I wrote this in another post...but Sgt. Waters may very well be the most interesting black character ever put on film. The depth of the man is astonishing and if you ask 50 black people, you might get a split on how they view him. When I was younger, it was easy to write him off as a self hating Uncle Tom. And I think there were remnants of that in there by design. But it's SO CLEAR that there's much more to him than that. If anything, I think he cares TOO MUCH about his people...to the point of losing perspective of how different black people can be. When you consider it's based in WWII (the early 1940's), it makes a lot of sense. This is before Dr. King, hell this is before Jackie Robinson. Robert Townsend's character mentions Joe Louis' knockout of Max Schmeling...that literally may have been the stateside highlight of black people en masse in the United States at that time. I say stateside because Jesse Owens completely obliterated Adolf Hitler's notions of white supremacy in the 1936 Olympics, but that was in Germany. So, we're still segregated and there's still the vestiges of second class citizenship in the U.S., both north and south. So from Sgt. Waters' point of view, the only way to be on the level of white people is to beat them at their own game. You don't have any margin for error. Remember, this was an era when blacks were still being lynched for God's sake. So you have to be sharp, smart, hard working, and disciplined. That's why he rides those men...it's his way not to build them up, but to separate the ones he doesn't think fit this worldview of advancement. Remember, HE LIKES Peterson (Denzel Washington). They fight, but he respects his intelligence and toughness. CJ on the other hand, comes off as the simple, sambo, Geechie stereotype. Everything wrong with the PERCEPTION of black people in Sgt. Waters' eyes. That's really what it was about. He didn't really have a personal problem with CJ...the conversation he has with him in the prison kinda confirms that. It was just...business. The business of black advancement. And to get where he saw black people going, it had to be done with those values I spoke of and his Waters' eyes, CJ just didn't cut the muster. You wanna know how I come to this conclusion? It's in the end of the movie. He's drunk because he feels guilty about his responsibility in CJ hanging himself. He knows he drove him to do it. Fascinating considering he tells Wilkie about the man they killed in France that was willing to be "King of the Monkeys". And after all of those efforts to be seen as an example, to take his place with those white men he secretly despised, he comes to the stark reality that in his words, "They still hate you!" The irony is that Peterson and Waters come from two sides of the same coin, which really was the underlying theme of the movie. Hate in any form can be justified, but it is never productive. Waters hatred of the idea/perception simple, non race lifting black people...and Peterson's hatred of 'Uncle Tom' type men like Waters. Both were WRONG...and yet, both still persist today.
DAMN Man, you hit that nail right on it's head. Shit, that is a real good observation on the mind set during that time and era, some people don't take the time to research SHIT and go off on the the notion of what somebody else said. You made a lot of good points my man, WELL DONE...
Great breakdown and analysis of perspective based on BOTH... 1) The era and timeframe the movie was set in ( seperate water fountains, only one real generation after slavery, at least a half generation B4 the Civil Rights movement and Vietnam, MLK-Malcolm X-JFK, these were the children of slaves judging 'lost' grandchildren if slaves... Reminds me of the Butler how Whitaker's character's perspective and world view couldn't help but be different from his 'trouble-making-time-wasting "lost" son But he lived long enough to see his son has a hero, a patriot and joined him 2) As the OP stated though...being able to pick up the depth of the character and how his generational experience may have molded him many times means the consumer ( the reader/watcher) themselves have to be mature/cultured enough to 'get' it or ish flies over one's head. Again I didn't even want to see the Butler but it came on, on Father's Day my young adult son and I got caught up in 'what's this' from rhe opening scene...is that David Banner 'the rapper'...and couldn't stop watching Anyway the point is if you ask Forrest Whitaker's character ( the Dad aka The Butler) about his son, among other things the answer and thought pattern would definitely have to do with WHEN you asked him... How much life had he seen up into the time in which you asked the question...same thing here, I too am in my 40's ( late) and seeing thus movie and one like the Butler are seen in a different lense than they could have ever been seen 20-25 years ago So yeah as a no life experience kid you might see Sage ( as I did at one time) some kinda way, that's different than a more well-rounded person taking into account more context Some ppl like Denzel's character or The Butler's son have the luxury of being one-track driven because ppl before them laid the groundwork and passed the baton to a different type runner, not necessarily better just different Just like in sports, sometimes 'styles' and timing "make" some folks a God-like hero vs another baller that just never got 'da 💘 but was the ish, if looked back upon with sage eyes and perspective ( Dr. J...anybody?) We have to remember, by tge time we get to the 5th flow of experience and perspective...many haven't made it past the 2nd and sadly a lot never will....
YES!!! I always thought this was one of the best scenes in the movie. The entire mood changed and you could see the disgust and hate in Sergeant's eyes!!! Academy Award worthy scene.
And the cruel irony to this is what happened to Black GIs that earned those honors when they came back "home." The shame of a nation to treat soldiers that way.
@@davidcombs3617 Oh you mean like how quite a few were killed or beaten and a huge number of them were denied benefits? "What have you got to LOSE?" --Donald Trump (the guy that'll take it all once he finds out)
Sgt Waters went to a dark place when started telling that story. For the most part he seems like a very benign character with well meaning intentions but at the end of the story it ends up with him slitting someone's throat. Adolph was a great actor damn shame he died so young.
HE DESPISED HIM! That line is delivered so well.......this might be one of the powerful scenes in the entire movie.......this and the fight scene between Sarge and Petersen
A'Don Allen III "..it was a crazy kinda hate...you could just feeeel it." Art Evans is one of our country's finest character actors. Check him out in 'The Mighty Quinn', 'Trespass', 'Die Hard 2' and 'Jo Jo Dancer....'
Bet Spielberg must've the watched this film over and over until he finally got it in his mind to bring 'The Color Purple' to the big screen a year later. Wouldn't be surprised to find out if he had specifically requested Adolph Caesar for the supporting cast after putting down a career-defining performance in 'A Soldier's Story'. And yeah, that was one heck of a black cast! You can even tell Denzel as young as he was back then was gonna end up goin' places not long after this film... ;-)
@williamwooten6156 ....Oh Nah, He was angry about it But because he understood the Dynamic he Knew that OUR own people Needed to be policed First. We have to stop looking like Fools Before we are going to be Taken Seriously.
