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.
