Movie Preview: Miracle at St Anna

Spike Lee has a new movie coming out and I’m sure it will bring its share of controversy. In fact the movie, or more accurately Lee, drew media attention earlier this year. The reason was because director/actor Clint Eastwood found it unimportant to show a single African American soldier in either of his critically acclaimed movies based on WWII.

Miracle at St. Anna is the first film that I am aware of besides A Soldier’s Story and The Tuskegee Airmen that depicts African Americans involvement in World War II. I recommend both movies strongly.

There were over 1.1 million African Americans that served in WWII. These soldiers fought and many died even though America maintained segregation and Jim Crow laws, because they agree that the threat to America was too great to be ignored. They served as bravely and fiercely as any other American or Allied soldier. And in all the movies dedicated and based on the war I can only name 5 (including this upcoming film) that feature or include Blacks. That’s just insulting and ignorant.

Obviously Spike Lee agreed with me.



Miracle at St. Anna is based on the novel of the same name and the Sant'Anna di Stazzema massacre where 560 Italian women, children and old men were killed by retreating SS soldiers. The soldiers in the movie are part of the 92nd Infantry Division which was a real division in WWII that fought in Italy.

The 92nd was called the Buffalo Soldiers, were segregated, fought alongside Black Africans, Morrocans, Algerians, Indians, Gurkhas, Jews and Palestinians as well as with exiled Poles, Greeks and Czechs, anti-fascist Italians and the nonsegregated troops of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force.

The 92nd Infantry Division had the slogan Deeds not Words, suffered 5,000 casualties, and had members receive Medal of Honor-2; Distinguished Service Cross (United States Army)-2; Distinguished Service Medal (United States)-1; Silver Star-208; Legion of Merit-16; Soldier's Medal-6; Bronze Star -1,166; Purple Hearts-1891; Orders of the Crown of Italy-8; Military Crosses for Military Valor (Italian)-17; Military Crosses for Merit in War (Italian)-22; Military Cross for Merit in War (Italian) 92nd Division Colors; War Medal (Brazil)-1.

The 2 men that received the Medal of Honor - John R. Fox and Vernon J. Baker – were given this honor in 1997. That was 48 years after their service, which I think is an absurdly long time to wait to recognize the actions of these men. But it is also common as the surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen had to wait a similar amount of time to be recognized as well.

Given the history of these men, the valor they displayed during the war, and the massive and unjustifiable disrespect America showed these men before, during, and long after WWII I expect this movie to be very well done. Anything else would be an insult to their memory.

Considering that Spike Lee has 2 uncles that served in the war, I have every reason to believe that he did the best job possible which means a phenomenal movie. If I am correct that also means that Hollywood will likely ignore the film and if it has the luck to gain attention for any awards, it will lose.

Go see this movie. It’s a homage to men that American history has ignored, that served their nation even when it did not serve them. Making this film successful is literally the least that we can do.

And here are Spike Lee’s own words about why you should see the film (and I have to add I don’t agree with his political thoughts).

The growing bandwagon against Spike Lee

Shame on Spike Lee. That’s what it seems Clint Eastwood feels in commenting on the comments of Lee about the absence of a single African American in the nearly 6 hours of film Eastwood created in 2 films about Iwo Jima. And Eastwood is not alone in rebuking Spike Lee.

Amazing. I’ve already made my comment on this issue, where I’ve agreed with Lee and am upset with Eastwood. And yes I do realize that the number of Black troops were less than 1000. Still nearly 6 hours of is more than enough to have one Black face in a background shot at least. Acknowledging the existence of the African Americans that fought and died in WWII is not a lot to ask for. Not that Hollywood has ever cared, as evidenced by the flood of films featuring or including Blacks in WWII films.

But I am now hearing how Spike Lee is being called out for his portrayals of Italian Americans.

“Spike Lee is very talented, but I sometimes wish he'd practice what he preaches," Dal Cerro said. "His points about African-Americans are well taken, but, ironically, he does the same thing to Italians in his films.” - Bill Dal Cerro, president of the Italic Institute of America

Oh really?

