''A Soldier's Story'' is a 1984 American mystery

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed and produced by

Norman Jewison Norman Frederick Jewison (July 21, 1926 – January 20, 2024) was a Canadian filmmaker. He was known for directing films which addressed topical Social issue, social and political issues, often making controversial or complicated subjects acces ...

, adapted by Charles Fuller from his

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

-winning '' A Soldier's Play''. It is a murder mystery set in a segregated regiment of the U.S Army commanded by White officers and training in the Jim Crow South. In a time and place where a Black

commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer (NCO), or a warrant officer. However, absent ...

is bitterly resented by nearly everyone, an African-American JAG captain investigates the murder of an African-American drill sergeant in

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

following American entry into World War II. As the investigation proceeds, the events leading up to the sergeant's murder are shown in flashbacks. The cast is led by

Howard Rollins Howard Ellsworth Rollins Jr. (October 17, 1950 – December 8, 1996) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He was best known for his role as Andrew Young in 1978's ''King (TV miniseries), King'', George Haley in the 1979 miniseries '' ...

and Adolph Caesar. Other actors include Art Evans, David Alan Grier, Larry Riley, David Harris, Robert Townsend, and

Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B singer and actress. She has been referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godmother of Soul". LaBelle began ...

Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles Denzel Washington on screen and stage, on stage and screen, Washington has received List of awards and nominations ...

, still at the beginning of his career, appears in a supporting role. Several actors reprise their roles from the stage version. The film premiered at the 1984 Toronto International Film Festival and was both a critical and commercial success. It received three

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

nominations: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Adolph Caesar. The film was ranked by the

National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered the first major harbinger of the film awards season that ...

as one of the 10 best films of 1984, and it won the Golden Prize at the 14th Moscow International Film Festival.

Plot

In 1944 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Vernon Waters, a

master sergeant A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries. Israel Defense Forces The (abbreviated "", master sergeant) is a non-commissioned officer () rank in the Israel Defense Force ...

in a company of Black soldiers, is shot to death with a .45 caliber pistol outside Fort Neal, a segregated

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

base in

. Captain Richard Davenport, a Black officer from the

Judge Advocate General's Corps The Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG or JAG Corps) is the military justice branch or specialty of the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called judge advocates ...

, is sent to investigate. Most assume Waters was killed by the local

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to KKK or Klan, is an American Protestant-led Christian terrorism, Christian extremist, white supremacist, Right-wing terrorism, far-right hate group. It was founded in 1865 during Reconstruction era, ...

, but others are doubtful. Even Captain Taylor, the only White officer who wants the killers prosecuted, is uncooperative and patronizing, fearing a Black officer will have little success. Davenport soon discovers that whenever the Klan murders Black soldiers, they strip them of their military insignia, whereas the body of Sgt. Waters was found wearing an intact uniform. Davenport learns that Waters's company was officially part of the 221st Chemical Smoke Generator Battalion. They are kept on the Home Front and assigned menial jobs. Most are former players from the Negro baseball league, grouped to play ball with Waters as manager. Private James Wilkie, a former sergeant Waters busted for being drunk on duty, describes Waters as a combat veteran who was awarded with the

Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

by the

Third French Republic The French Third Republic (, sometimes written as ) was the system of government adopted in France from 4 September 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed during the Franco-Prussian War, until 10 July 1940, after the Fall of France duri ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He also says that Waters was a strict disciplinarian but a fair NCO who got on well with his men, especially baseball pitcher and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

musician C.J. Memphis. Private Peterson reveals Waters's tyrannical nature and his disgust with Black soldiers from the rural South who lacked education, or who spoke in

Gullah language Gullah (also called Gullah-English, Sea Island Creole English, and Geechee) is a creole language spoken by the Gullah people (also called "Geechees" within the community), an African American population living in coastal regions of South Car ...

. Peterson also recalls how he beat up Waters when the sergeant berated the men after a winning game. Interviewing other soldiers, Davenport learns that Waters charged Memphis with the murder of a White MP after a search conducted by Wilkie turned up a recently discharged pistol under his bunk. Waters provoked Memphis into hitting him, and while the murder charge was dismissed, he was charged with striking a superior officer. Davenport next interrogates Memphis's best friend Corporal Bernard Cobb. Cobb recalls visiting Memphis in the

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...

, where he told Cobb of a visit in which Waters admitted the planted gun was part of a frame-up. Waters viewed " Geechees", as he termed uneducated southern Blacks like Memphis, as an obstacle to racial equality and the success of the future African American upper class. Davenport also learns from Cobb that Memphis, who suffered from claustrophobia, hanged himself while awaiting his

court-martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the arme ...

. In protest, the baseball team threw the season's last game. Taylor disbanded the team, and the players were reassigned to the 221st. Davenport learns that racist White officers Captain Wilcox and Lieutenant Byrd had an altercation with Waters shortly before his death. While being interrogated by Davenport and Taylor at the officer's club, Wilcox and Byrd admit to assaulting a guilt-ridden Waters after he confronted them in a drunken tirade. They admit that they would have killed him, but only men on guard duty are issued .45 ammunition when the unit is on bivouac. Immediately after learning of Waters's murder, both officers turned in their side-arms, and ballistics testing cleared them. Davenport interrogates Wilkie, who admits he planted the gun under Memphis's bunk on Waters's orders. Wilkie also reveals that Waters had told him the real reasons for his hatred of Gullah-speaking southern Blacks like Memphis. While serving with the AEF in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, a Black soldier in Waters's unit had, at the urging of racist White Doughboys, humiliated them all by dressing up and acting like a monkey in front of the French girls at a

