes for some of the movie's most entertaining moments.

Charles Fuller, the playwright of "A Soldier's Story" and screenwriter for this movie, did quite a fine job of transitioning his Pulitzer-Prize winning play to the big screen, and the added dimensions of cinema greatly enhances his story. However, even though the story is intended to be a "whodunit," you'll most likely gather who murdered Waters before it is revealed at the end of the movie.

Nevertheless, "A Soldier's Story" is a truly compelling tale, and the magnificent performances delivered by the cast alone, a cast that would be perceived by many today as "all-star," will have you wanting to watch this movie over and over again.

A military attorney from the North arrives in a Southern base to investigate a murder of a detestable sergeant

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 5 June 2012]

Interesting and electrifying movie with African American all-star-cast who makes memorable performance , it packs suspense , mystery , thrills , jazzy music and is quite entertaining . An African American officer (Howard E. Rollins) from the North is sent to a Southern base stationed in Louisiana to investigate a killing of an unpopular sergeant (Adolph Caesar) in a racially charged situation in World War II . He has three days to learn the truth about a murder and the truth is a story you won't forget plenty of racism in outside the corps . There he finds a motley group of soldiers (Art Evans , Denzel Washington , David Alan Grier , William Allen Young , Robert Towsend) and various suspect white officers (Scott Paulin , Wings Hauser) .

This intriguing and totally absorbing film features solid acting , suspense , whodunit , mysterious elements , racism , jazz and blues . From the Pulitzer-prize winning play by Charles Fuller , with the most of the Broadway cast and dealing about an incisive probe into racism . Adolph Caesar, Denzel Washington, and Larry Riley all recreated their roles from the original 1981 Lucille Lortel Off-Broadway production; when the play was revived in 2005, James McDaniel assumed Caesar's Sgt. Waters character . Magnificent performances from main cast as Howard Rollins and Adolph Caesar as a hateful sergeant who achieved prize as the best actor given by L.A. Films Critics 84 . Extraordinary support cast as a then little-known Denzel Washington -who went on to win an Academy Award for Glory- , William Allen Young whose role of Pvt. Henson in "A Soldier's Play", was played by Samuel L. Jackson in the stage version . Jazzy and atmospheric musical score by Jazzman Herbie Hancock is full of blues , and wonderful songs sung by Patti LaBelle . Evocative cinematography by Russell Boyd , being filmed in Little Rock and Fort Smith , Arkansas .

The motion picture was professionally produced and directed by Norman Jewison . He is a prestigious and veteran filmmaker, his greatest film is of course ¨Jesus Christ Superstar¨ . He directed successful movies as ¨Fiddler on the roof¨ , ¨Agnes of God¨ , ¨Moonstruck¨ , ¨Thomas Crown¨ and ¨Cinncinati Kid¨ . However , he also got some flops as ¨Bogus¨, ¨In country¨ , ¨Only you¨ and ¨Other's people money¨ and his last picture titled ¨The statement¨. He considers ¨The Hurricane¨ (1999) the last in a trilogy of racial bigotry movies he's realized, the first two being ¨In the Heat of the Night¨ (1967) and ¨A Soldier's Story¨ (1984) . Rating : Better than average .

Really really Good

[deelishous · 9/10 · 10 April 2005]

Directed by Norman Jewison, A Soldier's Story is a gripping film that tells the story of an African-American captain and lawyer who is sent to the Deep South to investigate the murder of a sergeant. But the film does not just tell the story of the investigation; it also opens up a whole new state of affairs for the audience to see. Jewison shows the hard-core racism that was present during World War II. Racism is the central theme that surrounds the murderous plot.

The movie takes place in 1944, on a black army base in Louisiana where the men eagerly wait to be sent to Europe to fight World War II. Captain Davenport is brought in from Washington D.C. to inspect the unexpected murder of Sergeant Waters. Captain Davenport tediously interviews each man who was under Waters' command. All men gives his story and about how their great or not so great encounters with the late Sergeant Waters. The movie constantly flashes back and forth between the past and present as the men tell their stories to Davenport, explicitly introducing the different attitudes and animosities towards Sergeant Waters. All the men that Davenport interviewed had a motive to kill.