This annoys me. Unlike the overwhelming number of movies made by virtually every director since movies have been made, the movies by Spike Lee have diversity in them. People of all colors appear in most of his films. They may not be leading characters but they are there. The same cannot be said of Hollywood in general.

But Spike makes Italians look bad? As far as I recall the Godfather was out long before any film by Spike. As far as I can recall Italians have been portrayed as loud, rude, violent, under-educated, mafia members in dozens of movies and television programs for decades. Spike Lee had nothing to do with the Sopranos. He did not direct Andy Garcia or Robert De Niro in the Untouchables. I really don’t need to go on do I.

There is no absence of Italians in hundreds of films a decade. There is no absence of Italian actors in films, television and the theatre of every style and genre an any year. So this claim against Spike Lee is just a grab at attention, and a means to damage his image. It supports Clint Eastwood and the perception that African Americans were anywhere but fighting for America in WWII.

When the critics of the many films of Spike Lee want to take him on, I suggest they first take a look at our media. When they can prove that Black actors and films are not the trend of the year or the forgotten red-headed stepchild of Hollywood I’ll accept the claim that there are not enough Whites in his films. I’ll accept at that time that historical and current portrayals of Italians, Britians, Germans, French and every other nationality of Whites may be insensitive or detrimental. But when we stop listening to the rhetoric and pay attention to the facts before our eyes we realize that such a dramatic change is still a long ways away.

Dave Winfield remembers what Major League Baseball and WWII movies forget

Today is the anniversary of D-Day. The invasion of Normandy. And the major media barely takes notice. I mean in an environment where ultra-liberals are screaming that America turn tail and run away from Iraq, and cities slap insult after insult on our military – refusing to allow recruiters to do their jobs and hiding our Armed Forces in the back doors of airports if they let them into the ports at all [look up San Fransisco or Marines at VASS]– how do we expect more?

But America is not just forgetting to remember the sacrifices of the old and current soldiers that ensure the freedoms we enjoy without a second thought. In our luxury of sitting in our homes and the only bomb blasts occurring on our HDTV screens, we forget that 2302 days have passed without a single terrorist attack in America. If anyone thinks this is not because of our brave men and women, and their sacrifices, they are in my opinion fools and willfully ignorant.

America loves to forget the things in our past that don’t match with what we want to think of today. Like past wars and the soldiers that fought them. Like the decades it took for the Tuskegee Airmen to get the recognition they deserved, or the fact that beyond Spike Lee’s upcoming film I cannot name another major (or minor) movie that recognizes that African Americans served in WWII. Then again you would be hard pressed to find Hollywood mentioning that Blacks have served in ever war or conflict America has ever had including the American Revolution.

Along those same lines of forgetting selected parts of our past, there is an example of someone that is remembering. Dave Winfeild, former NY Yankee, has not forgotten those that came before him and enabled him (and every other non-White pro team athlete) to enjoy being the pinnacle of American major league sports. Who has he remembered that was forgotten? The players of the Negro Leagues.

The original National Association of Base Ball Players, formed in 1867, banned black athletes. In 1920 the Negro National League was formed. It would be another 27 years before Jackie Robinson would break the barrier created 80 years prior. But Jackie Robinson was not a man in a vaccum, nor plucked from some street corner. He was one player among a league of hundreds, a number of which are believed to have been equal or superior to Robinson – each of them denied solely because of the color of their skin.

Today there are hundreds of players that are of virtually every race found on the Earth in American major league sports. Yet even the most avid fans in the nation’s preimer sport are hard pressed to name more than 2 players from the Negro Leagues – Jackie Robinson and Saitchel Paige. Such a shun and a desire to ignore the racist and ill-concieved past of the nation and baseball is maddening. And while it’s many years too late, Dave Winfeild has made sure something is done about it.

30 members of the Negro Leagues, people that I doubt most sports fans have ever heard of – because the history books and stadiums were closed to them – are to be recognized in a way that at least symbolically ensures their place in baseball history. These men will be drafted by the major teams prior to the MLB amateur draft. Emilio “Millito” Navarro, now 103 and the first Puerto Rican to play in the Negro Leagues, will be drafted by the New York Yankees.

