Benedito Dias Rodrigues This picture strangely passed by me and l didn't have another oppotunity to see on TV again,now on very first time on DVD which l'd bought years before, Although it is very predicable,the writter gave a clue when the Sergeant was killed by their own people,it was so clear that spoil the whole story,but the main target of the movie never was sergeant's behavior,but the message to reach the audience about the real facts during World War 2,when black soldiers never were accepted in same places with white soldiers,more they didn't have any recognition from the Army,including medals of honour after risking their lives for homeland....worst making every kind of dirtiest job in the army.....in the bonus has a little doc about that matter,shame for a country which has two kind of people!!Resume:First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8

lathe-of-heaven I normally do not gravitate toward films dealing with social issues, or as in this case, Racism, per se, although there are a number of excellent films on these kinds of subjects. But, there was a certain 'Something' about this one; a certain 'Magic' that probably can be primarily attributed to the actors and the outstandingly BRILLIANT job that they did.A VERY low budget film; you really have to hand it to Norman Jewison for pulling it off so damn well! I believe that this was only Denzel Washington's 2nd film. WOW, can you ever tell what a powerhouse talent and presence that he was to become. Adolph Caesar who rightfully received the Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance was fantastic!I think also what really makes this film resonate more strongly is that, as Jewison said in the commentary, being either white or black, many people can truly relate to these characters. He also said that this was probably the first film which gave such a substantial insight into the African-American psyche of those at the time and especially the ones in the military. I also appreciated the excellent theme of racism within one's own people. It was truly quite powerful...Like I mention in my summary, this basic type of film is not normally within my most favorite Genres; I usually gravitate much more towards Science Fiction, Horror, and Film Noir. But, as I do with all of my reviews here, I really try to evaluate or describe a film based upon how WELL it is done, no matter the Genre. Well, let me tell you... this film is truly one of the very best, especially about these issues. You not only have amazing performances by very gifted actors, but you also have a lovely score by Herbie Hancock, who in my estimation as a music lover and Audiophile for over 30 years (and a vinyl / digital audio collection of some 15,000 albums) he is ABSOLUTELY one of THE best musicians / composers alive. And what is more, the soundtrack on this film is COMPLETELY improvised; and trust me, when it comes to Jazz, improvisation IS the very essence of absolute aural beauty! And, if that were not enough... you also have an expertly crafted murder mystery along with everything else.I can not recommend this film highly enough. If this is the type of movie that you like and you really appreciate excellent performances, then you should fully enjoy this rare, quality film...

mformoviesandmore I suppose the big thing for this movie is that most of the actors are black and it seeks to portray conditions in the military during the time of WWII.I, on the other hand, was just looking to watch a good murder mystery.What I got was the equivalent of "In The Heat Of The Night" if it was put on by your local amateur dramatics society.The murder story is nothing startling or new. Somebody is killed, various people are suspected and eventually the guilty person is found. You can do your own guessing, but it doesn't take an Einstein.What put me off is that the acting is not very good. Other than the Sargent I didn't feel that any of the characters offered anything beyond the clichéd characters role they were handed.

Lee Eisenberg In something that could only come from Norman Jewison, a murder on a military base during WWII sets off a series of racial tensions. The Deep South setting creates the same sort of feeling that Jewison's "In the Heat of the Night" did, what with different kinds of tension. Nowadays, we may just want to watch it to see one of Denzel Washington's early roles (I believe that he wasn't very famous when "A Soldier's Story" came out). But I would say that it's a lot more than that, as you can feel everything about to explode. Very tense.So I recommend it. Also starring Howard E. Rollins Jr., Adolph Caesar, David Alan Grier and Patti LaBelle. As it is, this one and "The Color Purple" are Adolph Caesar's only two starring roles to my knowledge. And how many African-Americans are named Adolph?