This film explores a variety of racial behaviors that African-American men had to face at that time. Not only does it show racism from whites to blacks but also from black to blacks. Jewison does not spare the audience's ears as every sort of racial slur is thrown at the men, with the cruelest racist words coming from the black Sergeant Waters. He gives us a scandalous taste of this unsympathetic prejudice and bigotry through-out the entire picture and then at the end, just like that, all the arguments, issues, and chauvinism between all the men on the base is solved. The men finally get to fight in the war, everyone is content, and saluting one another; as if none of the narrow-minded racist name-calling and bias misconceptions never happened. Jewison failed to give this movie a "real" ending.

How can Jewison, a white man from Canada ever be able too see that something like this would never happen? How can an entire movie that is built on preconceptions and injustice have an ending with a white man giving a black man a hand up and saluting other white officers without any acknowledgement of the unfair treatment that was handed to him? Jewison did an acceptable job displaying life for a black man in 1944, searching for his own identity in a world of whites who believe they are superior; I just think that representing open racism as "OK" is not OK.

However, the acting is superb. Denzel Washington in particular, did an exceptional job, playing Private Peterson, as he resisted Sergeant Waters and refused to be talked down. Even though he couldn't back all his talking and lost in a fist fight against Waters, he did admirably well as he refused to be disparaged by another black man with only a few stripes more than him. Adolph Caesar, who starred as Sergeant Waters, also did a delightful job portraying a hateful man who enjoyed putting black men away who made his race look bad. Although he was malicious and intolerable towards his all black troop, he became a character you'd love to hate. Because of his sharp wit, small stature and roughness, he gave A Soldier's Story a slight sense of mean humor. Moreover, he gives the audience a sense of black on black hate and opens up a new perspective of how blacks had to endure racism with-in their own culture.

A Soldier's Story is highly recommendable. It's a type of movie that keeps it's audience captivated through-out the entire view and never gets dull. The film is unpredictable and comical but only to a certain extent. Addressing serious issues, there are times when A Soldier's Story draws the audience in to sympathize with the characters and feel their pain. However, a special appearance from Patti LaBelle will help ease that pain and standing up and shouting is the only option when she blows only like Patti LaBelle can.

The story takes some time to take off, but it gets better near the end. 2nd movie part of Denzel Washington. Great performance, however small...

[imseeg · 6/10 · 9 March 2021]

I wanted to see this movie (again) because Denzel Washington is starring in it, although in a small supporting (but important) role. And Denzel shines, even at his young age, still an unknown actor, but he definitely steals the part.

The story: it's a whodunnit plot about who killed a black military officer in the American south during world war II. A black captain starts an investigation.

The good: the suspense is rather good. The acting by the leading actors is good. And of course Denzel Washington is the one who shines brightly with his acting performance.

Any bad? It starts out rather slow, with many flashbacks, only to pick up speed and suspense midway through.

Profoundly ingenious film

[KnightsofNi11 · 9/10 · 17 February 2011]

Here is one of those overlooked films that seem to leave as soon as they arrive. And it's a shame that had to happen to this film because A Soldier's Story is a remarkable film. It takes place during the second world war at a training camp for black soldiers. When one of the highest ranking black Sergeants is murdered Captain Davenport is sent in to investigate the murder. Davenport, also a black man, must wade through prejudice and animosity to find out the truth behind this murder. The film is told half through flashbacks that occur via the interviews Davenport conducts during his investigation, and half through present tense. The film is rife with powerhouse performances and moving dialouge that all builds towards a fantastic climax. I was surprisingly impressed with this film that I really knew nothing about going in to.

