Friday, April 19, 2024
A Soldier's Story
- Commentary: Under construction.
This movie has held a fascination for me since it came out and I saw it when I was living in Sacramento. I saw it with my group of primarily Asian friends who took me along with them to see primarily Asian movies. I never really wondered why this movie was on their playlist, but I related to it because the situation it covers was familiar to me from my extensive life on Guam, which included (although we were not a military family, there) almost constant mixing with members of the military and being exposed to their scuttlebutt. Somehow, though, through the years, this movie had slipped through the cracks of my movie-loving mind until I was reminded of it this evening on a program I was watching about 1985 Oscar nominees. The commentator mentioned that he had a hard time finding a copy to view and I thought, "Really?!? I wonder why." Well, I don't know, because I found it for sale easily and cheaply and decided, time to add it to my collection.
By the way, I'm not sure where Roger Ebert was coming from with his lackadaisical review of this movie. The only thing I can think is that he had very little experience around military politics. I went ahead and attached to his review in the title to this post above, though, because it was so stunningly off the mark. In contrast, IMdb User Reviews are almost universally high. I guess you had to be there. Or something.
As usual, more later, when I receive it and rewatch it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Howard E. Rollins Jr. Cpt. Richard Davenport Adolph Caesar Msg. Vernon Waters Art Evans Pvt. James Wilkie David Alan Grier Cpl. Bernard Cobb David Harris Pvt. Tony Smalls Denzel Washington Pfc. Melvin Peterson Dennis Lipscomb Cpt. Charles Taylor Larry Riley Pvt. C.J. Memphis Robert Townsend Cpl. Ellis William Allen Young Pvt. Henson John Hancock Sgt. Washington Patti LaBelle Big Mary Trey Wilson Col. Nivens Wings Hauser Lt. Byrd Scott Paulin Cpt. Wilcox Mike Williams Pfc. Oscar
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1984
Directed by Norman Jewison.
Labels: military
