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The writers probably had no experience in the army, and probably never glanced at a history book, but I still give this cheaply produced war film some credit for taking a long-needed look at the role of black soldiers in the second world war.

The action is confused and unbelievable--any episode of Combat! has better production values, but the cast is interesting. Seeing New York Giant Rosie Greer was worth the buck I paid for this. The art direction is fifth rate--the men wear Korean War uniforms, and it was pretty lousy weather by the time the U.S. Army reached Germany in 1944, not sunny as they show here, and I don't think the terrain resembled Northern California. The script never does make clear why the black support troops are used as combat soldiers. There is a nice touch that shows some of the men carrying Springfield rifles instead of M-1s, which second rate troops probably would have been issued with.

This basic story idea(racist southern officer commanding black troops) should have been expanded into a big budget production back then, and its not too late to try it now. You have to take this for what it is, and I admire the creators of this film for making the effort.

I remember seeing this a while ago and thinking it was set in Italy, which would have made more sense because there were black combat troops operating there in 1944.

At first glance this gives the impression that it is going to be a laughable blaxploitation flick, and it does contain moments where it veers in that direction. However, the basic story idea is much stronger than might be expected, and is a respectable effort at portraying racial issues in the World War II era Army. The recognizable cast is hit and miss, with Glynn Turman, Richard Pryor and the underused Billy Dee Williams faring best. Stephen Boyd, however, stops just short of twirling his bushy mustache in an overindulgent star turn.

The obviously low budget leads to inconsistency in the production values. The locations are great, the effects and action are weak. Imagine if "Saving Private Ryan" had consisted of half the platoon getting killed exactly the same way Vin Diesel's Caparzo had (except we do get to see the shot because they effects can't handle it), then Hanks, Damon and Burns drove around in a jeep and shot five Germans for the climax. Yet, the denouement, with the heroic soldiers receiving no respect for their accomplishment because they are black, and Boyd's racist Captain being effected by this, is compelling, as are the sequences of of Turman's character writing in a journal of his imagined exploits if the soldiers were allowed to fight instead of digging latrines.

In short, "Black Brigade/Carter's Army" doesn't quite succeed. But it's a respectable failure, not a bad joke. It could be remade as a very good film, and, as it stands, is an interesting effort.

So-so wartime movie deals with captain Carter (Stephen Boyd ) , a tough but racist commandant , he is assigned by General Matt Clark ( Paul Stewart) a dangerous mission whose aim is avoid to blow up a dam vital to the Allied in 1944 . Carter is parachuted and contacts ¨B¨ company formed by Africo-Americans who dedicate labors on kitchen , cleaning and latrines in trenches. The outfit is formed by a motley group , as the leader lieutenant (Robert Hooks) , a coward ( keep an eye out Richard Pryor) , a hight and corpulent (Grier), , an intelligent professor and cooker ( Moses Gunn ) who knows the German language , a N.Y. Harlem young (Billy Dee Williams) expert on knifes , an idealist and imaginative young ( Glyn Turman ) who writes in his bloc the following : ¨ The company fought magnificently , killing 23 of the enemy before taking the machine gun nest . Lieutenant Wallace cited 3 men , myself included for bravery under fire . I am continually awed by the heroism of this company , under the severest of battle conditions . I will receive medal of honor when we reach Berlin . The fighting has been hard , the strain almost exhausting . I will receive the medal of honor from General Eisenhower but the heroism of ¨ B ¨ company will be preserved by the men who have seen the fight and die ¨. Captain Carter along with Lieutenant Wallace as leaders of the all-black commando assigned to the suicide mission behind enemy lines must prepare the useful unit . After that , the saboteurs contact their allied partisan (Susan Oliver) at a farm . They wreak havoc and kill Nazis to earn the respect of military higher-ups in an exciting final .