This is one of those movies fueled by powerfully dramatic performances by great actors. There is little to no action in the film and it is primarily told through dialouge. There are some aesthetically beautiful scenes but most of the films subtle brilliance comes from its actors. It all begins with Howard E. Rollins Jr., an actor who died at the mere age of 46 and never became a big name, but proves his merit through this film alone. He wonderfully portrays a stoic military leader with a vulnerable heart underneath. He also represents the break away from racial stereotypes, something the other black soldiers haven't yet achieved. They all use their race as a crutch and an excuse, accusing others animosity on racism rather than actual dislike. There is a lot of overt racism amongst the white soldiers of the camp and Rollins' character marks a movement away from that crutch.

The supporting performances of this film are equally powerful. Aldolph Caesar, another relatively unknown actor, plays the murdered Sergeant Waters, who only appears in the flashbacks. His performance is one of the best of the film and his character is arguably the most profound. He isn't likable at all and is really a pretty cruel and unfair person, yet he he's smart and knows what he is talking about when he speaks so eloquently of the racial divide that negatively affects the military. He represents an older outlook on segregation, one that can't move society forward. What he represents is what Davenport knows what must be fought back in order for the military to reach undivided potential. The rest of the supporting cast are all magnificent and each is special in their own way with each performance as good as the next. It includes such talent as Art Evans, David Alan Greer, and even Denzel Washington.

A Soldier's Story is an ingenious film. It is intelligent, moving, memorable, and even highly amusing at moments. It is beautifully shot and every moment of the film visually compliments the brilliant actors on screen. It is a film that thrives from the high-in performances of its actors who eloquently deliver brilliantly written dialouge that is as sharp and witty as it is profound. This is one of those truly incredible films that will leave you deep in though afterwards. It should not be missed.

Washington Really Stands Out In talented Cast

[slightlymad22 · 7/10 · 4 August 2023]

Next up on Denzel Washington's filmography is 1984's A Soldiers Story

I really enjoyed this movie, but it falls short of being great. At times it feels like a TV movie, is a tad predictable and an important actor, is very inconsistent. Sometimes he is good, others he is awful and I'm not sure if he is dubbed or not. It's story telling is unique for this type of movie, which I appreciated.

In his role as Private First Class Peterson, Washington is already working with real talent, as the movie is directed by Norman Jewison, who on his last three movies, worked with Sly on F. I. S. T, Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn on Best Friends and Al Pacino on And Justice For All.

The majority of the cast are great Art Evans (Die Hard 2) in particular stands out as does Larry Riley and I always like to see David Allen Grier in a movie. Patti LaBelle stands out as Big Mary.

Washington really stand out in his small but important role.

I was shocked to see the actor I thought was inconsistent, was one of the movies three Oscar nominations. The movie and the screenplay were the other two nominations.

A Soldiers Story was the 47th highest grossing movie of 1984, grossing $21 million dollars.

The Murder Mystery Is Really Background To The Bigger Racial Issues Portrayed

[sddavis63 · 5/10 · 27 December 2010]

This movie tries to do two separate and distinct things; one it does very well, the other is a so-so effort. As regards the latter, frankly, this isn't the most compelling murder mystery you're ever going to come across. On a US Army base made up of mostly black troops in Louisiana in 1944, a black sergeant is murdered, and the question is who did it. Many think it was local Klansmen who didn't like seeing a black man in a position of responsibility, but that theory is quickly rejected and in steps Captain Davenport (played by Howard Rollins) - a black lawyer/officer charged with solving the mystery. Most of the movie is told in flashbacks as Davenport questions the various soldiers on the base to try to unravel the mystery. Rollins was good in the role, and the movie paints a complex (and sometimes confusing) picture of Sgt. Waters, giving reasons for both liking and disliking him, and opening up the possibility that virtually everyone he came into contact with might have had some motive for wanting to kill him. The mystery around the killer's identity is indeed a mystery right up to the very end. There was no reason given to suspect any one character over another. Still, I wasn't especially drawn in by the murder mystery, and if that was all that was going on here this would have been a real disappointment. My sense, though, is that the murder mystery was really background to a bigger issue.

