User reviews

I saw this film upon it's release and it has registered in my memory ever since. I was greatly impressed by Rod Steiger's performance as a closet homosexual Sergeant in the US army who strongly desires a young Private played by John Philip Law. I was fascinated watching how this obsession destroys this rough, tough sergeant. I particularly remember the scene where Steiger grabs hold of Philip Law and kisses him full on the lips. I must confess that I was greatly shocked at the time as I had never seen a man kiss another man before. (Now it happens on British TV regularly - how times have changed!!) All in all, I think this an excellent movie!

I'm a Viet Nam vet who spent 6½ years in the Army, 5 years as sergeant or staff sergeant. This movie is the best and most accurate portrayal of army life I've ever seen. It's accuracy and correctness is uncanny. It makes me wonder how they did it. Most audiences would not be interested in the real McCoy, but this is it. It is also a top notch war film! The bleakness, emptiness, alienation, and devastating isolation, meanness, poverty, ugliness, and frightful brutality of army life are there in spades. The wreckage both of war and of the unnatural regimentation and peculiar dual hierarchy (that of commissioned officers and of non-commissioned officers) of the military are portrayed with accuracy and near perfect verisimilitude. Steiger is 110% convincing as a seasoned, career, First Sergeant in the regular army. I didn't bother with the theme of repressed homosexuality. It's the loneliness and debilitating harshness (often self-imposed by those who opt, or more likely fall into the trap of rootless expediency, of military life) that count here. Is it any wonder that soldiers commit atrocities in war? Watch this movie and see for yourself.

A real tour de force for Steiger, whose riveting portrayal of an Army sergeant wrestling with his own repressed desires is both realistic and compelling. Another top-notch Steiger character study.

I haven't seen "The Sergeant" since its first release more than 30 years ago, and I've been disappointed that it hasn't been made available on VHS or recycled on cable TV. The ending of the movie is a cliche, and an unfortunate one, that likely would anger certain gay interest groups today. Yet I recall this film as one that opened the mind of a young heterosexual male who, until then, had been extremely homophobic. Rod Steiger's performance, as a supermacho soldier who is horrified of his own feelings of attraction to another man, is riveting. The outcome of the film, while dated, reflects the conflict and repression that gay men and women often experienced in our society prior to the advent of enlightenment in the 1970s (and, in the case of gay people in today's U.S. armed forces, still do). For my teenaged mind, it aroused the prospect that ALL human beings have the capacity to be sexually attracted to another person of the same sex, and that such attraction should be accepted and understood, rather than dreaded or shunned. Nothing in my subsequent experience has altered that perception. Despite the cliched ending, this is a film that displays empathy for its tormented lead character and demands that he be understood. It deserves revival.

With the close of World War Two, there were many unanswered questions for anyone who lived and worked in Europe. Life as the European faced it was difficult enough and that included the American Soldier. His military role went from active combat to stagnate occupation and that meant dealing with the drudgery of day to day life. It is easy to see the slackness and disorder which follows an occupying army when the main reason for being is removed. Thus viewers are not surprised when veteran Master Sargent Albert Callan (Rod Steiger) arrives at his station and finds a lack-luster supply company in complete disarray. The company commander is a less than inspirational officer who's a mealy mouth alcoholic with no leadership experience. He thus let's the Sargent handle the running of the camp. Soon, the company is brought into disciplinary order with the expertise of the Sargent. But the Sargent himself is troubled as he encounter a handsome young soldier (John Phillip Law) Pfc. Tom Swanson, whom he is attracted to. For Callan, the struggle begins between his repressed desires and the constant need to remain a 'straight' and stalwart military non-commissioned officer. For Steiger, this 1980's vehicle was seen as a scandalous, bold, and provocative movie. Yet for todays more sophisticated audiences, this film lacks direct confrontation between actors, content and message. Still for it's time, this was one surprising milestone in the history of filmdom. ***

After wanting to see this film for a long time, I finally tracked down a VHS copy taped off TV in Philadelphia (I found the copy in California). The performances are very good. And it's well made, until it gets close to THE BIG MOMENT, and then the editing goes awry, as if studio executives had gotten nervous about the subject matter and deleted whole sections, so that the time line of the behavior of the title character - played by Rod Steiger - is all off. One minute he's telling John Philip Law to get lost; the next minute he wants him near. I know people change their minds, and LOSE them when they're obsessive, but it feels choppy here, and glaring. And between THE BIG MOMENT and the denouement there is an odd black and white montage that seems to be some kind of memory device (could the copy I saw be missing something?), so that seemed like another obvious studio error. Still, the movie is worthing seeing and should be on a double bill with "Reflections In A Golden Eye," another well made, failed film from around the same time and on the same subject (repressed, lonely, older, closeted military man fascinated by a handsome younger guy).