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

. In retaliation, Waters and his enraged fellow Black Doughboys slit the soldier's throat. Davenport demands to know why Waters did not also frame Peterson after their fight. Wilkie explains that Waters liked Peterson, as he spoke proper English and stood up for himself. Davenport has Wilkie arrested just as the 221st is about to be shipped out to join the fight overseas. Realizing Peterson and Smalls were on guard duty the night of the murder and thus had been issued .45 ammunition, Davenport interrogates Smalls. He confesses to watching as Peterson fatally shot Waters, claiming it was "justice" for Memphis and for all Black people. Taylor congratulates Davenport on the arrests of Wilkie, Peterson, and Smalls, admitting that he will have to get used to Negroes being commissioned officers. Meanwhile, the platoon marches in preparation for their deployment to the

European theater The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main Theater (warfare), theatres of combat during World War II, taking place from September 1939 to May 1945. The Allies of World War II, Allied powers (including the United Kingdom, the ...

of war.

Cast

* Howard E. Rollins Jr. as CPT. Richard Davenport * Adolph Caesar as MSG. Vernon Waters * Art Evans as PVT. James Wilkie * David Alan Grier as CPL. Bernard Cobb * David Harris as PVT. Tony Smalls *

as PFC. Melvin Peterson * Dennis Lipscomb as CPT. Charles Taylor * Larry Riley as PVT. C.J. Memphis * Robert Townsend as CPL. Ellis * William Allen Young as PVT. Henson *

John Hancock John Hancock ( – October 8, 1793) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father, merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot of the American Revolution. He was the longest-serving Presi ...

as SGT. Washington *

as Big Mary *

Trey Wilson Donald Yearnsley "Trey" Wilson III (January 21, 1948 – January 16, 1989) was an American character actor known for playing rural, authoritarian-type characters, most notably in comedies such as ''Raising Arizona'' and ''Bull Durham''. Career D ...

as COL. Nivens * Wings Hauser as LT. Byrd * Scott Paulin as CPT. Wilcox * Mike Williams as PFC. Oscar * Bob Swanson as boy on raft

Production

Jewison and many of the cast members worked for scale or less under a tight budget with

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

. "No one really wanted to make this movie... a black story, it was based on

, and those themes were not popular at the box office", according to Jewison.

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

turned it down, as did Universal and

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

. Columbia's

Frank Price Frank Price (born May 17, 1930) is an American retired television writer and film studio executive. He held a number of executive positions including head of Universal TV; president, and later chairman and CEO, of Columbia Pictures; and presid ...

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 The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is an entertainment guild that represents the interests of Film director, film and Television director, television directors in the United States motion picture industry and abroad. Founded as the Screen Dir ...

insisted he must have a fee, he agreed to take the lowest possible amount. The film ended up grossing $22.1 million. Howard E. Rollins, Jr. had just received an Oscar nomination for his role in ''

Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...

'' and was cast as the lead. Most of the cast came from Broadway careers, but only Adolph Caesar,

, Larry Riley and William Allen Young appeared in both the movie and the original off-Broadway play with the

Negro Ensemble Company The Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) is a New York City-based theater company and workshop established in 1967 by producer-actor Robert Hooks, playwright Douglas Turner Ward, and theater manager Gerald S. Krone, with funding from the Ford Foundatio ...

in the

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

version. In a 1985 interview with the

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

, Caesar stated, while crafting the character of Waters, he drew on his frustrating experiences with both

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...

and ignorance in

Classical theatre Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for a classical period, classical antiquity in the Western tradition, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. In its purest form, classicism is an aesthe ...

, "I’d studied

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

to death. I knew more about Shakespeare than Shakespeare knew about himself. After I did one season at a Shakespearean repertory company, a director said to me, ‘You have a marvelous voice. You know the king’s English well. You speak

iambic pentameter Iambic pentameter ( ) is a type of metric line used in traditional English poetry and verse drama. The term describes the rhythm, or meter, established by the words in each line. Meter is measured in small groups of syllables called feet. "Iambi ...

. My suggestion is that you go to New York and get a good colored role.' Waters has tried his best, but no matter what you do, they still hate you." ''A Soldier's Story'' was shot entirely in

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

. The "Tynin" exterior scenes were shot in three days in Clarendon. The baseball sequence was filmed in

Little Rock Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

at the historic Lamar Porter Field.

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

(then Governor of

) 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 Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center, also known as Fort Chaffee, is an Arkansas Army National Guard Military base, installation located in western Arkansas, adjacent to the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Fort Smith. Established as Camp C ...

United States Army Ready Reserve base at Fort Smith. Fuller had said

Herman Melville Herman Melville (Name change, born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance (literature), American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works ar ...

's novella ''

Billy Budd ''Billy Budd, Sailor (An Inside Narrative)'', also known as ''Billy Budd, Foretopman'', is a novella by American writer Herman Melville, left unfinished at his death in 1891. Acclaimed by critics as a masterpiece when a hastily transcribed vers ...

'' inspired the play.

Reception

The film holds a 91% rating on

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

from a sample of 22 critics. The site's consensus reads, "A meticulously crafted murder mystery with incisive observations about race in America, ''A Soldier's Story'' benefits from a roundly excellent ensemble and Charles Fuller's politically urgent screenplay".

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Soldiers Story, A 1984 films 1984 drama films 1980s mystery films African-American drama films African-American films American films based on plays American mystery films Columbia Pictures films Edgar Award–winning works 1980s English-language films Films about race and ethnicity Films about racism in the United States Films about the United States Army Films directed by Norman Jewison Films scored by Herbie Hancock Films set in 1944 Films set in Louisiana Films set on the United States home front during World War II Films shot in Arkansas American World War II films 1980s American films English-language mystery films