What's interesting here is the racial study. What's interesting is watching the pride black soldiers felt in seeing a black officer for the first time. What's interesting is seeing the discomfort of white officers around how to react to a black officer. What's interesting is seeing the interactions between the black soldiers themselves, all trying in their own way to find a way to fit in and to advance at the same time - some asserting their racial identity, some feeling that to get ahead they had to become more like whites, and not always getting along with each other as they approach the racial issues in different ways. This was, indeed, an interesting look at what life might have been like on such a base at the time, and it was that part of the story that was really most interesting to me. The murder mystery was worth watching only insofar as it helped to highlight those racial issues that were ever-present.

Of note, I suppose, is that this is one of the earliest roles played by Denzel Washington, as a private on the base who's one of the suspects in the murder because of a confrontation he had with Rivers. It's an important although not a huge role. Rollins was really the star of the movie, and he was very good. Adolph Caesar as Sgt. Rivers was good - perhaps a bit of a caricature of an army sergeant in some ways, but still quite good.

A Enthralling film about racism in the military

[rcj5365 · 5 September 2004]

Commerating the 20th Anniversary of a brilliant classic!

This was one of the most powerful films that came out in 1984. Director Norman Jewison(In The Heat Of The Night)adaptation of the Puliitzer Prize-winning play(by Charles Fuller) and numerous NAACP awards for best achievement in African-American literature,tells about the ramificiations of racism and loyalty through the prism of blacks in the military,revealed through a mystery set in the 1940's deep South. Howard E. Rollins(Ragtime,and from the TV series In The Heat Of The Night)plays a military investigator,Captain Davenport,who is assigned to the murder of a drill instructor,Sergeant Waters,played by Adolph Caesar(The Color Purple),who was in charge of a black platoon during World War II. Under pressure from his superiors to wrap his investigation up quickly,Rollins instead delves deeply into the relationships between the despised drill instructor and his men,uncovering lies and animousity,and confronting the question of what it means to be black in a white man's world. Rollins delivers a riveting,stoic,emotional lead into the role of Captain Davenport while Caesar gives an electrifying performance as the Sergeant. A lot of fresh faces gives brilliant performances throughout the film including one from a youthful Denzel Washington,who makes an early appearance as a soldier with a deep grudge against the drill instructor and a deep mistrust of Rollins' investigator. Look for appearances by Larry Riley, David Alan Grier,Robert Townsend,and Patti LaBelle. A powerfully written story that makes the most of its large and impressive ensemble cast which still is enthralling--some 20th after its release.

MPAA Rating: PG-For Language,Racial Overtones and Comment,Violence.

Solid film

[matthewjrau · 7/10 · 30 May 2020]

The movie is fairly solid. It's a mystery I typically don't go for mysteries. However there is a lot in this film. Certainly a new take on the world war two movie. There was a lot of self racism that I certainly cannot identify with and I'm not qualified to speak on. A lot of traditional racism. The particular scene that stuck out to me is when the sergeant is talking to CJ and CJ is behind bars. Plot wise essentially the sergeant set CJ up to put him behind bars because he was embarrassed that CJ represented his race. It's stuck out is extremely well acted emotional well written and to me the best scene in the movie. The ending of course surprised me but it is definitely worth a watch.

A must-see mystery drama inside a WWII black army base

[jqa3-1 · 10/10 · 14 January 2006]

An old movie I never saw but had heard about. It has held up very well over the two decades since it came out (1984). The DVD comments by the director are interesting: low budget, core cast came from Broadway stage version, filmed at Ft. Chafee, Arkansas, Governor Bill Clinton visited the lot, local buildings and people were heavily used. Denzel Washington is fine in an early role; Adolph Caesar (well named for his role!)is fascinating; Howard Rollins is a force. Hard to put a finger on a weak link. Much of the music and barracks scenes are improvised giving the word "ensemble" real meaning. Definitely worth a first or second look. The spontaneous celebration of the long-awaited announcement that the unit is finally going to be shipped to Europe to fight is a special and real moment--validating the men's commitments to the U.S., with all its flaws, and the army itself, which would gradually emerge as a leading force for racial integration in the country.

