Last time we checked in with director Norman Jewison he was helming a film version of the epic musical Fiddler on the Roof. But Jewison's biggest success arguably came in the 1960s when he directed Best Picture winner In the Heat of the Night which also scooped another four Oscars. The 1980s saw two more of his movies appear in the Best Picture category with the first having a lot in common with In the Heat of the Night.
But instead of looking at themes of racial tension in the police force, Jewison's adaptation of Charles Fuller's play explores the same problems in the army. The story as a whole revolves around the murder of light-skinned Sergeant Waters who is gunned down in the film's opening moments. Black military lawyer Captain Davenport is drafted in to find the murderer but finds the task easier said than done. Whilst there are initial suspicions that the Klu Klux Klan may have been involved, there are plenty of suspects among Waters' own platoon. The platoon itself almost double as an impressive baseball team however Waters enjoyed bullying a lot of the men most notably the talented ball player CJ Memphis. Memphis was constantly tortured by Waters, who later arrested him on false charges leading to Memphis committing suicide. Meanwhile Davenport meets opposition from a white officer when he attempts to question two men who saw Waters the night he was shot. Davenport is later allowed to interview the men, but only with a white officer present, and learns that they fought with Waters but didn't kill him. Satisfied by their testimony, despite the white officer feeling otherwise, Davenport is forced to look elsewhere. Although he ultimately discovers that the crime is racially motivated, the perpetrator's identity certainly surprised me.
As A Soldier's Story is told mainly in flashback, so each of the witness statements are illustrated by examples of Waters' behaviour, I did find the narrative structure of the film more than a little jarring. The themes of race and identity were present both in the form of light-skinned Waters, who didn't know what side he was on, and in Davenport who wasn't respected by the white officers despite his station. But Davenport, in contrast to Sidney Poitier's character in In the Heat of the Night, is a lot more level-headed and keeps his calm when others insult him. However, I do feel that this is a major issue with the film as Davenport comes across as a passive character who I didn't really want to spend that much time with. Not that there was anything really wrong with Harold E. Rollins Jr's performance as Davenport but nothing he did really grabbed me. In fact it was Adolph Caesar, who was Oscar-nominated for his role, who stole the show as the antagonistic Waters. Caesar was fantastic at delivering some of the film's most evil insults and his sneering mannerisms were perfect for the role. A Soldier's Story also featured an early appearance from Denzel Washington who gives an interesting turn as the academic Peterson who himself clashes with Waters on a number of occasions. As it's based on a play another problem with A Soldier's Story is that it's not particularly cinematic as plenty of the scenes simply focus on Davenport's interviews with Waters' troops. One exception to this role is in the film's use of music with blues playing a particularly big part in the film thanks in part to the casting of Patie LaBelle as a local club owner. Despite enjoying its focus on the themes of racism in the army, I just felt A Soldier's Story was a fairly inconsequential. I was just surprised that it was directed by somebody like Jewison, who in the past had helmed some truly memorable works; however the film did ultimately come across as a bit of a passion project for Jewison. But I don't think that should be an excuse for producing what I personally consider to be unremarkable piece of work which I'll struggle to remember a couple of months from now.
The same can't be said for Jewison's other offering that popped up in the Best Picture category three years later which couldn't be more different from A Soldier's Story if it tried. That's because Moonstruck is the dictionary definition of a romantic comedy as it focuses on one thirty-seven year old widow and her assorted family members. Moonstruck stars Cher in the lead role of Loretta Castorini whose first husband was run over by a bus, an incident she believes is based on the fact that she didn't have a proper wedding. One of Moonstruck's earlier scenes sees Loretta's latest lover Johnny propose marriage, an offer she accepts on the proviso that they do everything properly. As Johnny is forced to leave the country to visit his dying mother, he asks Loretta to invite his estranged brother Ronny to their wedding. However the hot-heated Ronny is still angry with Johnny as he feels that his brother is responsible for him injuring his hand in a bread-cutting incident. Loretta appears to be attracted by Ronny's fiery nature and she is much more taken with him than she ever has been with Johnny. The pair seem to have a natural connection with each other and quickly end up in bed together. Running alongside Loretta's story is that of her plumber father Cosmo and his long-suffering wife Rose. Rose is aware that Cosmo is having an affair whilst Loretta discovers this later when she spies her father and his mistress at the opera. Rose appears to know her lot in life and shares quite a touching moment at a restaurant with college professor Perry when they both find themselves alone at a restaurant. Moonstruck's final scene is a great fifteen minute comic set-piece which sees all of the film's loose ends tied up as it focuses on this multi-generational American-Sicilian family.
It's fair to say it took me at least ten minutes to really get into Moonstruck, but once I'd got to grips with the characters and their lingo I was hooked. John Patrick Shanley's Oscar-winning script presents plenty of realistic characters, most of whom I'm assuming he based on real people. The result is a well-observed and ultimately quite funny look at the nature of relationships and what makes a solid marriage. At just over ninety minutes, Moonstruck is incredibly well-paced and really limits itself to three or four key moments meaning that there is very little in the film that doesn't have a purpose. I personally felt that Cher was brilliantly understated in the lead role of the meek Loretta who married once for love and won't do it again. At the same time I'm not quite sure if she deserved her Best Actress Oscar especially as she triumphed over Holly Hunter's magnificent turn in Broadcast News. Having said that Cher does make us sympathise with a character who may have been hard to sympathise in the hands of another actress. One performance that was more deserving of an Oscar was that of Olympia Dukais who absolutely shone in the role of Loretta's mother Rose. Dukakis shone in the latter half of the film, particularly opposite John Mahoney's Perry, and for that I don't begrudge her her Best Supporting Actress prize. I personally also enjoyed Vincent Gardenia's turn as the Castorini patriarch Cosmo who, despite his wealth, is still fairly frugal. In fact the whole cast was splendid and I'd like to particularly praise Nicolas Cage for his impassioned turn as the impulsive Ronny. The construction of Loretta's whole neighbourhood was lovingly done and it appears as if both Shanley and Jewison have a real appreciation for the culture as a whole. Whilst Moonstruck was definitely a strong romantic comedy that entertained me thoroughly throughout it didn't really have the feel of a Best Picture contender. However the film did well at the Oscars and it also proved a fruitful swansong for Jewison who wouldn't have another film in the Best Picture line-up again.
Next time we take to the skies with a group of brave men.
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