This low-budgeted and short-runtime warlike Telefilm concerns about an incredible lesson of courage set in WWII ; retelling the racial background problem in the US army . The TV movie produced by Aaron Spelling packs thrills, suspense , lots of action sequences and climatic ending , but doesn't quite hang together . The film belongs to Commandos sub-genre whose maximum examples result to be the classics as ¨Dirty dozen¨ , ¨Guns of Navarone¨ , ¨When eagles dare ¨, ¨ and ¨Kelly's heroes¨ and group of movies that were made during the 60s and 70s regarding warlike adventures about special forces in risked missions . The motion picture is badly realized by George McGowan . He's an usual television director ( Returns to Fantasy island , Murder on flight 502 , Savage run ) and occasionally for cinema ( Frogs , The magnificent seven ride ) . Rating : Below average .

OK, first off I should say that I found this DVD for only $1.00 at Wal-Mart. That alone is scary-- I knew it might stink, but with the cast list, I thought it might actually be OK, and it is. It's a crappy DVD transfer though, but for 1 dollar I can't complain too much! It's what I thought it was, a TV movie originally aired on ABC from 1969 written by TV mogul Aaron Spelling and Produced by the great Danny Thomas Productions, who produced in such classic TV shows as The Dick Van Dyke Show, That Girl, The Andy Griffith Show, etc,.

This film stars Stephen Boyd, a great character actor/leading man known for his roles in such movies as 'Ben Hur' and 'Fantatstic Voyage'. It features young newcomers such as Richard Pryor and Billy Dee Williams & football star Rosie Grier in great supporting roles as members of an all-black WW II US Army company ('B' Company) in France who are doing the 'grunt' work of the Army. Digging latrines, digging graves, dealing with garbage, etc. Basically getting No Respect.

Blacks were considered second class citizens during WW II. The story shows how Racist Redneck Major Carter (Boyd) is asked to go on a dangerous mission to blow up a Dam held by the Nazis and the only company of men to help accomplish the task are 'B' Company, (the all black company). They appear lazy and shiftless to Lieutenant Carter, who doesn't believe they can help him blow up the dam. Little does he know, they are more than up for the job. Carter asks their lieutenant in charge for 'volunteers', and he picks 6 men, including Pryor, Williams & Grier.

It's fairly standard TV movie fare, and it's kind of neat to see Pryor and Williams in early roles, as well as great black character actors Moses Gunn & Glynn Thurman (Cooley High)--as well as Susan Oliver, a great blonde character actress who appeared in lots of TV drama in the 60's on shows like 'Star Trek', 'Mannix', 'The Wild Wild West',etc.

I think it's a nice forgotten addition to black cinema, and shows that black men in WWII could be just as heroic as their white brothers. It's an interesting look at race relations in the late 60's context too, what with the Black Panther movement and all. It's kind of funny how all the black actors have big afros and a few have mustaches/goatees--not typical of WWII U.S.Army standards, but more like1969 fashion. Pryor sports a natty red beret throughout the whole story, too. I guess I recommend it as a piece of nostalgia. Again, The DVD transfer is Horrid, but viewable.

This movie has Richard Pryor, Rosey Grier and others. It's a curious WW2 movie, and serves as a statement about racism. It is worth watching to understand the fact that Movies reflect how we feel about the issues when they are produced and not about the period of time they portray. Meaning this is a 70's movie not a 40's movie (WW2). Still, there is some good action scenes of 7 seven black men led by a white captain trying to capture a Dam. The story centers on the Captain learning that these men are soldiers and not just a service company. There is a scene that could be from a Civil War movie and not a WW2 movie that reflects what the movie is all about. The Black Lt. gives a German women a innocent peck on the cheek, and the white Capt becomes upset. I enjoyed the movie from a curiosity stand point since the stars and the Genre were interesting to me.