I want to love this picture

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 28 December 2015]

It's 1944 Tynin, Louisiana. Sergeant Waters is killed by an unknown assailant. All the black soldiers suspect the local Klan. Captain Davenport is sent in to investigate the murder. The C.O. Colonel Nivins is a southerner. He restricts the black soldiers from going into town and gives Davenport 3 days before sending him back. Most of the men are baseball players from the Negro League. Waters was a hard leader of men. The investigation leads to different suspects.

I want to love this picture. The acting is superb. Adolph Caesar is excellent. There are tons of great black actors including a young Denzel Washington. Norman Jewison is doing his best work. However this is a whodunnit and the suspects are a little random. It feels like a series of twists and turns that isn't set up that well. In the end, I'm simply waiting for the last twist to reveal the real killer. The biggest problem is that I doesn't really care about what happened. There are so many good actors here that I want to love this more.

Historcal drama. Excellent mystery. Accurate military portrayals.

[gsh999 · 10/10 · 10 November 2006]

I'm an Army vet of several years and I feel somewhat qualified to comment on the accuracy of the portrayal of the military in the movies. I completed basic training and lived and worked in the same type of Army wooden barracks as in "A Soldier's Story." I was subordinate AND superior, in rank, in the course of my career, to soldiers like the disciplinarian Sergeant Waters. Overall, I believe "A Soldier's Story" is an accurate portrayal of Army personnel and history. "A Soldier's Story" is also an extremely entertaining mystery. Movie-making at its finest!

I am proud that the U.S. Army led the way in racial integration in U.S. history. These years were unduly difficult years for African American soldiers, who contributed greatly to the U.S. war effort. Not only did African American soldiers have to deal with enemy action abroad, they also had to contend with extreme and violent racism at home!

"A Soldier's Story" depicts this part of American history in a gripping, entertaining, and touching manner. Highly recommended 10/10.

Important stuff, not bad, and very "pretty" visually, but a bit dragged out.

[secondtake · 6/10 · 27 June 2010]

A Soldier's Story (1984)

Key here is the story, an attempt to give some exposure to problems of blacks in the military during WWII. That's commendable, and the movie makes it beautiful and on some level an accurate period piece. But there are too many obvious moments here, too many times where it seems that familiar (even for 1984) stereotypes are upended, or where justice is somehow being served to history. This gets in the way of some really fine performances, and in a way waters down the really important points, about the conflict of assimilation and equality for blacks in a military not ready for it, and in a culture (the deep South) completely resistant to it.

A young Denzel Washington, and a seasoned Norma Jewison directing, at least make this movie worth watching, but neither rises to their best stuff. The set designer (and to some extent cinematographer) deserve credit for making a convincing setting for it all. And maybe most engaging, though also seemingly patched in for entertainment purposes, is Patti LaBelle as a searing blues performer, great to see.

Preconceived Notions

[bkoganbing · 10/10 · 19 January 2009]

A murder of a black sergeant on a post in Louisiana in the spring of 1944 threatens blow up into a racially charged situation. A natural assumption is that the Ku Klux Klan would have seen a black man with stripes signifying authority and considered him a target. There were in fact race riots during World War II a fact the War Department considers in assigning one of the few black officers in the army, Howard Rollins to go to the post and investigate.

The late sergeant played by Adolph Caesar is a controversial man who no one is neutral about. In fact as Rollins probes a few people tell different stories and contradict themselves, giving different views about what kind of a guy Caesar was in life.

The film was directed by Norman Jewison and A Soldier's Story doesn't have one bit of wasted film footage or one bad performance out of his ensemble cast. Jewison got an Academy Award for directing In The Heat Of The Night also about a murder in the deep south that a black homicide detective gets corralled into helping the investigation.

