MOVIEmeter
SEE RANK
Up 20,880 this week

Death of a Soldier (1986)

 -  Crime | Drama | War  -  16 May 1986 (USA)
5.0
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 5.0/10 from 120 users  
Reviews: 10 user | 6 critic

Based on a true story, James Coburn portrays a military lawyer assigned to defend a confessed psychotic killer. Set in the context of WWII and the uneasy US-Australian military alliance. ... See full summary »

Director:

Writers:

(screenplay), (story)
0Check in
0Share...

User Lists

Related lists from IMDb users

a list of 1623 titles created 4 months ago
 
a list of 1042 titles created 1 month ago
 
a list of 1216 titles created 28 Mar 2011
 
a list of 727 titles created 24 May 2011
 
a list of 1196 titles created 7 months ago
 

Connect with IMDb


Share this Rating

Title: Death of a Soldier (1986)

Death of a Soldier (1986) on IMDb 5/10

Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Take The Quiz!

Test your knowledge of Death of a Soldier.
2 nominations. See more awards »
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
Maurie Fields ...
Det. Sgt. Martin (as Maurice Fields)
Max Fairchild ...
Maj. William Fricks
Belinda Davey ...
Margot Saunders
...
Pvt. Anthony Gallo
...
Jon Sidney ...
Nell Johnson ...
Maisie
Pippa Wilson ...
Singer in Boomerang Bar
Kim Rushworth ...
Band in bar
John McTiernan ...
Col. Williams
Earl Francis ...
Police doctor
Ron Pinnell ...
Mr. Harmon
Edit

Storyline

Based on a true story, James Coburn portrays a military lawyer assigned to defend a confessed psychotic killer. Set in the context of WWII and the uneasy US-Australian military alliance. The accused killer claims to have killed 3 women in order to possess their voices. Despite the defense lawyer's concerns that the killer is not fit to stand trial, the US military presses forward with the case and its desire to have the killer executed in order to strengthen the shaky alliance. Written by Fryingham

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

The obscenity of war. The brutality of murder. The travesty of justice.

Genres:

Crime | Drama | War

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »
Edit

Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

16 May 1986 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Dein Lied - Dein Tod  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Eastmancolor)| (archive footage)| (archive footage)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Additional financing needed to be raised during production. Executive producers Richard Tanner and Oscar Scherl raised a further one million, taking the budget from $ 3 to $ 4 million. See more »

Connections

Featured in The Spoony Experiment: Death of a Soldier (2011) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

 
A fascinating flawed curiosity
13 November 2005 | by (Australia) – See all my reviews

In the 1970s Phillipe Mora looked to be a director who was going to deliver the goods. His strange doco BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME was a 30s jigsaw puzzle of fascinating imagery that needed a commentary. In the 80s he delivered this quite fascinating film. But in the 90s it all went wrong with terrible horror films and now, nothing. In the last week I have seen two James Coburn films. I have never ever been interested in any performance or film of his. Timing has now led me to THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY (1964)...a superb military satire, and DEATH OF A SOLDIER, two films made 20 years apart both with him, both set during WW2... and I have to admit I now have a new found appreciation of Coburn's acting and characterizations. DEATH OF A SOLDIER is a very well made Wartime murder drama with a protagonist played by under rated and over looked he-man Reb Brown. My only vision of him was during BIG Wednesday of all things, when, during a hilarious house party, he cleaned up the gatecrashers in a demolition derby worthy of Hercules visiting Animal House. He is great looking and appears as a cross between Steve McQueen and Ryan O'Neal with a great physique. Here that look is used to great affect as a loudmouth Yankee party bumpkin on leave during WW2 whose alcoholic haze leads to crimes that actually did happen In Melbourne in the mid 40s.. His character is a lot like that of Don Murray, the yahooo-ing cowboy in the Marilyn Monroe film BUS STOP. It is the study of his mentality and it's effect that mires Coburn into a court trial or considerable predicament. The film is excellent and interesting in so many ways, and really flawed in two major things: the clumsy appearance of "General MacArthur" posing and strutting about.... never speaking ..even wearing sunglasses indoors to maintain the image (Jeez!) ....and the overuse of obvious 40s music. If I hear In The Mood again in a 40s film well..... Sadly the film did no biz in its day which I remember had a lot to do with Mora's difficulties with the distributor and with the media, and remains a strange and interesting example of a period piece pic almost 'got right'. Coburn is the best actor there, among Aussie stalwarts... with Maurie Fields being very real. There is far too much swearing.


3 of 6 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
Deserves to be Remembered gary_overman
Discuss Death of a Soldier (1986) on the IMDb message boards »

Contribute to This Page

Create a character page for:
?