On Feb. 10, Tuesday Nights at the Movies celebrates Oscar season by screening “A Soldier’s Story.” Directed by Norman Jewison (“In the Heat of the Night,” “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Moonstruck”) and adapted from his Pulitzer Prize-winning “A Soldier’s Play” by Philadelphia’s own Charles Fuller, the film is a murder mystery with a sharp examination of race, identity and justice in the America of the 1940s.
Set on a segregated U.S. Army base in Jim Crow Louisiana during World War II, the movie begins with the killing of Sgt. Vernon Waters and unfolds as Capt. Richard Davenport is sent to investigate the crime. Suspicion immediately points to the Ku Klux Klan, and the Army sends a lawyer from Washington to handle the investigation. The Army lawyer is Black and the first officer of color most of the people on the base have ever seen.
The murder mystery is less about who committed the crime and more about why. Through flashbacks and interrogations, the story reveals deep internal conflicts among Black soldiers who face racism not only from the white military hierarchy but also within their own ranks. The character of Waters is especially complex. Waters is both a victim and a deeply flawed man whose harsh treatment of other Black soldiers stems from his belief in respectability and survival within a racist system.
In an Oscar-nominated performance, Adolph Caesar delivers a haunting portrayal of Waters. Caesar’s performance made him one of the most memorable characters in 1980s cinema. Fresh off his Oscar-nominated performance in “Ragtime,” Howard E. Rollins Jr. provides a riveting performance as Davenport
Director Norman Jewison avoids melodrama, allowing the tension to build naturally. The dialogue is sharp, and the pacing keeps the audience engaged while encouraging reflection rather than easy answers.
Overall, “A Soldier’s Story” is more than a crime drama. The film is thoughtful and courageous and confronts uncomfortable truths about racism, power, and self-hatred. Forty-plus years later, it remains relevant, impactful, and must-see cinema.
Several cast members reprise their roles from the Negro Ensemble Company production of the play, led by Rollins and Caesar. Other cast members include Art Evans, David Alan Grier, Larry Riley, Patti LaBelle and Robert Townsend, in one of his first movie roles.
In an early role that helped to launch his career, Denzel Washington delivers a powerful performance as Pfc. Melvin Peterson.
“A Soldier’s Story” received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Caesar.
Utilizing a state-of-the-art laser projector, “A Soldier’s Story” (101 min.) screens at Woodmere at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10, as part of the Tuesday Nights at the Movies series in partnership with the Chestnut Hill Film Group. Light refreshments will be provided prior to the screening. Tuesday Nights at the Movies screenings are free to the public, but donations are gratefully accepted. Woodmere is located at 9201 Germantown Ave. in Chestnut Hill. For more information, contact 215-247-0476 or woodmereartmuseum.org, or visit Chestnut Hill Film Group on social media.
Please check Woodmere’s website the day of the screening for weather-related cancellations. Tuesday Nights at the Movies will be on hiatus for the next three weeks, resuming on March 10 with “Working Girl.”
Norris Benns is a board member of the Chestnut Hill Film Group.
