Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site bbncca.ARPA
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!bbncca!sdyer
From: sdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Re: "A Soldier's Story"
Message-ID: <976@bbncca.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 30-Sep-84 21:11:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: bbncca.976
Posted: Sun Sep 30 21:11:22 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Oct-84 05:05:30 EDT
References: <1280@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma.
Lines: 27

I agree with Peter Reiher about this movie, and though it is flawed,
I definitely recommend that everyone see it.

I liked the audaciousness of the film itself, for it is rare to
see a Hollywood movie with an almost completely black cast, and
no "name" stars (with the exception of Howard E. Rollins Jr., who
made a big name for himself in "Ragtime" a few years ago.)

The acting is quite good, especially the sargent, Adolph Caesar,
and the ensemble of black recruits.  Howard E. Rollins, Jr. is
OK, but seems rather uncomfortable with his character, which IS
severely underwritten.  Often he comes off as a latter-day Sidney
Poitier character, all Dignity but little complexity.  Other than that,
I found the script and Norman Jewison's direction surprisingly
subtle, without any easy answers.  Even the white officers are not
written off as simply racist clowns, though their actions often
would suggest it.

I would classify this movie in the same category as "The Great Santini"
and "An Officer and a Gentlemen", though perhaps dealing with a
stronger social theme than either: well-crafted, though not perfect,
engaging the audience without insulting its intelligence.  This past
Saturday when I saw it, the audience loved it.
-- 
/Steve Dyer
{decvax,linus,ima}!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA