La mort n'a pas de couleur

As usual, Hallmark Hall of Fame has done an outstanding job of presenting the factual events of the times. Our world is not always a pleasant place, but as these events show, truth and right generally prevail. I like the fact that this experience was an education for all involved, especially John Lithgow's character.

"Resting Place" tells of an Army officer (Lithgow) who accompanies the body of a black Vietnam war hero home for burial only to find the cemetery is segregated and the body is shrouded in mystery. A well cast journeyman TV drama, "Resting Place" is a thoughtful and poignant exploration of one man's search for truth among a too divided civilian population and a too unified military unit. Good stuff with a message for everyone.

I was so pleased that I had taped this movie from the television based upon the briefest review in the newspaper as I have the chance to watch this forgotten gem whenever I wish to. Made in 1986 the film is about a US Army Major in 1972 accompanying the body of a young officer to his home town of Rockville for local burial. So what you may think, but the twist is that Major Laird is played by John Lithgow and his charge is the son of Luther and Ada Johnson (Morgan Freeman and CCH Pounder). In Rockville the cemetery is reserved for the white folks and even black military heroes have to rest out of town, according to the local Sheriff. The plot deals with that period in time when there still was prejudice even though there were laws for equal rights. This may seem quite dated now that Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th President of the United States of America, but the story is told with feeling and some very strong acting ability. Without exception, all of the leading characters are portrayed by actors who all went on to prove their true worth. It may be that the subject matter of the movie was not flavour of the month in 1986 but nevertheless it is workmanlike and sincere in its story of good old white society trying to maintain its superiority over emerging black aspirations. Whilst it is not in the same league as 'In the Heat of the Night' or 'Amistad' this well made tale of a fight against prejudice is still worth watching more than once.

I just saw this movie recently by way of a DVD that I rented. As the "voice of experience" from having previously served in the US Army in the same duty as John Lithgow's character ... I must say that he did one Hell of a good job! I was totally amazed! I usually associate this actor with roles that are "dumb & goofy" ... but he amazed me by performing in a very serious role. The character traits were perfect. The costumes were on target for that period. It was even filmed on location at an army post in Georgia which is where the fictional story was to have taken place. I especially liked the ending when the combined efforts of the men in the (mostly white) Platoon became the force that turned the tide of southern racism and finally allowed a hero to be buried in a place where he originally had NOT been welcome for no other reason than the color of his skin. I grew up in Georgia and even during that same time period of the early 1970s, there were still small communities where the mindset of certain people was still like the 1950s before Civil Rights had taken effect. But overall, I felt that this film was excellent and really did NOT get the attention that it truly deserved when it was first released. Hallmark should replay this once again.

---LTC Ralph Mitchell, US Army (ret)

It's astounding that when we think about segregation 1.) we think about it being ages ago and 2.) we think of schools and water fountains. Then a movie such as "Resting Place" comes along to teach us that segregation was in every imaginable sphere of life, up to and including in death. And that's the central theme of our movie here: a fallen soldier of the Vietnam war not being able to be buried in the cemetery in his home town because it was a "whites only" cemetery. This segregation was occurring 17 years after the Brown v. The Board of Education ruling, and seven years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

That brings us to the movie in question: "Resting Place." Major Laird (John Lithgow) was in charge of making sure Sgt. Dwyte Johnson was given a proper burial. Major Laird accompanied the body to Rockville, GA where he found that Dwyte Johnson would not be allowed to be buried in the local cemetery. How did he even get a plot you may ask. A well-intentioned older white woman, and friend of the Johnson family, named Eudora McCallister (Frances Sternhagen), bought the plot and sold it to the Johnsons.

Even though the Johnson family was rebuffed in typical southern we're-good-folks-but-we-don't-like-you fashion, they would not be defeated. Luther (Morgan Freeman) and Ada Johnson (CCH Pounder) believed that their son, a war hero no less, deserved more than anybody to be buried in his hometown.

Major Laird, to his credit, would not give up either. The movie, while based upon social justice, was also a bit of an investigative movie because, whereas Dwyte Johnson's unit recommended him for a Silver Star, there was something fishy about his death.

I enjoyed this somewhat subdued, yet serious Hallmark movie. John Lithgow and Richard Brooks were excellent. Morgan Freeman and CCH Pounder didn't have huge roles so their impact on the film was minimal besides giving it an air of credibility. Race always has been and always will be a painful, hence troublesome issue, but I appreciate movies such as "Resting Place" for tackling it in an intelligent manner.