With the current debate over gays and lesbians serving in the military this 1968 film The Sergeant has a relevance undreamed of by the people who made this film a year before the Stonewall Rebellion.

Rod Steiger gives a brilliant performance as the tortured, self loathing, latently gay non-commissioned officer with whom the psychological bubble finally bursts. Steiger is a master sergeant assigned to a construction battalion in France. He's a professional soldier through and through and does take a rather lax company and whips into some kind of shape. Still there's an uneasiness to him that the men can't figure out. It isn't even on their radar screens, a gay man in the military just didn't compute back then.

It computes least of all to Private John Philip Law whose company Steiger seems to crave incessantly. The fact that Law is seeing local French girl Ludmila Mikael doesn't make any difference, Steiger intrudes on their relationship even more as it gets more serious between Law and Mikael.

It all breaks out in a devastating and dramatic climax where Steiger bursts forth from the latent closet. I assure you that you will not forget it once you've Steiger's self destruction.

In the time Steiger was brought up being gay was the most loathsome thing there was. Brokeback Mountain covered the same things and Steiger did not even have an idyllic summer to look forward to as did Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Another military film that covered latent homosexuality was Reflections In A Golden Eye where Marlon Brando as an officer was crushing out on a private in his company played by Robert Forster. That however was only one of many issues covered in that film, whereas this is the central and only theme of The Sergeant.

For those interested in gays in the military I would commend you reading Nigel Hamilton's book on the life of Field Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgomery. Although it's a small part of the story, Hamilton attributes Monty's well known prickly personality to the fact that he was latently gay and never came to terms with it. Rod Steiger's character would have known exactly what Montgomery was feeling.

This is one of Rod Steiger's best screen roles, but the timeliness of the topic means this film could use a remake. Try casting this film with some of today's players. I could see Al Pacino or Robert DeNiro in the part of The Sergeant with maybe some teen heartthrob like Zac Efron as the recruit.

Still it would be extraordinary if it topped this one.

This was shown on TCM (Turner Classic Movies).

Set in a post-war Paris is the sergeant in question, one who has high standards and he believes, high morals. When he takes over a new set of men, they're sloppy, of low morale and in his eyes, weak and lazy.

He is naturally drawn to a young private, played by John Philip Law. Pte Tom Swanson (Law) has a sweet, French girlfriend but Master Sgt Albert Callan (Steiger) isn't interested in her, or women generally. He'd been married before but that fell apart.

Sgt Callan doesn't seem to show signs of his homosexual attraction to Law in the physical sense, but as mentor, friend and drinking buddy. Initially, he enlists him as the regiment's clerk, in effect his personal secretary, though Law tries to resist having to do that sort of work.

It's quite refreshing after all those Vietnam war movies where Sergeants are only shouting sadists, who beat their charges into total mental submission. However, this is not sweet nothings whispered over candle- lit dinners either, Steiger for all intents and purposes is a man's man. One, whom perhaps has lost his purpose, particularly in the Army, where they act now only as peacekeepers.

The film itself is quite slow and methodical and not really for a modern audience. But, for a character-driven drama, with Steiger both convincing and good, it passes muster. The script follows in the same vein as the direction.

It must also have been quite a brave role for Steiger to take as its subject was still taboo, especially in the macho world of the Military and any associations with that taboo could seriously affect an actor's reputation. The fact that Amazon don't list it as a region 2 DVD means that it must be a little-seen rarity. Kind of understandable. But, if you can catch it on TV, it's worth a look, I'd say.

It's not just what THE SERGEANT is about, or even who it's about... an American Second World War war hero returning to France the following decade for a peacetime gig, that's not quite as risky or daring: A Master Sergeant of basically mechanics, comfortably wielding his old-school, tough-as-nails approach to shape things up when both someone and something distracts him...

