Spike Lee Slams Clint Eastwood Over Representation Of Black Soldiers

UPDATE: Clint has responded Spike and told him, among other things, to "shut his face."

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CANNES, France - Spike Lee is slamming Clint Eastwood over his two recent Iwo Jima movies, saying the filmmaker overlooked the role of black soldiers during World War II.

Lee _ whose next film is this fall's "Miracle at St. Anna," the story of an all-black U.S. division fighting in Italy during the war _ said Eastwood's 2006 movies "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima" were whites-only affairs.

"He did two films about Iwo Jima back to back and there was not one black soldier in both of those films," Lee said Tuesday at the Cannes Film Festival, where he was a judge in an online short-film competition.

"Many veterans, African-Americans, who survived that war are upset at Clint Eastwood. In his vision of Iwo Jima, Negro soldiers did not exist. Simple as that. I have a different version," Lee said.

Eastwood was in Cannes for his missing-child drama "Changeling," starring Angelina Jolie. At a news conference for the film, a reporter tried to ask for his reaction to Lee's criticism, but the moderator cut her off and told journalists to limit questions to Eastwood's own movie.

Due in U.S. theaters in October, "Miracle at St. Anna" centers on four Americans _ played by Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso and Omar Benson Miller _ in the Buffalo Soldiers division in Tuscany.

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On the Net:

http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en.html

Comments

[thankulord13]

Once again the White majority is trying minimize the contributions of African Americans to this nation. Yes African Americans served in WWII because my Grandfather served. He fought for this nation came back home after he helped win the war and was sent to the back of the bus. Spike Lee had every right to bring up this issue and for all of you who are trying to stoop to name calling, grow up!

[Vixen0932]

PREACH!
Yes my grandfather from Georgia was sent to Italy for WWII and became back to the this great country to be treated as a second class citizen

[jvarga]

Oh yes. Clint Eastwood = a majority. Who would have known 1 person is a majority in a country of 300,000,000 people. It's like a freaking Chuck Norris joke gone horribly awry.

[VSamuels]

My dad served in WWII as well, and now he rests in the Culpeper National Cemetery. His story was much like your grandfather, as he fought for freedom that was denied to him. But here ,there are alot of whites who can't grasp that the history of America is so tainted with the normalization of lies and untruths, that their ability to see the reality of how the world was formed, now enslaves them to vapid ignorance that ultimately clouds their understandings of themselves and others.

They simply can't accept that so much which comforts them was a product of a racist culture operating singularly to keep them believing that only they were doing anything important, and all others were unimportant.

And, its why a simply reply by Lee, sends the knee-jerks into fits; as they continue to demonstrate their upbringing and culture; that has taught them to devalue the opinion and words of non-whites.

[candomath]

Wait till BO is president. Black males in this country will strut their stuff like you've never seen before. Black male violence will rule the streets. White women watch out.

[prattvictory]

It would be a shame to censor Kentucky's Hillary supporters. I hope in the interest of representing the views of peckerwoods everywhere they don't delete your post.

[BMW121]

It's amazing how racist your post is and how it got past the Huffpo's screeners is beyond me. Even if this was supposed to be taken as a joke, it was poorly conceived and ill executed. "Black male violence will rule the streets"? Comments like this are the reason this country is split down the middle racially.

[MainSpark]

BMW121 wrote:

"Black male violence will rule the streets"? Comments like this are the reason this country is split down the middle racially."

No, it isn't *the* reason, it's *one* of them. The racism door swings both ways. Failure to admit or acknowledge that fact is another *one* of the reasons this country is split.

But, split down the middle racially? Intriguing thought. Or is that simply an opinion? Could you please explain what you mean by it? You know, provide some facts to support the statement? Honestly, I'd like to know. I'll not deny that there's a racial division (or divisions), but I'd wish you to explain the "down the middle" part.

[SpoxLogic]

Hey candomath, the White women don't have to watch out. You already know they prefer the Brothers. Geez, why would they be scared...u­nless you're gonna start ebating on them for loving the Bros.
..penis envy does not become you, my friend.

[smokeystover39]

And candomath will you bring your sheet and rope into the open?

[ylpatriot]

Unfortunately, I happen to think you are very correct...­..


and before anyone comments this is racist stuff ... I ask you ... when can whites have their own "white college fund" for their own White only college ? uh huh see what i mean !!!

[Ericjack]

You've had it for years and you still have them!
HISTORICALLY - How many whites have been barred from attending school, had dogs and national guard and bigots attack them? Better yet have a governor, or congress prohibit whites from attending school.
Speak intelligently if you truly want to have a conversation. Or shut up and remain ignorant!