Actually there is one element of the plot that is exactly the same as In The Heat Of The Night. Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs driven by his own attitudes and the way he's been treated in the town of Sparta, Mississippi originally pursues one line of investigation. Later on however he gets on track and finds the real culprit. The exact same thing happens in A Soldier's Story. Ironically enough Howard Rollins also got to play Virgil Tibbs in the television series adapted from In The Heat Of The Night.

Two favorites in the supporting cast are a young Denzel Washington as one of the platoon soldiers and Art Evans as an older guy in the platoon who's been a non-commissioned officer before and is craftily kissing up to the right people to get those stripes back. The whole platoon is a cross section of male black America circa 1944.

That in itself is what makes A Soldier's Story a great film. It's a murder mystery, a sociological study of racism external and internal, and a well acted drama that can be viewed many times with something new learned with every viewing.

must have been one of Adolph Caesar's only movies

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 28 December 2006]

In something that could only come from Norman Jewison, a murder on a military base during WWII sets off a series of racial tensions. The Deep South setting creates the same sort of feeling that Jewison's "In the Heat of the Night" did, what with different kinds of tension. Nowadays, we may just want to watch it to see one of Denzel Washington's early roles (I believe that he wasn't very famous when "A Soldier's Story" came out). But I would say that it's a lot more than that, as you can feel everything about to explode. Very tense.

So I recommend it. Also starring Howard E. Rollins Jr., Adolph Caesar, David Alan Grier and Patti LaBelle. As it is, this one and "The Color Purple" are Adolph Caesar's only two starring roles to my knowledge. And how many African-Americans are named Adolph?

Excellent! Highly recommended

[JamBoi · 8/10 · 28 February 2005]

I really enjoyed this movie and thought it brought out some very important points about things within the African American community that I was unaware of. To say more about this might be considered a spoiler so I won't.

I was saddened to read down the cast list and see many of the major actors had passed away.

Apparently this is one of the early Denzel Washington movies (I think #5 if IMDb is comprehensive). He's gone on to be the biggest star of this cast. Also Robert Townsend has done very well for himself.

Thoroughly enjoyable!

A fight against prejudice

[Enchorde · 6/10 · 29 August 2010]

Recap: Around the time of the second world war, a black sergeant is murdered on an American Military base in the South. On the base, the privates are mostly black and the officers white, and the atmosphere is racially charged both off and on the base. From Washington comes captain Davenport, a military lawyer graduated from Harvard, to solve the murder. But he is met with mistrust, mostly because he himself is black, something that is still unthinkable among the base personnel. Having but a few days to solve the case Davenport finds that the sergeant was very unpopular and the murderer might be anyone from the officers that saw him with contempt to the privates that he oppressed.

Comments: A good murder story that toys with the idea of presumption. There are many presumptions thrown about in this film, and it is only Davenport that can sort them out, or in many cases, wish to sort them out. It is set in a racially charged atmosphere perhaps best exemplified when Davenport arrives at the base and white trainer asks a black private that is staring "Have you never seen a black officer before?" and the private responds bluntly "No sir… have you?".

It is set in the mid forties, but the ideas and presumptions it shows sadly still actual. But it tries to do two things at once, one being the murder story and one showing racial prejudice. It does it good, but there are better murder stories out there, and there are better movies about racism too.

There are many good actors, Howard Rollins Jr. as Davenport among them,(unfortunately many that has died before their time since), but maybe most notable now is an early role for Denzel Washington.

6/10

Hoped for more

[mformoviesandmore · 5/10 · 26 April 2013]

I suppose the big thing for this movie is that most of the actors are black and it seeks to portray conditions in the military during the time of WWII.

I, on the other hand, was just looking to watch a good murder mystery.

What I got was the equivalent of "In The Heat Of The Night" if it was put on by your local amateur dramatics society.

The murder story is nothing startling or new. Somebody is killed, various people are suspected and eventually the guilty person is found. You can do your own guessing, but it doesn't take an Einstein.

What put me off is that the acting is not very good. Other than the Sargent I didn't feel that any of the characters offered anything beyond the clichéd characters role they were handed.