Spike Lee tells the tale of Black soldiers in the 92nd Division fighting in Italy during World War II. The war may have been dangerous, and patriotism was rampant, but prejudice was prevalent and even if you wore the military uniform, many people still viewed a black soldier as a second-class citizens.
Logline
It’s 1983, and a WWII veteran named Hector Negron has just shot and killed a man at work after the customer asked for some stamps. In the ensuing investigation, reporter Tim Boyle learns that there is a sordid history to Negron, and that this murder has its roots in Negron’s service in Italy in World War II.
In the war, Negron is a part of the 92nd Infantry Division of the US Army in Italy. Sent on a poorly led mission that sees many soldiers killed, Negron and fellow soldiers Stamps, Cummings, and Train, survive and find shelter in an Italian village.
Surrounded by Nazis and forced to take part in a ridiculous mission given by racist commanding officer Captain Nokes, the four men are forced to confront a reality that they are in trouble and may not make it home safely.
As the Nazis move closer, and the soldiers befriend some Italian partisans, Negron, Stamps, Cummings, and Train must learn to work together if they hope to survive. But the closer the enemy comes, the men learn that not everyone is their friend, and the enemy might be closer than they knew.
High Praise
This is a huge film for Spike Lee, and based on his previous work, Miracle at St. Anna is the biggest swing the filmmaker takes. World War II films rarely show the contribution of the black soldiers on the front line, and with Lee bringing this story to life, it adds context to a historical event that is well known, but heavily whitewashed for audiences.
Lee’s efforts with bringing Miracle at St. Anna to the screen reminds moviegoers and filmmakers that though there are numerous World War II stories on the big and small screen, there is a wealth of stories about real people and events that are waiting to be told.
The cast is great.
What Were They Thinking
It’s not clear why Negron kills the man in the start of the film, even after the reason is revealed near the end of the movie.
I would have liked to have seen more of the four leads have screen time together. The biggest difficulty I had with the film was trying to make a connection with the lead characters. I wanted to know more about them, who they were and where they came from, and I felt like that didn’t get the development in the movie, like they should have.
The film felt disjointed. With an incredible story, brilliant depictions of battle that are visceral and brutal, the movie feels clunky when it transitions from one part to the next.
Backlot Knowledge
- The movie is adapted from James McBride’s book of the same name.
- Spike Lee and Derek Luke were nominated for Image Awards for their work in the film. The movie was also nominated for a Best Picture Image Award.
- The movie won Best Score from the Houston Film Critics Society Association.
- Samuel L. Jackson turned down the part of Hector Negron to star in Lakeview Terrace.
- Wesley Snipes was cast in the film but had to drop out due to his pending tax evasion court case.
- The movie premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival before being released to the public.
- John Leguizamo has a cameo in the film.
- Colman Domingo has a small role in the film.
- The movie is based on real life events of the Nazi massacre at Sant’Anna di Stazzema
- The film was heavily criticized in Italy for its depiction of an Italian partisan being the reason for the massacre. In 2005, an Italian military court ruled that the Nazis committed the atrocity to frighten the people of the community. There was no indication that it was because of partisan betrayal.
- The movie was a box office bomb and premiered in North America in ninth place.
- Miracle at St. Anna grossed more in DVD sales then what it earned at the box office.
Critical Response
{Snub-Skip this Film, Overexposed-Desperate for Something to Watch, Clapper-A Perfect Film For Any Device, Magic Hour– You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen, Award Worthy– This Film is Cinema.}
I really enjoyed Miracle at St. Anna. This was a big bold film for Spike Lee to make, and while it is not a perfect film, it is well worth seeing. Spike Lee is a fantastic filmmaker who always tells great stories. His choice of dipping his toe into World War II narratives was excellent, and I would love to see him tell more stories from this part of history.
Though the film may have failed at the box office, and garnered little critical respect, Miracle at St. Anna is film that is Award Worthy in my opinion.
Best Quotable Line
“Enjoy tonight, tomorrow may never come.”
Call Sheet
- Derek Luke as Stamps
- Michael Ealy as Cummings
- Laz Alonso as Hector Negron
- Omar Miller as Sam Train
- John Turturro as Detective Ricci
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tim Boyle
- Kerry Washington as Zana Wilder
- Walton Goggins as Captain Nokes
Productions Team:
Directed by Spike Lee
Produced by Touchstone Pictures / 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
Written by James McBride
Release Date: September 26, 2008
Budget: $45 million
Domestic Box Office Gross: $7,919,117
Worldwide Box Office Gross: $9,333,654
Coming Attractions
Next week, a look back at the Nicolas Cage thriller, Snake Eyes.