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The Tuskegee Airmen (1995)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
9/14, 8/20
9/14:
The Tuskegee Airmen is the black version of Memphis Belle, and both films are
similar in many ways.
Of course, it had to be made because of the historical importance. During WWII, there existed a U.S. fighter squadron
of black pilots, trained in Tuskegee, Alabama, that fought overseas and was one of the most decorated in military
history despite the overwhelming racism at that time.
The adversity these men went through is nothing short of inspiring. What I don't like is the high amount of profanity because
the film should be shown in schools. Cut that down, and it'll make for a proper showing.
Meanwhile, I love Laurence Fishburne, and he's fantastic in the leading role of Hannibal Lee. It's interesting to see him and
Mekhi Phifer in the same film because both played Othello in separate films. Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Courtney B. Vance, among
others, do a good job and make a big impact. Easily the best performance of the show goes to Andre Braugher as Colonel
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., one of the most well-known black American military officers. If Andre Braugher looks familiar, it's because
he played Searles in Glory.
All in all, the individuals of the famed Tuskegee Airmen overcame long odds to be first black combat aviators in military
history, and I salute them.
8/20:
Taking place during WWII, The Tuskegee Airmen is Top Gun meets
Glory and tells a story that people don't usually read in history books during high school.
Among the best of the best the black race had to offer, the famed Tuskegee Airmen were the first military aviators in the
United States Armed Forces. The amount of racism and hurdles they had to endure is nothing compared to what
minorities go through today which is mostly fake.
Their monumental achievement is staggering and still reverberates today. From 1941 to 1946, flying through a total of 1,578
combat missions, 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee, Alabama, with 355 of them deployed overseas and 84 lost their lives.
The Tuskegee Airmen may not be accurate in the depiction of the actual events but does well enough to give a
general idea. Notwithstanding, it's a well-done war picture that goes from training to dry runs to live combat
while highlighting what the blacks had to go through to get their wings and, finally, respect.
I love the cast, and it's Andre Braugher who gives the strongest performance as Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. His father was
famous for being the first black general in the United States Army. Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Courtney B. Vance,
and Christopher McDonald are outstanding. I've forgotten the first two were father and son in
Boyz n the Hood.
Another nice aspect is the variety of planes. There are different types used such as North American T-6 Texans and P-51
Mustangs. Sometimes, I'm reminded of the other great film called Memphis Belle, and the
comparisons are difficult to avoid. Even John Lithgow is in both of them; he's super mean in one and super nice in the other.
All in all, Glory and The Tuskegee Airmen are the two best films about blacks going
to war in different capacities for the first time.