In a country finally celebrating the potential of the first African American that may become the President of the United States, finally recognizing that African Americans fought and died as bravely in every war we ever fought, finally recognizing that Blacks have been as integral to the foundation and growth of this nation as any (and perhaps more) other group, I say that such recognition is beyond long overdue.

The major media may feel such events are cursory. They may feel that focusing on a fist bump by Senator Obama on the night he locked the Democratic Presidential nomination is more news worthy. But I will not allow my blog to miss these important facts. I remember those that came before me, I thank them. And I will share that acknowledgement. If nothing else, it’s the very least we can do.

Don’t you agree?

Reactions to Spike Lee on Iwo Jima

Now a few of you may have been wondering why I have been quiet of late. Well the first reason is that I had a cracked tooth, that I finally went and got removed. Thankfully it was in the back of my mouth. The other reason is far more important. I was waiting. Waiting for what? The comments in response to Spike Lee.

Spike Lee recently commented, correctly, that in the multiple movies discussing WWII virtually none (and definitely none that come to mind for me) include even a background scene that includes a single African American.

"Clint Eastwood made two films about Iwo Jima that ran for more than four hours total, and there was not one Negro actor on the screen”

This is a fact, as is the reality that many Black men fought at Iwo Jima, along with over in Europe and the Pacific throughout all of WWII. Oh, let me correct myself. There were a couple of movies documenting the attack on Pearl Harbor that had one Black man, a cook and Naval hero. But those movies just had him.

Amazingly, if you were to go by movies that involve WWII, you would find few that ever acknowledge African Americans in any war in America. Yet we have been in every conflict and war that America has ever had including the American Revolution. And there were many in WWII – just ask any bomber crew that was escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen (the only fighter escort to my knowledge to have never lost a single Bomber).

So when Spike Lee brings up this fact, that other Black figures mentioned when the movies came out, what kind of response do you expect? How will everyone react to the honest facts of the sacrifices African Americans made alongside White?

Spike Lee courts controversy by criticizing Clint Eastwood – title of article in LA Times

“Last time I looked there weren't any blacks in the flag-raising picture. I believe that was due to a policy called segregation which Spike Lee apparently has never heard of…” – comment by John Reece

“Hey Spike, why don't you do a movie about white people?” – comment by techie

“Hey spike, how come "boyz In the Hood" didn't have a single white or hispanic character. there are white people living is south central LA, and hispanics are the majority now, but i didn't see you whine about that. Racists come in all skin colors and you are one, spike lee, and that comes from me, a black man !” – comment by nick

“Undoubtedly, Lee will soon be demanding that one of the flag raisers be portrayed as a black man. Never mind that it was actually five white guys and a Pima Indian.

Maybe we should start complaining about Lee under-representing whites in his movies if he is so concerned about proper proportions.” – E. Burke comment

“Spike Lee launched a bitter attack on Clint Eastwood yesterday, condemning his failure to include a single African-American soldier in his films about the Battle of Iwo Jima.” – Times Online article’s first line

“Eastwood's film is historically acurate, 70,000 US Soldiers landed on Iwo Jima 900 were black, and in all black units. My Father served on the USS Indiana in WWII and told me the only black sailors on board served in the officers mess. Better than being a snipe where my father served.” – comment by Peter Stella

and of course the reaction by Clint Eastwood himself.

“Asked twice by The Times to respond to Lee’s criticism, Eastwood stared out into the audience as the compere refused to accept a question that did not relate to L’Échange. Later, his spokeswoman also declined to comment.”

So in every version of this story I see a couple of common threads. One is that Spike is after money and publicity. It’s true that he is presenting his movie about the all black army unit in Italy right now. Of course this will affect the movies ability to make money. But it’s also true that in the past many African Americans have made comment about the portrayal of Blacks in EVERY conflict America has ever engaged in. The news just wasn’t covered, but in this case they had too since it relates to a film that is in Cannes now, and the world media is coverung his comments too.