I mean, I don’t think you can even compare Erik Killmonger in the same breath as Waters. Waters had a justifiable hatred that was full of depth, even if he was an asshole, and in this scene we understand his plight entirely. That makes him a great complex character that we can hate, but at the very least identify with and understand. Killmonger, who is the villain in a superhero franchise that is targeted at the masses, is this generation’s version of someone who has “depth” and a similar philosophy - as Waters did - that can help justify his decision making and beliefs. In my opinion, he doesn’t even come close - and moreover, the plot of Black Panther is clunky, underwritten, and just plain bad compared to A Soldier’s Story, which won a Pulitzer.
my daddy told me we have to turn our backs on his kind Wilkie, close our ranks to the chitterlinks ( chitlins), Collard greens, cornbread style... lol oh shit!
It’s amazing how when I became an adult I got a complete understanding of Sgt Waters now I don’t agree about how he went about things but he was definitely on point!
@@zhadowblade Just be lucky he didn't go psycho like Gomer Pyle in _Full Metal Jacket._ But yes that fool soldier disgraced his rank, his squad, and his race. A honor killing, to be sure.
What an incredible scene. While I'm an old White dude, this gave me a tiny glimpse into the Black experience in America that I had never even thought of. Powerful acting and writing. Makes me tear up no matter how many times I see it.
“And when we slit his throat, do you know that fool asked us what he had done wrong?” “And I don’t intent for our race to be cheated out it’s place of honour and respect in this war because of fools like C.J.” Adolph Caesar’s acting and delivery is impeccable. One of the greatest scenes of all time, in my opinion.
Adolf Caesar played the hell out of this scene. Very powerful, tense & emotional scene. It just grabs your attention to his story. I saw this movie at the local movie theater. Too bad it was beaten out by Amadeus in the Academy Awards for Best Motion Picture. It' one hell of a movie.
Just as long as we recognize the movie for what it was! Doesn't matter what the Academy thinks..... This is 1of the few few movies that I can watch over and over again!
The way the background falls away when Sarge tells the story. Brilliant cinematography. Like you are descending past the veil and into the deep abyss of Sarge’s hatred and motivation. Also, the addition of “Mademoiselle from Armentieres” at the beginning of the story is brilliant.
As a Mexican-American I cringe every time I see a Hispanic dude with a shaved head, covered in tattoos, wearing a wife beater shirt with shorts and ankle length socks. Unfortunately, that's the image most people have of us. Not a problem. I do my own thing. Can't control other people nor do I want to.
8 лет назад+10
but why do u cringe? because u know it scares whitey and you are doing your darndest to make whitey accept you?
JRFrancisco20088 but it's crazy that you saying being Mexican American you cringe...I'm Mexican as well...I know plenty of Mexicans that look like that and dress like that...or do you not know of the Mexican cartels and gangs???
JRFrancisco20088 Ok, but not every spanish person is the same I am Puerto Rican we shave are head bald too. Hey don't depict Mexicans as gangster. We all do the same shit!
One of my best friends and myself had a ""BIG" argument over this. I had and still "HATE" SGT Waters for what he did to CJ. The irony of all this was CJ was the "only" person who cared about SGT Waters but SGT Waters destroyed him. Then SGT Waters admired Peterson and Peterson destroyed him.
the real irony to me is that waters was exactly what he hated in cj. both different characteristics; cj could be accused of ignorance, hell, its what he knew, it was his environment, and it was the 1930s/40s. the exact things he hated about cj, he also had such characteristics, waters was a low life , and he was really the disgrace to the race, not cj. peterson did waters a favor by killing him
That guy was also the voice of many trailers in the 70s and early 80s before his death as he did Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Creepshow, Sleepaway Camp, Nightmare (1981), Bloodsucking Freaks, Blacula, The Dark Crystal, Nightmare on Elm Street and so much more. Adolph Caesar, the most legendary trailer voice this side of Percy Rodriguez and more.
When the scene went dark and quiet, and the camera closed in on Waters you can just feel the anger he was feeling with the "made him eat bananas in front of those Frenchys", powerful scene
@@el84oro It ALWAYS amazes me how people like you are so critical of Sgt Waters, and can't understand the CJ'S of the world. Always turning a blind eye to the CJ'S and giving them a pass. It's interesting.
@@ThothTheAtlanteanK everyone has a right to live their life. live and let live. whatever cj did, was no excuse for waters to frame him , have him locked up, till the guy ultimately killed himself. sgt waters evil outweighs cj's ignorance by far. its really that simple
Wow! Great cinematography, camera usage, and sound editing! Notice how the focus seamlessly transitions to their mirror images as Sgt. Waters recounts the Cafe Napoleon story, then back to the actual actors at the story's conclusion. Also notice how CJ's singing fades out and the French accordion comes in when he says that they were in France. And notice how all music and noise is cancelled and only Sgt. Waters' voice is heard when he begins to describe the behavior of "Moonshine, King of the Monkeys" and the punishment they dealt to him ... All this is brilliant
On all sides. Not a wasted performance in the entire movie. Though if I'd choose one it would be Robert Townsend. Not bad but everyone else in the movie was superior to him (acting wise).
But he didn't have to get CJ in trouble. CJ may have played the fool, but there's a difference between a good natured fool and a malicious fool, and what Waters did was horribly eugenical.
Anthony Smith no he was not right. I dont know where you coming from..but a crying..mean..blubbering self hating punk aint never right ..he is the ignorant one..not CJ..or any of the others..no one should EVER hate the color of their own skin..it lessens their mind..and view of things. Never is an easy answer but one should always seek out the best of their ethnic group.. It is there..because we are all human. This sgt waters failed to see..when being a military enlisted leader entrusted to a cadre of men..he let himself down as well as them by turning into a whining..sniveling..punk who hated himself.
PaulGreen11 think about what you said. In spite of everything..at least CJ knew who he was..JAY Z knows who he is..im sure..the only person who is confused is sgt waters..and anyone who agrees with waters need to be looked at closely.
