History Film / ASoldiersStory

A 1984 wartime drama/mystery film directed by Creator/NormanJewison, ''A Soldier's Story'' was adapted by screenwriter Charles Fuller from his own UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning 1982 off-Broadway play ''Theatre/ASoldiersPlay'', which was also a loose SettingUpdate of ''Literature/BillyBudd''. The film stars [[Creator/HowardRollins Howard E. Rollins Jr.]] and Adolph Caesar, with a supporting cast that includes Creator/DenzelWashington, Dennis Lipscomb, Art Evans, Larry Riley, and Creator/DavidAlanGrier; Caesar, Washington, and Riley had all originated their roles in the play. Jazz great Music/HerbieHancock composed the film's score.

* BerserkButton: Sgt. Waters ''hates'' "[[UncleTomfoolery geechies]]".

A 1984 wartime drama/mystery film directed by Creator/NormanJewison, ''A Soldier's Story'' was adapted by screenwriter Charles Fuller from his own UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning 1982 off-Broadway play ''A Soldier's Play'', which was also a loose SettingUpdate of ''Literature/BillyBudd''. The film stars [[Creator/HowardRollins Howard E. Rollins Jr.]] and Adolph Caesar, with a supporting cast that includes Creator/DenzelWashington, Dennis Lipscomb, Art Evans, Larry Riley, and Creator/DavidAlanGrier; Caesar, Washington, and Riley had all originated their roles in the play. Jazz great Music/HerbieHancock composed the film's score.

A 1984 wartime drama/mystery film directed by Creator/NormanJewison, ''A Soldier's Story'' was adapted by screenwriter Charles Fuller from his own UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning 1982 off-Broadway play ''A Soldier's Play'', which was also a loose SettingUpdate of ''Literature/BillyBudd''. The film stars Howard E. Rollins Jr. and Adolph Caesar, with a supporting cast that includes Creator/DenzelWashington, Dennis Lipscomb, Art Evans, Larry Riley, and Creator/DavidAlanGrier; Caesar, Washington, and Riley had all originated their roles in the play. Jazz great Music/HerbieHancock composed the film's score.

* SocietyMarchesOn: The term "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah Geechee]]" is almost unknown now.

* EnsignNewbie: Inverted with Wilkie. He's pretty old for an ensign, but it's revealed that Waters demoted him from lieutenant. Wilkie harbors a ton of resentment for that because Waters should have just dressed him down, not taken his stripes.

* FamousLastWords:
-->'''Waters:''' They still... ''hate'' YOU!
* HeelRealization: Waters as mentioned in FamousLastWords and VillainousBreakdown.

* VaulesDissonance: Granted it’s 1940’s Louisiana so casual racism was very strong but Lieutenant Byrd referring to Waters (who’s clearly middle aged) “boy” stands out the most.

* VaulesDissonance: Granted it’s 1940’s Louisiana so casual racism was very strong but Lieutenant Bryd referring to Waters (who’s clearly middle aged) “boy” stands out.

* EveryoneHasStandards: Lieutenant Byrd stood by while Waters got shoved around by his friend and subjected to racial slurs (although he doesn't use any himself) and seems uncomfortable being questioned by a black man, but insists that he's a doctor, and that he didn't kill Waters, and takes his oath as a doctor seriously.

The setting is the segregated black U.S. Army base of Fort Neal, Louisiana in 1944, during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. Sergeant Vernon Waters (Caesar) has been murdered by an unknown shooter. Captain Richard Davenport (Rollins) is sent in from the JAG Corps to investigate the killing. At first, the UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan or racist white soldiers are suspected of the crime. Through his investigation, Davenport discovers the truth that racism indeed played a part, but not in the way he was expecting...

[[quoteright:299:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e6afc0ac4104923c962d774292837f06.jpg]]

A 1984 wartime drama/mystery film directed by Norman Jewison, ''A Soldier's Story'' was adapted by screenwriter Charles Fuller from his own UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning 1982 off-Broadway play ''A Soldier's Play'', which was also a loose SettingUpdate of ''Literature/BillyBudd''. The film stars Howard E. Rollins Jr. and Adolph Caesar, with a supporting cast that includes Creator/DenzelWashington, Dennis Lipscomb, Art Evans, Larry Riley, and Creator/DavidAlanGrier; Caesar, Washington, and Riley had all originated their roles in the play. Jazz great Music/HerbieHancock composed the film's score.

