jimc@haddock.UUCP (10/02/84)
#R:bbncca:-97600:haddock:13900002:000:1260 haddock!jimc Oct 1 10:55:00 1984 "A Soldier's Story" is running in a one-theater, limited engagement showing in Boston. Though the theater was enormous, I walked into an absolutely crammed house, filled with equal numbers of both races. It has been a long time since I have seen a film more sincerely and eagerly received as this one. Applause would break out spontaneously at least every fifteen minutes; laughter came and went as regularly as waves on the Massachusetts shore. Yet, the great spirit and energy which this film apparently evoked gave way to a reverent and sensitive silence at the most delicately dramatic moments. Yes, this film has some flaws. But it has my one hundred percent recommendation; the statement it made was far more balanced and poignant than that given in the often melodramatic "Ragtime" (1982); it also stayed far away from "poking fun" at racism, which is an unfortunate trend initiated by such movies as "Animal House" (1978) and "Airplane" (1980). The producers of this film are well aware that racism is never a laughing matter. It is a film not to be missed, and one which our media has been sorely lacking for the past fifteen years. I do hope this represents a new maturity in addressing an issue which still craves attention in the 1980's.