An army officer is given a dangerous mission to go behind German front lines . What makes this WW2 different ? Well it involves some funky black dudes kick some Nazi ass and we are talking right on funky bro , so much so it's almost like the black anti-thesis to THE ETERNAL JEW but that would be a compliment and the first ten minutes are patronising as to be insulting not only to black people but anyone watching THE BLACK BRIGADE . Try and imagine Richard Pryor in a relatively semi serious role and you can see where the film's flaws lie

This is a pity because despite being far from a classic WW2 actioner or even a classic TVM THE BLACK BRIGADE is a much better film than I thought possible once I got past the dreadful first ten minutes . Okay it's not great , it's made on a very limited budget in some woodland in California somewhere and it has that seen it all before usually done better . That said it does make some important points about soldiering . Soldiering isn't all about charging machine gun nests and wiping out the enemy single handed , soldiering you see often involves long period of boredom and mundane tasks like digging latrines . A jobs a job and a soldier is a soldier and someone wearing an army uniform is worthy of respect regardless of what regiment he belongs to and what his tasks are . THE BLACK BRIGADE occasionally touches upon these points and one wishes it had concentrated on these points more rather than being a bit too funky for its own good

The idea of "Carter's Army" is a good one, though awfully reminiscent of the contemporary film "The Dirty Dozen". However, the execution of the plot is, at best, sub-par. Too many of the characters seem like caricatures and often they seem more like 1970 actors than WWII soldiers by the way they talk and look. I call this sloppy. It's a shame, as a group of black soldiers proving themselves in combat is a great concept.

An oddly cast Stephen Boyd (the Irishman) plays a redneck captain during WWII who is told they only soldiers available for a special assignment are some ragtag black infantrymen with zero combat experience and very little discipline. Considering how important the assignment is, giving the Captain these men really seemed very contrived.

Among the black soldiers is a very nice group of actors--with Rosy Grier, Richard Pryor, Robert Hooks, Moses Gunn, Billy Dee Williams and Robert Turman among the soldiers. The problem, however, is that the dialog and situations they are given really don't given them much chance to show their acting talents. With too many clichés and some illogical characters (one is deaf....how many DEAF soldiers served in WWII?!?!?!).

In many ways, this film might have worked better had it been a Vietnam War drama--because often the characters acted like folks from the civil rights generation of the 60s and 70s. As it is, it's mildly entertaining but also a bit stupid.

I was damn near ready to turn this movie off when I saw that "B" company, the Black Brigade, was a bunch of back alley fools shooting dice, drinking wine, and acting foolish. Did I mention that this was at an outpost in Europe during WWII? Oh, I forgot to mention that? Now you know. They were so uncouth and ignorant they couldn't behave like soldiers during the war. They looked like F Troop except dumber and lazier. Pretty much every negative stereotype that you'd have about a black soldier: too old, too fat, too scared, too dumb, too shiftless, too lazy, and overall incompetent.

A company of clowns. But, the blame wasn't entirely on them. They were ill-prepared from the start. They never went through basic training, never given duties other than manual labor, they were never even properly screened (one soldier was deaf and another was well over 270 pounds)! So, even though they were a company of clowns it was almost as if they were set up to be so.

Finally, they were given a captain and a mission. Their new captain was a white Georgian named Captain Carter (Hence the movie title Carter's Army). Their mission: take a dam and hold it for reinforcements.

Their captain was a racist to be sure, but he definitely had some valid complaints. He wasn't given soldiers he was given a circus. Nevertheless, he was responsible for taking this band of unprepared personnel on a suicide mission.

This movie wasn't a total waste though. It needed to be longer with more character development, but this is what we got. With actors like Richard Pryor, Billy Dee (sans mustache, lye, and relaxer), Glynn Turman, and Robert Hooks I was expecting something better. They were given so little to work with though. There was a slight redemption for the movie at the end, yet nothing enough to completely rescue this film. The movie plot was a noble one and I can only assume that intentions were good. Still, I think Glory did a lot better with the same concept.

(1969) Black Brigade/ Carter's Army WAR

Made for TV movie centering on "only" one small aspect of a lot of roles African Americans had on WWII- this focuses on a suicide mission of protecting a specific bridge, only that it was told convoluted with a lot of second rate acting with some very accomplished actors and comedians, most notably known comedian Richard Pryor on one of few dramatic roles and Lawrence Fishbourne of "The Matrix" films. And because it was made for TV - it was sugar coated and way too dramatic for a war film. They're some good lines, but wasn't effective enough to carry this film throughout.

