Buffalo Soldiers (2001)

A criminal subculture operates among U.S. soldiers stationed in West Germany just before the fall of the Berlin wall.

Director:

Gregor Jordan

Writers:

Robert O'Connor (book), Gregor Jordan (screenplay)

Stars:

Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Paquin, Ed Harris

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Ray Elwood
Ed Harris	...	Colonel Berman
Scott Glenn	...	Sergeant Lee
Anna Paquin	...	Robyn Lee
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Mrs. Berman
Michael Peña	...	Garcia
Leon	...	Stoney (as Leon Robinson)
Gabriel Mann	...	Knoll
Dean Stockwell	...	General Lancaster
Brian Delate	...	Colonel Marshall
Shiek Mahmud-Bey	...	Sergeant Saad (as Sheik Mahmud-Bey)
Amani Gethers	...	Kirschfield
Noah Lee Margetts	...	Rothfuss (as Noah)
Tom Ellis	...	Squash
Kick Gurry	...	Video

Storyline

1989. The Berlin Wall is about to fall, and the world is about to be made safe for the new world order. But outside of Stuttgart, West Germany, at Theodore Roosevelt Army Base, Specialist Ray Elwood of the 317th Supply Battalion is about to find his own cold war turn white hot. Elwood's a lovable rogue, a conscript who's managed to turn his military servitude into a blossoming network of black market deals, more out of boredom than ambition. Officially, there's his day job as battalion secretary to the inept but caring Commander Wallace Berman. On the side, there's everything from selling the locals stolen Mop'N'Glo to cooking heroin for the base's ruthless head of Military Police, Sgt. Saad. When a new top sergeant arrives, with the avowed intention of cleaning the base up, Elwood thinks the new blood is nothing he can't handle, especially after he lays eyes on the top's daughter, rebellious Robyn. But that was before he figured in the $5 million in stolen arms that just landed on ...

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Plot Keywords:

sex in bed | woman on top | year 1989 | scene during opening credits | american flag | 

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Taglines:

Steal all that you can steal. A story so outrageous you couldn't make it up

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, drug content, strong language and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Odeon Film AG (german)

Country:

UK Germany

Language:

English Turkish

Release Date:

31 October 2002 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Acemi askerler

Filming Locations:

Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$30,977, 27 July 2003

Gross USA:

$354,421

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,300,684

Company Credits

Production Co:

FilmFour, Good Machine, Gorilla Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At a screening of the film on January 21, 2003 at the Sundance Film Festival, a woman in the audience verbally attacked the film during a Q&A period following the presentation. The woman reportedly accused the filmmakers of being anti-American and flung a plastic water bottle. The bottle hit an elderly man in the crowd on the head. The woman claimed the bottle was intended to hit the screen. The man was not seriously injured.

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Goofs

The license plate of Elwood's Mercedes and the other civil cars in the camp are German license plates. But before 2000 the license plates of the US Army were different. Their size and shape were been identical to original US license plates. Numbers and letters were only relevant for administration. Between the pair of letters and the three-digit number the letters "USA" were placed.

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Quotes

Robyn Lee: [on the high dive] What would it take to make you jump?
Ray Elwood: A parachute.

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Crazy Credits

The end credits include the citation: 'The red cross emblem is an international symbol of neutral protection during armed conflicts, and its use is restricted by law. The purposes for which the red cross emblem is used by the characters in this film are clearly improper. The filmmakers wish to stress their support for proper use of the emblem, which has saved millions of lives throughout the world'.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Joaquin Phoenix Performances (2015)

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Soundtracks

Say No Go
Written by Posdnuos (as Mercer), Trugoy The Dove (as Jolicoeur), Vincent Mason (as Mason), Daryl Hall (as Hall), John Oates (as Oates) & Sara Allen (as Allen)
Published by Bridgeport Music Inc., Tee Girl Music/IQ Music, Warner/Chappell Music Limited on behalf of Hot Cha Music & Unichappell Music Inc.,
and Rondor Music (London) Limited on behalf of Irving Music Inc.
Performed by De La Soul
(p) 1989 Tommy Boy Music Limited
Licensed courtesy of Tommy Boy Music (UK) Limited
Taken from the De La Soul album "3 Feet High and Rising"

User Reviews

sadly, this film is pretty dead on

i served in the army from 91-94 and i can tell you that i related to a lot of the themes in this film. i wanted anxiously for a chance to see it, and last night i finally did. i enjoyed it as much as it is possible to enjoy a film that takes some steps at telling a different side of the army. of course everyone in the army is not like the soldiers portrayed here, but some are. at no point did i get the feeling that the film tried to say that the army is filled with losers but like every other segment of society it has its share. it is also true that for a long time the army did take high school dropouts and it was used as a way to escape jail. it is not anti-american, it is a story about bad people doing bad things. i enjoyed it!