A Soldier's Story (1984)

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

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Charles Fuller (screenplay), Charles Fuller (play)

Stars:

Howard E. Rollins Jr., Adolph Caesar, Art Evans

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Howard E. Rollins Jr.	...	Captain Davenport
Adolph Caesar	...	Sergeant Waters
Art Evans	...	Private Wilkie
David Alan Grier	...	Corporal Cobb
David Harris	...	Private Smalls
Dennis Lipscomb	...	Captain Taylor
Larry Riley	...	C.J. Memphis
Robert Townsend	...	Corporal Ellis
Denzel Washington	...	Private First Class Peterson
William Allen Young	...	Private Henson
Patti LaBelle	...	Big Mary
Wings Hauser	...	Lieutenant Byrd
Scott Paulin	...	Captain Wilcox
John Hancock	...	Sergeant Washington
Trey Wilson	...	Colonel Nivens

Storyline

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 ?

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Plot Keywords:

based on play | soldier | flashback | military lawyer | captain | 

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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.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | War

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Though he was not Oscar nominated for this picture, Howard E Rollins, Jr. had then recently been Academy Award nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Milos Forman's Ragtime (1981). This achievement contributed to Rollins getting the lead investigator role of Captain Davenport.

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Goofs

When Peterson (Denzel Washington) bunts, the play is shown at second base, where the infielder attempts to tag the runner. Any decent fielder would simply force the runner by stepping on the bag. Also, the result of the play would obviously have Peterson safe at first, but when C.J., the next batter, homers, we see Peterson in the dugout clapping and smiling.

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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 ...

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Alternate Versions

CBS edited 5 minutes from this film for its 1987 network television premiere.

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Connections

Featured in The Core of the Apple: Blacks in the Media and Performing Arts (1986)

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Soundtracks

Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)
Written by Lew Brown, Charles Tobias (as Charlie Tobias) and Sam H. Stept
Performed by The Andrews Sisters
Courtesy of MCA Records, Inc.

User Reviews

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Soldier's Story

Filming Locations:

Clarendon, Arkansas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$156,383, 16 September 1984

Gross USA:

$21,821,347

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$21,821,347

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Caldix

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1