No...say what you want about their politics, but 1) At least they let people know right away that they play for the other team, which is more than can be said for all the so-called leaders who are BROTHA this and BROTHA that who have done nothing but cheat our people, and 2) they had the wherewithal to have the discipline to learn such things like brain surgery and law respectively. Now people like BOBBY SHMURDA and KANYE WEST? Those guys are definitely the type that would "run around the barracks butt naked with a tail strapped to them" if it paid enough money...and as an added bonus, they would FLASH THE CASH in front of everybody to let everyone know how SUPERIOR they are!
Dedicated to dumb bitches who blame rappers for EVERYTHING without looking at their own stupid asses. By the way dumb shit why don't you stupid fuckers ever call out idiots like Tom Joyner and his gang of cackling morons, Rickey Smiley and his ship of ratchet fools or Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, D.L. Hughley et al? Dumbass
This speech is powerful. “He’s the kind of boy that seems innocent Wilkey . Got everybody on the post thinking he’s a strong black buck. White boys envy his strength… His speed.. the power in his Swing” my favorite line in this movie
I always felt sorry for Wilkie. He was a family man, lost his stripes, and ended up arrested as an accessory to a serious crime for doing nothing more than hiding that gun under CJ's bed.
Notice nothing has changed there. When a black man does the crime he'll pay and pay and pay and most whites and a lot of blacks think that's the way it should be.
Wilkie lost his stripes because of his own foolishness by being drunk on guard duty. He wasn't thinking about his family at all just his own indulgence. He was just a yes man who didn't have a spine. He went along to get along. No respect for a man like that at all.
@zzzzzzzzzzzk yes it is. Like Sarge told him when he took his stripes the punishment for being drunk on duty during war time is death. Sarge actually did him a solid.
"The Prowler...If he wants you, he'll get you" -Adolph Caesar. This man also did the voiceover for the trailer to Alphabet City. At the end of the trailer he said, "soundtrack available on Island records and tapes". I was like what are those?
White Man here, I remember watching this in the Marines back in the late ‘90’s. My Black friend from Virginia and Phillipino friend - fellow Marines- and I were flipping through the channels and were lucky enough to come across this towards the beginning of the movie when Sgt Waters was taking Wilkie’s stripes away. - Many of us in the military need to use our humor as a way to get through the hell of boot camp, and the challenges we faced in the fleet. So we all laughed throughout the movie and compared Sergeant waters to those drill instructors that we had to act upright in front of but used to mock and imitate behind their backs. - Kinda like the teachers who took school too seriously. However, now that I’m much older and wiser, I can see this film for the masterpiece that it is. I think that three of the most powerful scenes were when Sgt Waters was beating up Denzel, and the older, wiser black Soldier (heavy set guy) told Waters “that’s enough. - A symbol of a sane, intelligent man reigning in Waters and demonstrating how unfit for duty and angry that Sgt Waters was. The next most powerful scene is when the white officer ordered the two white MPs (military police) under arrest - again the sane, intelligent man regulating the behavior of the two off-kilter guys of his own race. Only for Howard Rollins to show his integrity as a Black lawyer and order the two MPs to be let go. Finally, the third most powerful scene is when CJ had enough and clocked Sergeant Waters. - CJ was the kindest guy in the world, but this scene demonstrated how an insane person (Waters) can bring out the worst in anyone. To a degree, this film is a metaphor that advises people to surround themselves and their children with good, intelligent people, regardless of demographic differences. And to always question the intentions of people who try to divide along the lines of race and religion. I’m sorry but in a way, this movie demonstrates the wedge that media outlets, such, as cnn, try to create chaos and insanity so that our focus is on the bad of each other and not the greatness.
Sarge wasn't completely wrong but he went about it the wrong way. Our people need to be woken up and with that being said he should have took CJ under his wing to teach him better. Destroy CJ? This is killing your own people instead wake him up!
Yes, they can when they show some potential and capitalize on it. Instead, we're busy judging or comparing them against ourselves to make us feel less inferior. And the whole aim isn't to expect other people to reach the mountaintop; only to rise up from their backgrounds and become better versions of themselves. We've just given up.
Makes Brothers think about where Brothers would be today had there been a lot MORE Sgt Waters around. You have to watch this movie as a kid then as an adult, to understand Waters!
"They put him on a big, round table in the Cafe Napoleon.. put a reed in his hand, crown on his head, blanket on his shoulders and made him eat BANANAS in fronta all them Frenchies..! "
Bob Marley Only problem is you have to have real actors not pretty boy singers and rapper who can actually act. There's not a weak actor in this incredible film, dont ruin it.
I remember watching this movie many times as a kid & not understanding or getting Sgt. Waters dislike of CJ now as an adult I clearly understand and admire Sgt. Waters and to a point he is absolutely correct.
Mark Jackson those man belittle themselves by being to SOFT. Not all, but a great majority like CJ would. If wasn’t tough on them. They would’ve been useless in the war.
@@thecraplordsell4575 Not a word you noted refutes Waters being a drunk, that chose to belittle, terrorize, snitch, and betray the very people he was in charge of leading. In his mind and heart, perhaps he did all that evil (to people he was in charge of) for a "Good" Reason, but it doesn't justify it outside his own existence.
Mark Jackson who gives shit what he did, this was war. In war, nobody cares for your feelings and emotions. It’s about touch and brave. It’s about respect and dignity, it’s kill or be killed. So stfu with your “he was a mean drunk” nobody cares for your concern. War is like the rule of the jungle. There’s no rules or laws in the jungles. Just chaos and madness. So suck it brown flake.
@@thecraplordsell4575 What, because there's a war, he had a good reason to ridicule, plot against, and snitch on the men he was supposed to lead? People are judged by their actions, even during wartime. What's the War VALUE of snitching on people you're responsible for leading?
1:39 Remember watching this film back in film school. An this was the scene that stuck with the most, such a well written film. I gotta rewatch this movie.
The late Howard E. Rollins was set to be the man after Poitier's retirement in the 70s, with his startling performance as Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the movie Ragtime (Oscar nomination) and before Denzel's super stardom kicked in with Cry Freedom (first Oscar nomination).
