In this dramatic short film, the scene opens somewhere in Italy, circa May 1944. Suddenly, a vicious nighttime firefight erupts, catching a group of black soldiers in the crossfire. Cut to some months later. The black GIs, one man minus a leg, have returned to Georgia, filled with hope and anticipation about their postwar lives. While passing a short wait between trains, they quickly discover that little has changed in their homeland. For example, German POWs dine in comfort in the town's cafe, while the black men must be served outside the back door. A vicious bigoted MP taunts and baits one black man, then tramples on his service medals. A minor confrontation escalates into a near tragic explosion of violence, anticipating the civil rights battles to come. At the end, the men are left shaken, each pondering their future in white America. Produced by the American Film Institute, this short film earns points for good acting and decent production values. Yet, as is the case with some other AFI shorts, the brief running time doesn't allow for a meaningful exploration of its provocative and ambitious themes. Four letter obscenities and several graphic sexual references probably rule this film out for school use. A better dramatic choice here would be the 1984 feature A Soldier's Story. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)
A Short Wait Between Trains
(1997) 25 min. $185 ($157.25 for libraries). Carousel Film & Video. PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 1-56058-136-0. Vol. 14, Issue 1
A Short Wait Between Trains
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