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A Soldier's Story

  • 19841984
  • PGPG
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
10K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
A Soldier's Story (1984)
Trailer for A Soldier's Story
Play trailer1:23
1 Video
56 Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Mystery

An African-American officer investigates a murder in a racially charged situation in World War II.An African-American officer investigates a murder in a racially charged situation in World War II.An African-American officer investigates a murder in a racially charged situation in World War II.

IMDb RATING
7.2/10
10K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Norman Jewison
  • Writer
    • Charles Fuller(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Howard E. Rollins Jr.
    • Adolph Caesar
    • Art Evans
Top credits
  • Director
    • Norman Jewison
  • Writer
    • Charles Fuller(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Howard E. Rollins Jr.
    • Adolph Caesar
    • Art Evans
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 64User reviews
    • 35Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 6 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos1

    A Soldier's Story
    Trailer 1:23
    A Soldier's Story

    Photos56

    Adolph Caesar in A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)
    A Soldier's Story (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Howard E. Rollins Jr.
    Howard E. Rollins Jr.
    • Captain Davenportas Captain Davenport
    Adolph Caesar
    Adolph Caesar
    • Sergeant Watersas Sergeant Waters
    Art Evans
    Art Evans
    • Private Wilkieas Private Wilkie
    David Alan Grier
    David Alan Grier
    • Corporal Cobbas Corporal Cobb
    David Harris
    David Harris
    • Private Smallsas Private Smalls
    Dennis Lipscomb
    Dennis Lipscomb
    • Captain Tayloras Captain Taylor
    Larry Riley
    Larry Riley
    • C.J. Memphisas C.J. Memphis
    Robert Townsend
    Robert Townsend
    • Corporal Ellisas Corporal Ellis
    Denzel Washington
    Denzel Washington
    • Private First Class Petersonas Private First Class Peterson
    William Allen Young
    William Allen Young
    • Private Hensonas Private Henson
    Patti LaBelle
    Patti LaBelle
    • Big Maryas Big Mary
    Wings Hauser
    Wings Hauser
    • Lieutenant Byrdas Lieutenant Byrd
    Scott Paulin
    Scott Paulin
    • Captain Wilcoxas Captain Wilcox
    John Hancock
    John Hancock
    • Sergeant Washingtonas Sergeant Washington
    Trey Wilson
    Trey Wilson
    • Colonel Nivensas Colonel Nivens
    Patricia Brandkamp
    • Ida Nivensas Ida Nivens
    Carl Dreher
    • Bus Driveras Bus Driver
    Vaughn Reeves
    • Captain Estesas Captain Estes
    • Director
      • Norman Jewison
    • Writer
      • Charles Fuller(screenplay) (play "A Soldier's Play")
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A black soldier is killed while returning to his base in the deep south. The white people of the area are suspected at first. A tough black army attorney is brought in to find out the truth. We find out a bit more about the dead soldier in flashbacks - and that he was unpopular. Will the attorney find the killer ? —Colin Tinto <cst@imdb.com>
    • based on play
    • timeframe 1940s
    • screenplay adapted by author
    • soldier
    • flashback
    • 104 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Alone, far from home, and far from justice, he has three days to learn the truth about a murder...and the truth is a story you won't forget.
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Mystery
      • War
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Norman Jewison said of Denzel Washington in his autobiography titled 'This Terrible Business Has Been Good To Me', "The camera loved Washington, he was intelligent, rebellious, totally confident, and spectacularly talented. He was so confident, he often thought he knew more than the director, but he watched and learned. He never believed the film was going to work, until after he saw it finished. He didn't stop being above it all, until he saw the film with an audience, and realized it worked".
    • Goofs
      Peterson and Smalls would have had to turn in their side arms at the conclusion of their guard detail in which Peterson kills Waters. When their weapons were turned in someone should have noticed that Peterson's pistol had been fired.
    • Quotes

      Master Sergeant Vernon Waters: You know the damage one ignorant Negro can do? We were in France in the first war; we'd won decorations. But the white boys had told all them French gals that we had tails. Then they found this ignorant colored soldier, paid him to tie a tail to his ass and run around half-naked, making monkey sounds. Put him on the big round table in the Cafe Napoleon, put a reed in his hand, crown on his head, blanket on his shoulders, and made him eat *bananas* in front of all them Frenchies. Oh, how the white boys danced that night... passed out leaflets with that boy's picture on it. Called him Moonshine, King of the Monkeys. And when we slit his throat, you know that fool asked us what he had done wrong?

    • Alternate versions
      CBS edited 5 minutes from this film for its 1987 network television premiere.
    • Connections
      Edited into March to Freedom (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Pourin' Whiskey Blues
      Written by Patti LaBelle, James R. Ellison (as James Ellison) and Armstead Edwards

      Performed by Patti LaBelle

    User reviews64

    Review
    Top review
    A gripping military drama
    A Soldier's Story, (1984) is the story of an Army sergeant who is

    found murdered in cold blood. Whodunnit? The choices are many

    in this engrossing, complex morality play which is set in the

    backdrop of the segregated Army of WWII. (Only 60 years ago!)

    This is truly a black eye on the military if there ever was one.

    Several future stars are featured here including Oscar winner

    Denzel Washington, David Alan Grier, and the excellent Howard

    Rollins Jr. who stars as an Army Capt. and lawyer sent from

    Washington to unravel this mysterious killing. The movie really

    belongs to Adolph Ceasar as the murdered sergeant , however. A

    WWI veteran and medal winner he constantly affirms the the ability

    of the black soldier in a segregated Army as professional, efficient

    and courageous, but who fails to stand for any "weaknesses" he

    sees in his men, many of whom are naieve country boys, whose

    ways he believes are keeping black men subjugated in Uncle

    Sam's Army. One chiling scene not to be missed is Ceasar's

    solliliquy in the bar with his staff sergeant, in which he describes

    an incident in France in WWI. An excellent movie which should be

    viewed as part of recent US history. Highly recommended.
    helpful•19
    6
    • jc1305us
    • Jul 12, 2003

    FAQ1

    • I've seen this movie over a dozen times and was always wondering if Samuel Jackson is in the movie uncredited? The scene where Capt. Davenport is taking to Pvt. Wilkie and the soldiers are celebrating being on standby alert and shooting flares outside the barracks. I say the soldier with 2 other soldiers are yelling and the one with the gold rimmed glasses is Jackson. He was in the original play version but lost out for a role for reasons unknown. I'm assuming he was given a small role since he didn't get a more active one. Anyone agrees or have noticed?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 2, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Sergeant Waters - Eine Soldatengeschichte
    • Filming locations
      • Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Caldix
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $21,821,347
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $156,383
      • Sep 16, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $21,821,347
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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