Well I will say this, regardless of opinion we have a long way to go... This is a battle that has been going on for more than a century. Southern vs northern, urban vs rural, educated vs non-educated. CJs very being was a product of being raised rural, country, and non educated. But Sarge didn't hate CJ personally, he hated what he represented and the detriment that image caused the race and progress. It all stems from your mindset which is directly influenced by your circumstances of growing from child to man. It is by design we are unable to create unity and push forward. It is the same reason why W.E.B Dubois and Booker T. Washington were diametrically opposed. Make no mistake, Sargent Waters didn't hate his people, instead he loved and wanted the success, advancement and liberation of his people he was willing to get rid of anyone who stood in the way of that happening. Some call him an "uncle Tom"(a term so frequently misused it is absurd as uncle Tom was the most down brother in the book[please actually read the book if you disagree]) but he was far from it. He knew the capabilities of the otherside and was trying to prepare his men, his people to be ready to face the battle ahead. Ignorance can't be allowed to persist under the guise of normalcy.
I wrote this in another post...but Sgt. Waters may very well be the most interesting black character ever put on film. The depth of the man is astonishing and if you ask 50 black people, you might get a split on how they view him. When I was younger, it was easy to write him off as a self hating Uncle Tom. And I think there were remnants of that in there by design. But it's SO CLEAR that there's much more to him than that. If anything, I think he cares TOO MUCH about his people...to the point of losing perspective of how different black people can be.
When you consider it's based in WWII (the early 1940's), it makes a lot of sense. This is before Dr. King, hell this is before Jackie Robinson. Robert Townsend's character mentions Joe Louis' knockout of Max Schmeling...that literally may have been the stateside highlight of black people en masse in the United States at that time. I say stateside because Jesse Owens completely obliterated Adolf Hitler's notions of white supremacy in the 1936 Olympics, but that was in Germany.
So, we're still segregated and there's still the vestiges of second class citizenship in the U.S., both north and south. So from Sgt. Waters' point of view, the only way to be on the level of white people is to beat them at their own game. You don't have any margin for error. Remember, this was an era when blacks were still being lynched for God's sake. So you have to be sharp, smart, hard working, and disciplined. That's why he rides those men...it's his way not to build them up, but to separate the ones he doesn't think fit this worldview of advancement. Remember, HE LIKES Peterson (Denzel Washington). They fight, but he respects his intelligence and toughness.
CJ on the other hand, comes off as the simple, sambo, Geechie stereotype. Everything wrong with the PERCEPTION of black people in Sgt. Waters' eyes. That's really what it was about. He didn't really have a personal problem with CJ...the conversation he has with him in the prison kinda confirms that. It was just...business. The business of black advancement. And to get where he saw black people going, it had to be done with those values I spoke of and his Waters' eyes, CJ just didn't cut the muster.
You wanna know how I come to this conclusion? It's in the end of the movie. He's drunk because he feels guilty about his responsibility in CJ hanging himself. He knows he drove him to do it. Fascinating considering he tells Wilkie about the man they killed in France that was willing to be "King of the Monkeys". And after all of those efforts to be seen as an example, to take his place with those white men he secretly despised, he comes to the stark reality that in his words, "They still hate you!"
The irony is that Peterson and Waters come from two sides of the same coin, which really was the underlying theme of the movie. Hate in any form can be justified, but it is never productive. Waters hatred of the idea/perception simple, non race lifting black people...and Peterson's hatred of 'Uncle Tom' type men like Waters. Both were WRONG...and yet, both still persist today.
This scene alone makes the movie great.
Manu Ginobilis Bald Spot MSG Watera wasn't wrong and the great Adolph Caesar played him perfectly.
DAMN Man, you hit that nail right on it's head. Shit, that is a real good observation on the mind set during that time and era, some people don't take the time to research SHIT and go off on the the notion of what somebody else said. You made a lot of good points my man, WELL DONE...
Great breakdown and analysis of perspective based on BOTH...
1) The era and timeframe the movie was set in ( seperate water fountains, only one real generation after slavery, at least a half generation B4 the Civil Rights movement and Vietnam, MLK-Malcolm X-JFK, these were the children of slaves judging 'lost' grandchildren if slaves...
Reminds me of the Butler how Whitaker's character's perspective and world view couldn't help but be different from his 'trouble-making-time-wasting "lost" son
But he lived long enough to see his son has a hero, a patriot and joined him
2) As the OP stated though...being able to pick up the depth of the character and how his generational experience may have molded him many times means the consumer ( the reader/watcher) themselves have to be mature/cultured enough to 'get' it or ish flies over one's head.
Again I didn't even want to see the Butler but it came on, on Father's Day my young adult son and I got caught up in 'what's this' from rhe opening scene...is that David Banner 'the rapper'...and couldn't stop watching
Anyway the point is if you ask Forrest Whitaker's character ( the Dad aka The Butler) about his son, among other things the answer and thought pattern would definitely have to do with WHEN you asked him...
How much life had he seen up into the time in which you asked the question...same thing here, I too am in my 40's ( late) and seeing thus movie and one like the Butler are seen in a different lense than they could have ever been seen 20-25 years ago
So yeah as a no life experience kid you might see Sage ( as I did at one time) some kinda way, that's different than a more well-rounded person taking into account more context
Some ppl like Denzel's character or The Butler's son have the luxury of being one-track driven because ppl before them laid the groundwork and passed the baton to a different type runner, not necessarily better just different
Just like in sports, sometimes 'styles' and timing "make" some folks a God-like hero vs another baller that just never got 'da 💘 but was the ish, if looked back upon with sage eyes and perspective ( Dr. J...anybody?)
We have to remember, by tge time we get to the 5th flow of experience and perspective...many haven't made it past the 2nd and sadly a lot never will....
Well said! And, I agree.
Quite possibly the greatest performance in a supporting role I've ever seen. Adolf Caesar was legendary....
He's a trailer narrator too and does TV ads in the 70s and 80s before his death!
I wholeheartedly agree to the nth degree!!!🙏👍😎
He said: when WE slit his throat.
Sarge wasn't the only one fighting for the respect.
One of the best monologues you’ll ever see in a movie.
The way everything fades away as he's getting into his story is a fantastic touch.
Adolph was a Master actor! Excellent!
THE BEST
@@xanderluv He died too soon....
@@biomedlib He should have won the oscar that year
xanderluv that's right. He was robbed.
From Frame 3:19 to 4:00 watch how the they fade out the background to get you focus on the story and emotion. Brilliant!
I thought I was only one to pick that up with the background fading away when Waters began speaking. Excellent scene!