* AssholeVictim: The film opens with [[spoiler:Sgt. Water's death]] and there is initial shock, horror and concern at the event. As the story unfolds and his character is revealed, it shifts into this trope.

* ButtMonkey: Wilkie is first seen being ridiculed (not maliciously) by the other men. Later his role is more dramatic when [[spoiler:he was dragged into framing C.J. by Waters.]]

* HeroicBSOD: Davenport [[spoiler:when he realizes the tragedy of the case and how racism had driven C.J. to suicide, turned Waters into a hated wretch, and turned Peterson into a murderer.]]

A 1984 wartime drama/mystery film directed by Norman Jewison, ''A Soldier's Story'' was adapted by screenwriter Charles Fuller from his own UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning 1982 off-Broadway play ''A Soldier's Play'', which was also a loose SettingUpdate of ''Literature/BillyBudd''. The film stars Howard E. Rollins Jr. and Adolph Caesar, with a supporting cast that includes Creator/DenzelWashington, Dennis Lipscomb, Art Evans, Larry Riley, and David Alan Grier; Caesar, Washington, and Riley had all originated their roles in the play. Jazz great Music/HerbieHancock composed the film's score.

* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Peterson calls Waters out early on for his DrillSergeantNasty treatment of the men, and Waters agrees to a "fair" fight with the other Colored troops to watch. Waters proceeds to cheat during the fight and pummels Peterson into unconsciousness. [[spoiler:In his own twisted way, Waters respected Peterson for it and planned on promoting him.]]

* TragicVillain: Sgt. Waters may have been a cruel man who [[spoiler:framed C.J. But he never intended for the young man to take his own life.]]

* VillainousBreakdown: Waters never intended [[spoiler:for C.J. to commit suicide]].

** While the black soldier in Paris accepting payment to dress up and behave like a monkey was an ignorant choice on his part that reflected poorly on the other black soldiers, [[spoiler:Sgt. Waters and some fellow soldiers decide to punish him by slitting his throat]].

!!This film provides examples of:

* HeroicBSOD: Davenport [[spoiler:when he realizes the tragedy of the case and how racism had driven C.J. to suicide, Waters into a hated wretch, and Peterson into a murderer.]]

The setting is the segregated black U.S. Army base of Fort Neal, Louisiana in 1944, during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. Sergeant Vernon Waters (Caesar) has been murdered by an unknown shooter. Captain Richard Davenport (Rollins) is sent in from the JAG Corps to investigate the killing. At first, the Klan or racist white soldiers are suspected of the crime. Through his investigation, Davenport discovers the truth that racism indeed played a part, but not in the way he was expecting...

* SocietyMarchesOn: The term "Geechee" is almost unknown now.

-->'''Waters:''' They still... '''hate YOU!!!'''

-->'''Byrd:''' We've been short on [[spoiler:45 caliber ammo]] for six months. It's for [=MPs=] and special duty people only.

-->'''Wilkie:''' He ''despised'' C.J.!

** [[spoiler:"Besides, we've been short on .45 caliber ammo for what, six months? It's for [=MPs=] and special duty people only."]]

* HeroicBSOD: Davenport [[spoiler:when he realizes just how far racism had driven C.J. to suicide, Waters into a hated wretch, Peterson into a murderer... and himself having just judged Peterson the same way Peterson and Waters were judging others.]]

** It turns out that [[spoiler:Sgt. Waters set up C.J. only because he thought C.J. was being a stereotypical "Geechee". He even reveals to C.J. that he has done this before to others under his command.]]
** As detestable as it was [[spoiler:Sgt. Waters and his fellow soldiers took it too far for killing another black soldier just because the said soldier acted stereotypical because he was paid to.]]

* HannibalLecture: Waters gives a disturbing monologue [[spoiler:to Wilkie]] about how he much he is repulsed by Blacks that cater to the stereotypical images of their race.
-->'''Waters:''' Do you know the damage one ignorant Negro can do? We were in France in the First War. We'd won decorations, but the white boys had told all them French gals that we had tails. And they found this ignorant Colored soldier, paid him to tie a tail to his ass and run around half-naked making monkey sounds. They put him on a big round table in the Cafe Napoleon, put a reed in his hand, a crown on his head, blanket on his shoulders and made him eat ''bananas'' in front of all them Frenchies! The white boys danced and passed out leaflets with his picture on it. Called him "Moonshine, King of the Monkeys!"\\
When we slit his throat, you know that fool asked us what he had done wrong...?