MSgt. Albert Callan is an extremely closeted closet homosexual, and on the surface, Rod Steiger portrays a lonely lifer who finally found a true friend he can mentor and/or simply hang around with. Of course it's more than that; but as a film from 1968 about 1952, John Flynn directs with a unique, strategic prowess perfectly matching Steiger's creepy-harsh yet desperately sympathetic performance.

On the other side is the contentedly handsome John Phillip Law, who usually plays wooden characters, yet he plays them well. Here his targeted private to Steiger's subtle style of persuasive bullying... after being reluctantly shifted from an outdoor job to office clerk... is, in its own way, equal to the commanding/demanding title role...

His is an oblivious, innocent reaction to the kind of awkward, painfully intriguing, passive/aggressive action that only Steiger could effectively pull off (and that Simon Oakland begged for) within a sparse and subtle maze countered only by French starlet Ludmila Mikaël as Law's town-next-door girlfriend, caught in the middle of something that would not only be considered impossible, but never be considered in the first place.

And yet, the controversial plot aside, Flynn's THE SERGEANT is an outright buddy flick bromance coinciding with the gentle male/female love story. Surprisingly, it's the latter that involves no seduction at all.

When Hollywood made this film about homosexuality we were still in the dark ages. Homosexuals were either mincing queens, outright villains or deeply troubled sociopaths like the one Rod Steiger plays here. He's the kind of a man who won't admit to his feelings and who hides his passion for an extremely beautiful young soldier. played by John Phillip Law, under the guise of friendship. What distinguishes the film is Steiger's performance. It's a tour-de-force and among the best of his career. Steiger was to degenerate into the most appalling ham but here he was at the top of his game. He makes you forget the character is a cliché; he fleshes him out and turns him into a tragically flawed human being. It's just a pity the writer, Dennis Murphy who adapted the film from his own novel, saw fit to equate his psychosis with his homosexuality.

Law is pretty as well as being pretty vacant. On a physical level what gay man wouldn't be attracted to him but as one of the characters in "The Boys in the Band" says, you're hardly likely to have a conversation with him in the morning. Needless to say his career never went anywhere except to Europe. The movie itself adds up to a half-decent character study, (it's chiefly a two-hander and director John Flynn keeps it tight and focused, it draws you in), but it still probably put the cause of gay politics on screen back by about a decade.

Homosexuality as something shameful and perverted. Such is the nature of the theme here, circa 1968, and time has made this much worse for the wear. A closeted Army sergeant is attracted to a handsome new recruit on a French Army Post; he hates himself for having these feelings, masks his emotions by being impossible and brutish (particularly to the man he desires). What follows is suspensefully drawn out, very well acted, serious...and yet seriously clichéd. In the lead, Rod Steiger stomps about like a frustrated bull; though his presence is quite imposing and, as an actor, he helps mount all the tension in this scenario, Steiger is being used as a plot-tool in these proceedings, and the movie is a one trick pony. John Phillip Law does some of his finest work, and the atmosphere and surroundings are certainly well captured, but "The Sergeant" isn't really useful anymore--except as a sad flashback to the past. ** from ****

When Rod Steiger got to his new base the way he treated the soldiers reminded me of Clint Eastwood in "Heart Break Ridge" These soldiers were so use to no command that they just did what ever they wanted. After that Rod Is no Clint on any level but still a movie to watch and understand what they were trying to do.

I believe this is one of the most sensitive films about hiding your gayness in the military. Even though it takes place many years prior to the 'don't ask don't tell' motto, it speaks of the difficulties a gay man must cope with.

Now that the industry has lost one of its more brilliant character actors, I hope this movie will find its way to DVD, along with "The Loved One" which has been on moritorium for some time.

Interesting timing, showing this on TCM as the US Congress is supposed to be having hearings on repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell right about now.

I didn't find this film to be particularly good. The title character was kind of a cardboard caricature (suggestive bottle rubbing? hot dogs? really?) and you never get into his mind at all except for the black and white. The Sergeant in The Sergeant is basically The Thing in the The Thing. What a missed opportunity.

The parallels between the army preventing the Sergeant from openly acting on his desires, and the Sergeant trying to do the same to Swanson were probably lost on most viewers (including myself until now). I wish that angle had been examined a bit more.

I think the overall pacing was too slow for today's audiences. Gay people aren't some shocking secret to be discovered or pitied any more. Being admired by a gay man isn't the horror it might have seemed decades ago. But it's an interesting peek into an unpleasant history, and does still have something to say about sexual harassment and the abuse of power in the military.