YES. The atmosphere feels almost as if you are watching a play onstage.
I think it was a play first
Yes, it was. Written by Charles Fuller
YES!!! I always thought this was one of the best scenes in the movie. The entire mood changed and you could see the disgust and hate in Sergeant's eyes!!! Academy Award worthy scene.
We're men. Soldiers. And I don't intend for our race to be cheated of its place of honor and respect in this war because of fools like C.J.
So proud to be a Soldier, Brother.
And the cruel irony to this is what happened to Black GIs that earned those honors when they came back "home." The shame of a nation to treat soldiers that way.
@@davidcombs3617 Oh you mean like how quite a few were killed or beaten and a huge number of them were denied benefits? "What have you got to LOSE?" --Donald Trump (the guy that'll take it all once he finds out)
@@MTXSHO9732vV8SHOI was referring to Red Summer, yes.
That mirror shot with the lights fading out is brilliant filmmaking. And Adolph Caesar--such a powerful actor who should have been in more films.
Howard Rollins is an underrated actor in fact this is the best casting I've ever seen
Mitchell Grosvenor 2 of these cast member Rollins& CJ died of aids
This movie was the passing of the torch from Howard E. Rollins to Denzel Washington. Howard E. Rollins was ahead of his time.
I agree but he passed away many years ago, ""was" an underrated actor"
"...Which one of you idiots is Cobbs...?!!"
He passed away on December 8th, 1996 from lymphoma
"And when we slit his throat..you know that fool asked us what he had done wrong." Damn.
All the Fools still don't understand
Sgt Waters went to a dark place when started telling that story. For the most part he seems like a very benign character with well meaning intentions but at the end of the story it ends up with him slitting someone's throat. Adolph was a great actor damn shame he died so young.
It was like he did it the day before…and Wilkie’s face afterwards was like “😳 What the….?!”
howard Rollins could act his butt off r.i.p.
HE DESPISED HIM! That line is delivered so well.......this might be one of the powerful scenes in the entire movie.......this and the fight scene between Sarge and Petersen
That incident was the impetous to his attitude .
It was meant 😅
He feels this way for real
This is one of many of the great scenes in this movie. Wilkie is very underrated as well as Sarge. One of the best casted Black Films ever.
A'Don Allen III "..it was a crazy kinda hate...you could just feeeel it."
Art Evans is one of our country's finest character actors. Check him out in 'The Mighty Quinn', 'Trespass', 'Die Hard 2' and 'Jo Jo Dancer....'
@@garyaugustus1009 This movie got screwed for so many Awards. Rollins, Ceasar, Denzel, Art Evans, CJ, all could've been nominated for Oscars
Bet Spielberg must've the watched this film over and over until he finally got it in his mind to bring 'The Color Purple' to the big screen a year later. Wouldn't be surprised to find out if he had specifically requested Adolph Caesar for the supporting cast after putting down a career-defining performance in 'A Soldier's Story'. And yeah, that was one heck of a black cast! You can even tell Denzel as young as he was back then was gonna end up goin' places not long after this film...
;-)
" And when we cut his throat, he had the nerve to ask what he done?.. Powerful.
Bass reemer I have always said that. They have gone through so much to hide our history and make themselves "appear" superior.
@Jo Jo "Black Face" in years books revealed today.....
That was deep
@Jo Jo u missed the part when they paid him to dress up..he sold out
@Jo Jo no they slit the right throat
every black dude needs to watch this movie and discuss with a young man they love son nephew stepson etc
Tara Moore sisters can also do their part also...
Tara Moore agree.
Saw the movie many times. Looking for the DVD.
@@dalemcilwain Try Ebay or Amazon if you haven't found a copy yet. And look for the Widescreen edition....more screen coverage.
What's the movie? Haven't found title through comments I've came across yet
I can't lie,when I was younger I hated Waters character, but now that I'm older I agree with every dam thing he said.
#FACTS!!!!!!!!!!
Waters is a complex character
His anger isn't fixated upon the power structure that benefits from racism but instead his own brothers
@@williamwooten6156 you rite but the words he said about some of us it true even to this day
Yes it is
@williamwooten6156 ....Oh Nah, He was angry about it But because he understood the Dynamic he Knew that OUR own people Needed to be policed First. We have to stop looking like Fools Before we are going to be Taken Seriously.
Oh how the White boys danced that nite...
MSG Waters was the Erik Killmonger of his day: The tragic villain that lowkey made sense.
Yeah, no.
@@SinewRending I'm sure you ca elaborate on your disagreement further. I'm all ears.
Killmonger WAS a hero with a tragic life not a villain.
I mean, I don’t think you can even compare Erik Killmonger in the same breath as Waters. Waters had a justifiable hatred that was full of depth, even if he was an asshole, and in this scene we understand his plight entirely. That makes him a great complex character that we can hate, but at the very least identify with and understand. Killmonger, who is the villain in a superhero franchise that is targeted at the masses, is this generation’s version of someone who has “depth” and a similar philosophy - as Waters did - that can help justify his decision making and beliefs. In my opinion, he doesn’t even come close - and moreover, the plot of Black Panther is clunky, underwritten, and just plain bad compared to A Soldier’s Story, which won a Pulitzer.
@@therrendunham5594 He won’t say shit lol
my daddy told me we have to turn our backs on his kind Wilkie, close our ranks to the chitterlinks ( chitlins), Collard greens, cornbread style... lol oh shit!
27sincity Lmfao
He was so correct
We cracked up in the movie when Sgt. Waters made the cornbread style statement 😂😂😂
Get out that slave mentality.. that's a great sacrifice
It’s amazing how when I became an adult I got a complete understanding of Sgt Waters now I don’t agree about how he went about things but he was definitely on point!
I know exactly what you mean.
Especially now.
@@zhadowblade Just be lucky he didn't go psycho like Gomer Pyle in _Full Metal Jacket._ But yes that fool soldier disgraced his rank, his squad, and his race. A honor killing, to be sure.
Same here.
I fucking love this movie so much
What's the title
i kind of understand what SGT Walters is saying though..
What an incredible scene. While I'm an old White dude, this gave me a tiny glimpse into the Black experience in America that I had never even thought of. Powerful acting and writing. Makes me tear up no matter how many times I see it.
