Themes: Race Relations, Courts Martial, Military Life
Main Cast: David Alan Grier, Wings Hauser, Howard E. Rollins, Jr., Adolph Caesar, Dennis Lipscomb, Art Evans, Patti LaBelle, Denzel Washington
Release Year: 1984
Country: US
Run Time: 101 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Inspired by the Herman Melville novel Billy Budd, writer Charles Fuller created the Pulitzer Prize-winning A Soldier's Play, which he then adapted into this film drama in 1984, for socially conscious, liberal director Norman Jewison. In the racially-divided 1940s, Fort Neal, Louisiana, is a military base where black soldiers are sent not to fight in WWII but to play baseball against other armed forces teams. The murder of a black sergeant, Waters (Adolph Caesar) brings an investigator, Captain Davenport (Howard E. Rollins, Jr.) to the base. Davenport, the first black officer that most of the men have ever met, suspects that a pair of white men were responsible for Waters' death, but his probe reveals that nearly everyone, regardless of skin color, had ample reason to kill the loathsome but pitiable Waters. The cast of A Soldier's Story features early supporting performances from several African-American actors who would go on to greater prominence, including Denzel Washington, David Alan Grier, and Robert Townsend. The film was nominated for three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Caesar) and Best Adapted Screenplay. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Review
This occasionally preachy but mostly intense, intelligent and captivating racially provocative drama was adapted for the screen by Charles Fuller from his Pulitzer Prize-winning play. The turbulent setting -- a Southern military base during World War II -- and the murder mystery at the center of the plot allow the film to explore the issue of racism in unexpectedly complex manner. Director Norman Jewison (In the Heat of the Night) is right at home with this sort of material, and evokes a series of excellent performances from his largely unknown cast. Most of the Negro Ensemble Company cast that appeared in the original stage production reprise their roles in A Soldier's Story. Making notable appearances are future stars like Denzel Washington, Robert Townsend and David Alan Grier, but the film really belongs to Adolph Caesar, whose performance as a tyrannical, vicious and masochistic army sergeant resulted in a deserved Academy Award best supporting actor nomination. Inspired by Herman Melville's Billy Budd, the film is more about character study and self-examination than whodunit. Howard Rollins Jr., who leads the investigation into the murder, is a sympathetic figure, but a bit too unfocused to stay in our memories when compared with the superbly defined performance of Caesar, who appropriately enough gets the film's last words. The score by Herbie Hancock and bluesy musical support of Patti LaBelle also contribute well to the film's atmosphere. A Soldier's Story was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Caesar) and Adapted Screenplay (Fuller). ~ Dan Jardine, All Movie Guide
Charles Milhaupt - Associate Producer, Reuben Cannon - Casting, Thomas S. Dawson - Costume Designer, Chuck Velasco - Costume Designer, Norman Jewison - Director, Caroline Biggerstaff - Editor, Mark Warner - Editor, Herbie Hancock - Composer (Music Score), Charles Wilborn - Musical Direction/Supervision, Walter Scott Herndon - Production Designer, Russell Boyd - Cinematographer, Peter Sova - Cinematographer, Norman Jewison - Producer, Patrick Palmer - Producer, Ronald L. Schwary - Producer, Thomas Roysden - Set Designer, Charles Wilborn - Sound/Sound Designer, Greg W. Elam - Stunts, Melvin Jones - Stunts, Charles Fuller - Screen Story, Charles Fuller - Screenwriter, Robert Stewart - Costume/Wardrobe, Charles Fuller - Play Author
Alongside DJ Soul Slinger, DJ db and DJ Dara, Dieselboy is one of America's top jungle DJs. The third major mix album he'd released in the past two years, A Soldier's Story is his best yet, including tracks from Technical Itch (three total), Jonny L, Danny Breaks, DJ Friction and Moving Fusion. ~ Keith Farley, All Music Guide
Andrew Campbell (Producer), Steven Levy (Executive Producer), S. Morris (Producer), Jonny L (Performer), Peshay (Performer), Danny Breaks (Producer), Danny Breaks (Performer), Technical Itch (Performer), Dieselboy (Main Performer), Mark Pritchard (Producer), Ed Keeley (Producer), Decoder (Producer), Decoder (Performer), DJ Fierce (Producer), Vertigo (Performer), Todd Baldwin (Design), The Usual Suspects (Performer), Mark Caro (Producer), Substance (Producer), DJ Friction (Performer), Moving Fusion (Performer), Future Cut (Performer), Damian Higgins (Producer), Daniel Sparham (Producer)
Conflicted, light-skinned Sergeant Waters (Adolph Caesar) ruthlessly heaps abuse upon his men. He calls them all "worthless geechees", but he especially relishes torturing the jovial and highly talented C.J. Memphis (Larry Riley). Thus, when he is killed, there are plenty of suspects for Captain Davenport (Howard E. Rollins, Jr.).
Art Evans plays Private Wilkie, a nervous man too acquiescent for his own good. David Alan Grier plays C.J.'s closest friend, bonded by their Mississippi roots. Denzel Washington, in his first role in a big Hollywood production, portrays the deeply embittered Pfc. Peterson.
Jewison and many of the cast members worked for scale or less under a tight budget with Columbia Pictures. "No one really wanted to make this movie... a black story, it was based on World War II, and those themes were not popular at the box office", according to Jewison. Warner Brothers turned it down, as did Universal's president, Ned Tanen, and UA and MGM followed suit. Columbia's Frank Price read the screenplay and was deeply interested, but the studio was hesitant about its commercial value, so Jewison offered to do the film for a $5 million budget and no salary. When the Directors Guild of America insisted he must have a fee, he agreed to take the lowest possible amount.
A Soldier's Story was shot entirely in Arkansas. The "Tynin" exterior scenes were shot in three days in Clarendon. The baseball sequence was filmed in Little Rock at the historic Lamar Porter Field;[1]
Governor Bill Clinton dropped by during the shooting. He became very enthused about the project and later helped by providing the Arkansas Army National Guard in full regalia for a grand scene, since Jewison could not afford to pay an army of extras. Production was completed with their help at Fort Chaffee United States Army Ready Reserve base at Fort Smith (where Elvis Presley had done his basic training).
Musical score
Herbie Hancock delivered an interpretative impromptu score. Patti Labelle and Larry Riley wrote and performed their own songs. The blues plays a large role in the film's music.