Was a kid when I saw this movie first air on ABC television as it introduced me to a World War II U.S. Army that I didn't know existed. Yes, the mysterious, wooden and often referred to obnoxious Stephen Boyd is in it along with superstars Rosie, Richard and Billy Dee. One of Ireland's most famous Hollywood actors, Boyd was a genuine thespian who shines in his role as the angry officer. The wonderful Susan Oliver's not too shabby either. Neat little drama for fans of the "Ben-Hur" and "Fantastic Voyage" guy. It's a sad note that Stephen died before he had successfully comeback into the arms of Tinsel Town after knocking about in Europe doing no-money/no fame work, but that was his thing. See him in "The Oscar" as he's a hoot in the bomb and he'd be the first to tell ya.

This movie is a waste of film stock. Do you believe that the map of a plan of a military mission would be placed on an easel on a patio in broad daylight for anyone with binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens to see? It happened in this film. Do you believe that a DEAF person would actually be enlisted in the active duty army in Europe during WWII to serve in a "Negro" unit...cooking, supply services, burial detail, etc.? It happened in this film. Do you believe that a black (and supposedly intelligent) officer would select this same DEAF K.P. to be part of an active combat mission to protect a dam from being destroyed by the Germans before the allies arrived? It happened in this film. Would you be surprised that the DEAF soldier didn't realize that a German plane was approaching from behind and would strafe and kill him? It happened in this film. Would you be surprised that a group of American soldiers hold-up in a barn at a farmhouse that the Germans happened upon would SHOUT out their emotions at the sight of the German soldiers who were just 50' away? They did it in this film, and left any possible entrances to the barn the Germans might check totally unprotected. Would you believe that, over the airwaves and in clear English, the Captain mentioned the General's rank, if not his name, as the person he was speaking with and that the general, in plain English over open airwaves, said that the dam had to be protected the next day? Maybe they should have just sent in an emissary to tell which direction the American attack would be coming from just to make it a little easier on the Germans. This so-called movie should be placed on a list of the top 50 worst films. If it were, I'm sure it would do well. Watch it at your own risk.

I recently watched Carter's Army (1970) on Prime. The storyline revolves around a racist officer tasked with leading an all-black brigade to capture a bridge from the Germans. Can the troops and the officer overcome their differences to achieve this challenging mission?

Directed by George McCowan (Frogs), the film features Richard Pryor (Harlem Nights), Glynn Turman (Super 8), Billy Dee Williams (Return of the Jedi), Paul Mooney (Bamboozled), and Stephen Boyd (Ben-Hur).

Despite a stellar cast, this wartime picture is a bit of a mixed bag. The cinematography falls short, and many lines come off as cliché. However, Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor deliver solid performances, and witnessing a young Glynn Turman is enjoyable. The depicted animosity feels authentic, and Pryor's action scenes add a touch of humor. While the mission execution and final sequence lack impact due to a low budget, the characters' charm makes it worth a watch.

In conclusion, Carter's Army isn't a great film, but the characters' charm is worthwhile. I would score this a 4.5-5/10 and recommend giving it a watch at least once.

The American army desperately needs to take a dam in Nazi Germany during World War II. Because it is the closest military unit the assignment is given to Company B of the 3rd Regiment to secure it long enough for the rest of the army to cross to the other side. This particular company, however, is an undisciplined black unit that is completely ill-prepared for this mission. To make matters even more complicated, the decision is made to place a white, southern officer by the name of "Captain Beau Carter" (Stephen Boyd) in command. Anyway, what follows is a basic made-for-television film which contains some decent action mixed with typical racial overtones seen quite often during this time. Overall the film is okay but only because of the acting of Stephen Boyd and the presence of several notable black actors to include Roosevelt Grier (as "Big Jim"), Billy Dee Williams ("Private Lewis"), Richard Pryor ("Jonathan Crunk"), Robert Hooks ("Lieutenant Edward Wallace") and Moses Gunn ("Private Doc Hayes").