Such a great movie. Still relevant today.
“And when we slit his throat, do you know that fool asked us what he had done wrong?”
“And I don’t intent for our race to be cheated out it’s place of honour and respect in this war because of fools like C.J.”
Adolph Caesar’s acting and delivery is impeccable. One of the greatest scenes of all time, in my opinion.
Adolph Caeser should have been given the Oscar.
I wouldn't have had a problem, but Haing Ngor in The Killing Fields was just as incredible. He wasn't even an actor
Adolf Caesar played the hell out of this scene. Very powerful, tense & emotional scene. It just grabs your attention to his story. I saw this movie at the local movie theater. Too bad it was beaten out by Amadeus in the Academy Awards for Best Motion Picture. It' one hell of a movie.
Just as long as we recognize the movie for what it was! Doesn't matter what the Academy thinks..... This is 1of the few few movies that I can watch over and over again!
The way the background falls away when Sarge tells the story. Brilliant cinematography. Like you are descending past the veil and into the deep abyss of Sarge’s hatred and motivation. Also, the addition of “Mademoiselle from Armentieres” at the beginning of the story is brilliant.
One of the greatest acting scenes I’ve ever seen
I fucks with Sgt Waters heavy!
Caesar had a growl.
As a Mexican-American I cringe every time I see a Hispanic dude with a shaved head, covered in tattoos, wearing a wife beater shirt with shorts and ankle length socks. Unfortunately, that's the image most people have of us. Not a problem. I do my own thing. Can't control other people nor do I want to.
but why do u cringe? because u know it scares whitey and you are doing your darndest to make whitey accept you?
JRFrancisco20088 I know what you mean. We have have to play our cards.
JRFrancisco20088 now imagine how us blacks feel when we are portrayed the way we usually are
JRFrancisco20088 but it's crazy that you saying being Mexican American you cringe...I'm Mexican as well...I know plenty of Mexicans that look like that and dress like that...or do you not know of the Mexican cartels and gangs???
JRFrancisco20088 Ok, but not every spanish person is the same I am Puerto Rican we shave are head bald too. Hey don't depict Mexicans as gangster. We all do the same shit!
One of my best friends and myself had a ""BIG" argument over this. I had and still "HATE" SGT Waters for what he did to CJ. The irony of all this was CJ was the "only" person who cared about SGT Waters but SGT Waters destroyed him. Then SGT Waters admired Peterson and Peterson destroyed him.
Terrell Epps Excellent Point!!! 👍🏽
the real irony to me is that waters was exactly what he hated in cj. both different characteristics; cj could be accused of ignorance, hell, its what he knew, it was his environment, and it was the 1930s/40s. the exact things he hated about cj, he also had such characteristics, waters was a low life , and he was really the disgrace to the race, not cj. peterson did waters a favor by killing him
@@el84oro Thank you.
Sgt had the right idea. We don't need guys like CJ.
@@rayhanes1347 You miss the point entirely.
Howard Rollins: SIDDOWN!!!!!
#CLASSIC
That guy was also the voice of many trailers in the 70s and early 80s before his death as he did Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Creepshow, Sleepaway Camp, Nightmare (1981), Bloodsucking Freaks, Blacula, The Dark Crystal, Nightmare on Elm Street and so much more. Adolph Caesar, the most legendary trailer voice this side of Percy Rodriguez and more.
Wow! Helluva Career. Salute fellow Thespian
Sgt waters talking about all the buffons in the entertainment buisness
Man the way Adolph delivers the lines in this scene is extraordinary...shit had me ready to snatch his ass through the screen back in the day.
When the scene went dark and quiet, and the camera closed in on Waters you can just feel the anger he was feeling with the "made him eat bananas in front of those Frenchys", powerful scene
"And when we slit his throat.."???
I certainly don't remember that part. Damn, Sgt had a point.
Waters and the boys slit that niggas throat....DAMN.
It was something he did during ww1 . He brought up cafe napolean when he first met cj when the movie first showed cj.
Hell yes he had a point!!!
Man we need a few Sgt Waters now!
Facts!!!!
Facts!!! But niggaz would playa hate on him.
@@el84oro my thoughts exactly
@@el84oro It ALWAYS amazes me how people like you are so critical of Sgt Waters, and can't understand the CJ'S of the world. Always turning a blind eye to the CJ'S and giving them a pass. It's interesting.
@@ThothTheAtlanteanK everyone has a right to live their life. live and let live. whatever cj did, was no excuse for waters to frame him , have him locked up, till the guy ultimately killed himself. sgt waters evil outweighs cj's ignorance by far. its really that simple
Wow! Great cinematography, camera usage, and sound editing!
Notice how the focus seamlessly transitions to their mirror images as Sgt. Waters recounts the Cafe Napoleon story, then back to the actual actors at the story's conclusion.
Also notice how CJ's singing fades out and the French accordion comes in when he says that they were in France.
And notice how all music and noise is cancelled and only Sgt. Waters' voice is heard when he begins to describe the behavior of "Moonshine, King of the Monkeys" and the punishment they dealt to him ...
All this is brilliant
Some seriously talented actors right here!
On all sides. Not a wasted performance in the entire movie. Though if I'd choose one it would be Robert Townsend. Not bad but everyone else in the movie was superior to him (acting wise).
I fully understand what Sgt. Waters was talking about. In 2019, we are still fighting this in our community.
I almost said the exact same thing.
But he didn't have to get CJ in trouble. CJ may have played the fool, but there's a difference between a good natured fool and a malicious fool, and what Waters did was horribly eugenical.
Today's black ciliberity, fraternity and sororities.
@@shakeemdiggz2354 You must have dropped line......LOL
@@Madbandit77*CJ was not a fool. Waters was. That's the point that a lot of you are missing.*
Outstanding movie. All the actors do a great job but Adolph Caesar should have gotten at least an Oscar Nomination for this.
Where we are in society today....Sarge was right.
we was right and its so sad
I always tell people all the time.....Sarge wasn't completely crazy
or better yet, his stickman Kanye.