I think this film would be a good companion to the 2009 documentary Outrage, which isn't about the military, but does get a bit more into the mindset of closeted conservative gay people in power. When you force people to hide their true selves, it shouldn't be surprising they act out in inappropriate ways.

Also, the 2003 TV movie Soldier's Girl, based on a true story, tackles anti-gay violence in the military. Yossi & Jagger from 2002 covers a more welcome relationship between one officer and his commanding officer.

This film was recently released on DVD as part of the Warner Archive series. Rod Steiger gives a powerful performance as the tough master Sergeant who is attracted to one of the soldiers. He becomes completely obsessed with this guy giving him special treatment, then taking it back. The one strange thing is how the soldier he was giving all the attention to, did not notice that something was definitely strange and bizarre. It is sad when the Sergeant addresses the men toward the end of the film. Steiger, and John Phillip Law are both very good in this film. The film is not restored, but the color and sound is acceptable. It could have used a slight remastering.

From executive producer Robert Wise and debuting director John Flynn comes this once shocking, still feverish character study of repressed homosexuality in the military. Front and center and in your face is the positively unglued performance by Rod Steiger. As the tortured titular closet case (who discovers his inner Bruno while crushing a man's windpipe), Steiger brings a whole new dimension to Method-driven scenery-chewing.

This boy devours anything that isn't nailed down -- costars, script pages, film stock, and judging from the extra pounds he's packing, every Twinkie, Ding Dong and Ho Ho on the craft service table.

Small wonder he's got the munchies -- the real object of Sergeant Steiger's appetite is hunky private John Philip Law, who spends the bulk of the movie blissfully unaware of his top kick's desire.

It's a slow burn affair, taking its time to get inside the Sarge's skin to expose his loneliness and isolation, building in intensity to an explosive climax. And with ol' Rod doing the exploding, we're talking one hell of a nuclear kablooey.

All told, a harrowing, mesmerizing and steigeringly overwrought experience.

I hate to be condescending but the first few minutes were an important plot device. Please try imagining killing a young boy with your bare hands regardless of the circumstances. Imagine a man seeking absolution while condemning and punishing himself all the while. And are you ready for this: He wasn't necessarily even homosexual. Yes, this film is a psychological horror/drama!

By our reviews some are affronted by the handling of the subject matter and feel it makes the film outdated while forgetting this is a period piece. If you'd like to be transported back to France a few years after the war and are interested in the people of the period then you may appreciate the film as it is presented.

The great Rod Steiger was a craftsman who sought out the most thought provoking scripts and, as a twist, brought out the best from his directors. If you didn't appreciate "The Pawnbroker" you might certainly avoidt "The Sergeant".

This was an extremely controversial film for its time. It is well acted, especially by Rod Steiger. The supporting cast, for the most part, is okay. The film is very slow paced and most of the cast appear as very dull, listless and without any real energy. What I felt was weird throughout the movie was that numerous people would say how there is something strange about Rod Steiger's character. Seems that as soon as Steiger arrives at the military base that everyone developed homosexual panic. Why would a career master sargent suddenly make every other soldier uncomfortable. A lot of sexual symbolism throughout, a lot of strange stares for no good reason and of course everyone is in a homosexual panic. John Phillip Law was so wooden and void of emotion that it is hard to believe that anyone, male or female could be romantically interested in him. Outdated today, but still interesting.

Cliché? No more than a thousand other films that make melodrama of the agony of unrequited love. What makes the film unique is not just that The Sargeant was "secretly" homosexual, what makes it unique is that he was TOO OLD (and fat!) for Swanson, who was obviously a "hottie", and more likely just plain heterosexual anyway.

It's impossible to watch this film and not be somewhat awed by the performance of Rod Steiger, who doesn't speak a word until ten minutes into the film, but his silent performance at the end still screams in your gut as the closing credits roll.

Did Swanson feel guilty for not helping out the old guy, or just pity because The Sargeant was a pervert? This question is left unanswered at the end of the film. It is as vital and important today as it was when released. It tells a story not only of general attitudes toward homosexuality at the time, but the never-ending story of young men's indifference to the attentions of fat old supervisors.

Seriously, the WB Archive DVD looks very good, but it's easy to see how a full restoration of the film could look exceptionally good. The important thing is that the film not be overlooked because the gay man doesn't get his guy.