The premise for this made for TV movie had a lot of promise - there haven't been a lot of movies made concerning African Americans who fought in World War Two, and the production managed to round up some serious talent in front of the camera.

But the cast really deserved a lot better than what they actually got. Since the production was made for television in the early 1970s, you can imagine how the movie looks and feels. If for some reason you are not able to, I'll just say that the locations are inappropriate (California does NOT look like Europe), there is a bare minimum of props in most sequences, and often the props that are used don't seem to fit the time and place (such as the uniforms the soldiers wear.)

The fact that the production doesn't seem to have bothered to hire any kind of military advisor doesn't just apply to the production values, but also with the battlefield maneuvers and interplay with fellow troops; even those who have never been in the military will get a strong feeling that all of this is simply inaccurate. It's also sometimes insulting, because most of the African American soldiers in the movie come across as lazy and undisciplined; I am sure real African American soldiers in this war were trying extremely hard to prove themselves to the Caucasian soldiers.

The biggest disappointment, however, is that most of the movie is really dull and slow, even though its running time is only about 70 minutes. The thin story is ridiculously padded out. There also isn't any real action until the last twenty minutes, which certainly doesn't help things.

Is there anything worthy to see here? Well, the movie does provide the chance to see some then unknown African American actors who later became famous, such as Robert Hooks, Billy Dee Williams, Rosie Grier, and Richard Pryor. Speaking of Pryor, you also get to see him in a rare serious role. But apart from that, the movie is so poorly done that you'll understand why no one renewed its copyright, resulting in the movie being widely available in DVD bargain bins at Wal-Mart and other retailers.

In commenting on African-Americans in film and television in chronological order for Black History Month, we're now at 1970 with the TV movie Carter's Army (a.k.a. The Black Brigade which is the title on my double-sided $1 DVD which has Bill Cosby's To All My Friends on Shore on the other side). A racist white army captain played by Stephen Boyd is assigned to recruit several black men to guard a bridge that the Germans want to take over. Of course, he changes through the course of the movie. Robert Hooks is the Leutenant who has among his men: Moses Gunn, Glynn Turman, Billy Dee Williams, Rosie Grier, and Richard Pryor. Susan Oliver is the German lady who brings out the worst in Boyd after he sees Hooks plant her a kiss in thanking her for advice and compliments. The other men have some good scenes and lines before their fates are revealed. I was amused at some of the comedy between Grier and Pryor with Pryor making us wonder after a while what kind of man he really is. Co-written and produced by Aaron Spelling, he does what he can in presenting a compelling dramatization of a World War II event in less than 90 minutes with commercial breaks. Worth a look for both as a depiction of a historical event and in seeing Pryor and Williams before their roles in feature films like Lady Sings the Blues, Hit, and The Bingo Long Travelling All-Stars & Motor Kings.

I thought I knew it all when it came to Blaxploitation films and for that matter tv shows such as White Shadow and What's Happening. I came across this film in a chain video store and had to make a command decision. It was necessary to determine whether to buy and risk losing the few dollars or more arguably having an eyesore of an item that second hand stores would not even give money for. That would mean throwing it away if it were truly dreadful. I decided to pass at first b-lining home to read online reviews to see the scoop. Fortunately, the critics were kind enough, prompting me to return to the store with renewed vigor and confidence that I was not buying a total turkey. I played the first half of the tape on several occasions only halfway paying attention to ensure that it worked at least functionally. Well finally I had an audience and played it from beginning to end, and was not just impressed but very impressed. I grade on a curve considering the time period and budget put into the project. I really liked the character development in which the subtle differences of personalities remains consistent. The best friend twosome of Pryor and Grier is formable and yet handled in a subtle manner. The other allstars of Moses Gunn, Glynn Thurman, and Billy Dee Williams make this a film that a film expert of black cinema should not miss.