Anthony Smith no he was not right. I dont know where you coming from..but a crying..mean..blubbering self hating punk aint never right ..he is the ignorant one..not CJ..or any of the others..no one should EVER hate the color of their own skin..it lessens their mind..and view of things. Never is an easy answer but one should always seek out the best of their ethnic group.. It is there..because we are all human. This sgt waters failed to see..when being a military enlisted leader entrusted to a cadre of men..he let himself down as well as them by turning into a whining..sniveling..punk who hated himself.
PaulGreen11 think about what you said. In spite of everything..at least CJ knew who he was..JAY Z knows who he is..im sure..the only person who is confused is sgt waters..and anyone who agrees with waters need to be looked at closely.
Watched this for the first time last night, I was blown away by the acting, and story. Great movie
Dedicated to Ben carson and clarence thomas.
@redbar Thats because you are ignorant
No...say what you want about their politics, but 1) At least they let people know right away that they play for the other team, which is more than can be said for all the so-called leaders who are BROTHA this and BROTHA that who have done nothing but cheat our people, and 2) they had the wherewithal to have the discipline to learn such things like brain surgery and law respectively.
Now people like BOBBY SHMURDA and KANYE WEST? Those guys are definitely the type that would "run around the barracks butt naked with a tail strapped to them" if it paid enough money...and as an added bonus, they would FLASH THE CASH in front of everybody to let everyone know how SUPERIOR they are!
Dedicated to the gang bangers and the mubble rappers
Dedicated to dumb bitches who blame rappers for EVERYTHING without looking at their own stupid asses. By the way dumb shit why don't you stupid fuckers ever call out idiots like Tom Joyner and his gang of cackling morons, Rickey Smiley and his ship of ratchet fools or Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, D.L. Hughley et al? Dumbass
And Kanye
Best scene of the whole movie. Powerful. Dramatic. Intense.
ElfHighMage....Art Evans, one of our most talented and underrated character actors.. He was also excellent in "The Mighty Quinn"..
This speech is powerful. “He’s the kind of boy that seems innocent Wilkey . Got everybody on the post thinking he’s a strong black buck. White boys envy his strength… His speed.. the power in his Swing” my favorite line in this movie
I always felt sorry for Wilkie. He was a family man, lost his stripes, and ended up arrested as an accessory to a serious crime for doing nothing more than hiding that gun under CJ's bed.
Notice nothing has changed there. When a black man does the crime he'll pay and pay and pay and most whites and a lot of blacks think that's the way it should be.
Wilkie lost his stripes because of his own foolishness by being drunk on guard duty. He wasn't thinking about his family at all just his own indulgence. He was just a yes man who didn't have a spine. He went along to get along. No respect for a man like that at all.
@@PeteMcCorveyWell is a man being stripped of his stripes really an appropriate punishment for drinking on duty?
@zzzzzzzzzzzk yes it is. Like Sarge told him when he took his stripes the punishment for being drunk on duty during war time is death. Sarge actually did him a solid.
@@PeteMcCorvey And what do you think would happen to the Sarge if he was caught drunk if he wasn't murdered?
Wasn't Adolph Caesar the cat that used to do all the voice overs for movie trailers in the 70's!!
Mark Jackson Yeah!!! He used to do them for those Kung Fu movies!! He did one for Bruce Lee fights back from the grave!!!
"The Prowler...If he wants you, he'll get you" -Adolph Caesar. This man also did the voiceover for the trailer to Alphabet City. At the end of the trailer he said, "soundtrack available on Island records and tapes". I was like what are those?
He was also the voice of hot wing from silverhawks
so many quotable lines jammed into one scene, classic.
very classic
"...Anything you DON'T wanna do, the colored troops'll do fo' you.. "
White Man here, I remember watching this in the Marines back in the late ‘90’s. My Black friend from Virginia and Phillipino friend - fellow Marines- and I were flipping through the channels and were lucky enough to come across this towards the beginning of the movie when Sgt Waters was taking Wilkie’s stripes away. - Many of us in the military need to use our humor as a way to get through the hell of boot camp, and the challenges we faced in the fleet. So we all laughed throughout the movie and compared Sergeant waters to those drill instructors that we had to act upright in front of but used to mock and imitate behind their backs. - Kinda like the teachers who took school too seriously. However, now that I’m much older and wiser, I can see this film for the masterpiece that it is. I think that three of the most powerful scenes were when Sgt Waters was beating up Denzel, and the older, wiser black Soldier (heavy set guy) told Waters “that’s enough. - A symbol of a sane, intelligent man reigning in Waters and demonstrating how unfit for duty and angry that Sgt Waters was. The next most powerful scene is when the white officer ordered the two white MPs (military police) under arrest - again the sane, intelligent man regulating the behavior of the two off-kilter guys of his own race. Only for Howard Rollins to show his integrity as a Black lawyer and order the two MPs to be let go. Finally, the third most powerful scene is when CJ had enough and clocked Sergeant Waters. - CJ was the kindest guy in the world, but this scene demonstrated how an insane person (Waters) can bring out the worst in anyone. To a degree, this film is a metaphor that advises people to surround themselves and their children with good, intelligent people, regardless of demographic differences. And to always question the intentions of people who try to divide along the lines of race and religion. I’m sorry but in a way, this movie demonstrates the wedge that media outlets, such, as cnn, try to create chaos and insanity so that our focus is on the bad of each other and not the greatness.
Adolph Caesar's voice was a treasure
Sarge wasn't completely wrong but he went about it the wrong way. Our people need to be woken up and with that being said he should have took CJ under his wing to teach him better. Destroy CJ? This is killing your own people instead wake him up!
That was ALL sarge had to do, was to take him under his wing and teach him to be better than what he saw of him.
@@zhadowblade Some people can't be helped. Not everyone can go to mountaintop, there's just not enough room.
The Sarge was blinded by his own pride and warped views that he couldn't see CJ as anything other than an ignorant, shiftless n*****.
To paraphrase "Dr. Umar Johnson" "we can't save all of them"
Yes, they can when they show some potential and capitalize on it. Instead, we're busy judging or comparing them against ourselves to make us feel less inferior. And the whole aim isn't to expect other people to reach the mountaintop; only to rise up from their backgrounds and become better versions of themselves. We've just given up.
So CJ represents the migos and kodak black
Eric Thomas 😂😂😂💯💯💯
Yep
Tyler Perry's Madea. Chitterlings, collard greens and cornbread entertainment.