Another common thought is racism. Either Clint Eastwood, Spike Lee, or both are racist for what they did and said. Such are the comments of others. I in fact believe neither is racist, though the issue is racial. There were 900 African Americans in the battle at Iwo Jima. That may not be many compared to the total, but it is enough to portray at least one or two somewhere in the background of a battle scene to pay some tribute to the lives lost in WWII by men who could not ride in the front seat of a bus back home.

Acknowledgement does not have to have a starring role, but it does have involvement. That’s not racist, just racial and true.

Of course there are those that want to lump any film made by a Black director into the themes attributed to Spike Lee. It’s part of the expression of anger I see in the comments and reporting. It comes off as ?‘How dare you point out that the media and America in general, have completely ignored African Americans defending the nation. Don’t you know that you aren’t supposed to exist – you have seen Friends, Will & Grace, Cheers, Dallas, and so on. Just be quiet and leave things alone, and we’ll let you have the Moesha, Sanford & Son, Cosby Show. Now be quiet.’

How about this. Black Americans have actively helped to build this nation at every turn. From the early plantations, buildings, and roads built by slaves, to every war and conflict, thru segregations and up to today African Americans have been involved with the growth of America. In fact I believe that it can be said that without Blacks America would not exist as it does today, if at all. So a little acknowledgement seems like a small thing to receive. Especially for those that fought for the freedoms they knew they would not receive but hoped their children might.

But according to the need to make these comments an attack, or by the comments seeking to find justification it saeems that acknolwedgement is too much. America just can’t accept Blacks history in America. Not the true full history anyway.

Kind of makes you wonder about Senator Obama’s chances doesn’t it. Makes you wonder about a lot of things, I hope. And once you are done thinking, what will you do next?

Andre 3000 as Sammy Davis Jr - 6.21.2007.1

On some lighter news I wanted to mention I saw a little while ago. A movie will be made soon on the life of the multi-talented entertainer Mr. Sammy Davis Jr. The film will be a portrayal of his news making relationship with Ms. Kim Novak. The key starring role will be going to one member of the music group Outkast, Andre 3000.

Andre 3000 has been getting a lot of attention and work in film and television lately. He has a children’s television show on the Cartoon Network, was in the re-make of Charlotte’s Web, had a supporting role in 4 Brothers, and starred in the movie Idlewild. The question of course is he capable of pulling off the role.

While there is no question that Andre 3000 can sing, his acting is questionable. He isn’t a stellar actor, though I place him head and shoulders above virtually all those rapper-think-I’m-an-actor actors out these days. So at worst he will be able to convincingly do the singing portion. In terms of look they are similar so that will help as well. The main problem I think is that Mr. Sammy Davis Jr. was not a tall man. Andre 3000 is taller and so that might throw things off a bit. Unless I am mistaken on their heights.

For those too young to remember Mr. Sammy George Davis Jr., you really missed a great performer. This World War II veteran, could sing, dance, play instruments, do stand up comedy and impressions. He came from a family (dad was like me, Black and Puerto Rican, his mother was either Cuban or Puerto Rican) that did vaudeville and thus like many of that time could do it all. Today’s entertainers may be good, but few of them can do more than one thing, Mr. Davis did it all.

Not only did Mr. Sammy Davis Jr. rise to be a renowned entertainer, he broke racial barriers while doing it. During most of his life segregation was not a word, but a fact of life. It’s been reported how he often performed in Las Vegas, filling the house, but was not allowed to stay in the hotels he worked at. [That changed when Mr. Frank Sinatra took his side.] Interracial dating may be a common practice for those under 30 these days, but in the 60’s it was a reason why he was removed from the inaugural party for President Kennedy. Yet he surmounted this, and a car accident that nearly killed him and cost him an eye.

That’s an entertainer. I only hit a few of his accomplishments, and struggles. So when I saw I wonder if Andre 3000 can pull it off, you have an idea why.

This is what I think, what do you think?