This monologue is on par with Quint's Indianapolis speech in Jaws.
A lot of truth in what he said.
To many shines running around.
"He DESPISED HIM..."
- perfect delivery
Makes Brothers think about where Brothers would be today had there been a lot MORE Sgt Waters around. You have to watch this movie as a kid then as an adult, to understand Waters!
Yeah, no.
@@SinewRending Are you a bot???
See what happened to hip hop, the corn bread collard green style got it and now its dumber than ever, it's CJ! The chittling style.
LOL...The movie gave a powerful message, but that is funny...The day of the cornball rapper is gone and you with it, waited a long time for ya...
I'm from the south but that slave mentality has to go
@Tony Saracen theres just as many clown from up north. Probably more.
_If ever there was a living Blueprint for the Art of becoming a great Actor; _*_Adolf Caesar_*_ is that Blueprint._
"They put him on a big, round table in the Cafe Napoleon.. put a reed in his hand, crown on his head, blanket on his shoulders and made him eat BANANAS in fronta all them Frenchies..! "
The whiteboys danced that night
Was that based on a true event?
@@BPD1586 ....Probably not...just a microcosm of factual history as seen through the sensibilities of a gifted and creative imagination.
An amazing scene by an amazing actor
He was robbed of an academy award.
I remember watching this when it first dropped!...still have this on VHS .CLASSIC!
That story by Waters was crazy. I can feel the pain in that story.
MSG Walters was a very complex character, at times I actually understood his thinking.
Brilliantly acted by an excellent cast. Norman Jewison- wonderful director who has produced an excellent body of work.
"He liked Peterson. Pete fought back, Sarge admired that. He was planning to promote Pete ".
Yes, “it’s a crazy kinda hate”
BEST ACTING I'VE EVER SEEN WAS IN THIS MOVIE
Damn that's deep. This needs to be remade and promoted heavily.
More often than not, "remakes" / "reboots" are crap compared to the originals. Just saying....
Bob Marley Only problem is you have to have real actors not pretty boy singers and rapper who can actually act. There's not a weak actor in this incredible film, dont ruin it.
Bob Marley I agree 🗣👏👏👏
No it doesn't need to be REMADE, just more appreciated and rewatched.
No it doesn't
How didn't Aoldph Caesar get an Oscar I'll never know.
I remember watching this movie many times as a kid & not understanding or getting Sgt. Waters dislike of CJ now as an adult I clearly understand and admire Sgt. Waters and to a point he is absolutely correct.
He was self H8ing, loathing drunk, that chose to belittle and betray the very men he was in charge of.
Mark Jackson those man belittle themselves by being to SOFT. Not all, but a great majority like CJ would. If wasn’t tough on them. They would’ve been useless in the war.
@@thecraplordsell4575 Not a word you noted refutes Waters being a drunk, that chose to belittle, terrorize, snitch, and betray the very people he was in charge of leading. In his mind and heart, perhaps he did all that evil (to people he was in charge of) for a "Good" Reason, but it doesn't justify it outside his own existence.
Mark Jackson who gives shit what he did, this was war. In war, nobody cares for your feelings and emotions. It’s about touch and brave. It’s about respect and dignity, it’s kill or be killed. So stfu with your “he was a mean drunk” nobody cares for your concern. War is like the rule of the jungle. There’s no rules or laws in the jungles. Just chaos and madness. So suck it brown flake.
@@thecraplordsell4575 What, because there's a war, he had a good reason to ridicule, plot against, and snitch on the men he was supposed to lead? People are judged by their actions, even during wartime. What's the War VALUE of snitching on people you're responsible for leading?
Art Williams ........such an underrated actor!!!!!
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
This should have a million views. A lot of brother's out there need to wake up!
A great and underrated film with amazing performances!
🤔Can you imagine the damage one ignorant Rapper could Do?…….. Don’t Let em put a dress 👗 on you!
Poor Sgt Wilkie. That look on his face is the look I have when someone is lying about personal accomplishments. I sit there, listening..🙄
I did not get the impression Sgt Waters was lying here.
sarge is one of the most interesting characters in cinematic history... better than training day
" I ain't doin' NOTHIN' white folks say do.. no mo'."
Adolf Caesar has that dark-sounding voice that makes him the perfect V/O. He did "Friday Foster" and "Trouble Man." He was WWOR type material.
Wilkie sitting there, did this mofo just say he slit someone's throat? 🤣
the title sounds like Uncle Ruckus quote
Tim Scott this one’s for you
1:39 Remember watching this film back in film school. An this was the scene that stuck with the most, such a well written film. I gotta rewatch this movie.
By far one of the best scenes of the movie.
The late Howard E. Rollins was set to be the man after Poitier's retirement in the 70s, with his startling performance as Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the movie Ragtime (Oscar nomination) and before Denzel's super stardom kicked in with Cry Freedom (first Oscar nomination).
Adolph is one of the most compelling actors I have ever seen, if he was a white boy he would have been a SuperStar
Best acting scene in the history of Hollywood....And packed with so much truth that is extremely relevant today.
Wookie a SNITCH 1:44
This was a great actor. No wonder he was nominated for an Oscar.
Now we're twerking at political rallies.
Well I will say this, regardless of opinion we have a long way to go...
This is a battle that has been going on for more than a century. Southern vs northern, urban vs rural, educated vs non-educated. CJs very being was a product of being raised rural, country, and non educated. But Sarge didn't hate CJ personally, he hated what he represented and the detriment that image caused the race and progress. It all stems from your mindset which is directly influenced by your circumstances of growing from child to man.
It is by design we are unable to create unity and push forward. It is the same reason why W.E.B Dubois and Booker T. Washington were diametrically opposed.
Make no mistake, Sargent Waters didn't hate his people, instead he loved and wanted the success, advancement and liberation of his people he was willing to get rid of anyone who stood in the way of that happening. Some call him an "uncle Tom"(a term so frequently misused it is absurd as uncle Tom was the most down brother in the book[please actually read the book if you disagree]) but he was far from it. He knew the capabilities of the otherside and was trying to prepare his men, his people to be ready to face the battle ahead. Ignorance can't be allowed to persist under the guise of normalcy.
All time favorite movie!!
Adolph Caesar classic performance....dynamic voice( also used in the trailer of many blaxploitation films)