[TJS]

The first installment, "Flags of our Fathers" was based on the experiences of the soldiers who raised the flag--or who didn't get credit for raising the first flag. Since the armed forces were segregated, black troops were not in those divisions and were not in the recollections of the principal characters. This is not to deny the valor and bravery of those black troops in black divisions that did fight. The black soldiers were simply not part of the particular substory that Clint Eastwood told in his movie. The second movie, "Letter from Iwo Jima" was almost exclusive about the Japanese soldiers..­.

Spike Lee is creating a strawman issue where no really exists.

[shanghaislim]

That is correct. Maybe he won his Oscars for being factual correct in his on-screen portryals?

Unlike Mr. Lee.

[GeeBee]

Not all of those soldiers were white. Ira Hayes, played so well by Adam Beach, was Native American. If we want to complain about discrimination in Hollywood, where was his Oscar nomination?

[SpoxLogic]

I dunno Spike. I dont' think I can support you on this one, Bro'.

Any Blacks in the Pacific theater in WWII, were pulling mess crank or some other support duty, soif any Blacks were shown, what major pivotal role would they have had in "Flags of our Fathers"?

Similarly, "Letters from Iwo Jima" was from the Japanese perspective, so unless there were some Black Japanese soldiers we haven't heard about, I doubt how you could show any Blacks in that.

Maybe you'd have a better argument if you argued that he should also make a film about Black soldiers.

I gonna have to call a "double dribble' on this one against you, Spike.

[VNJD]

Spike should do some fact-finding first. Such as how many black soldiers served in the European theater as opposed to the Pacific theater, the number of black soldiers at the battle of Iwo Jima, etc.
It is my understanding that Eastwood had the actual military records (both American and Japanese) of the soldiers represented in the films and was shooting more for accuracy than PC.

[totalliberal]

Um, Spike. "Letters from Iwo Jima" was all about the Japanese soldiers fighting the Americans from their point of view. I wasn't aware that Nippon had African-American soldiers. Begs the question, did he even see the film, or is this all about publicity for himself?

[STORMATSEA]

Spike lee is himself a self serving racist as well as a director who is given more credit than he deserves.
Ira Haze who was a Pima indian and one of the main focuses of the film. Not exacltly a "white" person.
The characters in "Letters from Iwo Jima were again, not "whites" but, in fact Japanese, did none of you see the film?
Spike Lee bitched when Eastwood directed "Bird", because he claimed white people couldn't understand a black man.
Spike Lee is a man raised in a middle class family who uses race baiting to sell his product.
He is a cheap self serving ego maniac without a tenth of Eastwoods talent or brains.

[eveready]

Amen to that. What a tool. Can the country ever get to a point where a journalist can just say WTF to such garbage?

[chefrasta]

As a African American I cannot agree with Spike Lee on this one. The battle of Iwo Jima consisted of Marine Corps divisions and in 1945 there was no Black Marines because of segreation­.Now given Clint Eastwood's power to make movies there are stories that can be told like the 442 infantry regiment of Japanese Americans who relatives were locked away in concentration camps and I believe Kareem Abdul Jabbar wrote a book about a Black tank regiment in Pattens third Army.We need to learn all our contributions to the war effort.

[amanda85]

"As a African American I cannot agree with Spike Lee on this one. The battle of Iwo Jima consisted of Marine Corps divisions and in 1945 there was no Black Marines"

Are you absolutely sure?

"While the film's battle scenes show scores of young soldiers in combat, none of them are African-American. Yet almost 900 African-American troops took part in the battle of Iwo Jima, including Sgt McPhatter.­"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/oct/21/usa.filmnews

[1jadednewyorker]

Wrong chefrasta. Do your research.

[robXdion]

No Black Marines?

Please go learn something before you come on the internet and vomit some BS. Montford Point Marines etc.....re­ad something.

[jmparks]

Note to Spike: when you have as many AAs on your mantle as Eastwood, and a resume to match, lemme know.

[suntzu]

One of Eastwood's heroes is Charlie "Bird" Parker, and did a movie about him.

[maca]

And Lee bitched about THAT at the time as well, saying a white man couldn't direct a movie about a black man. And what's Lee's movie about? An ALL BLACK division. Lee is one of those meta-racists who believe that the very act of ignoring race, in any context, is racist. With Lee it's all race, all the time. Go away, you angry and remarkably untalented little man.

[amanda85]

Note to jmparks: when you read your first history book, lemme know.

"While the film's battle scenes show scores of young soldiers in combat, none of them are African-American. Yet almost 900 African-American troops took part in the battle of Iwo Jima, including Sgt McPhatter.­"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/oct/21/usa.filmnews

[shanghaislim]

Racism knows NO color, dear.

Mr. Lee is just looking for some free publicity. One thing he has learned in his career is "controversy sells"

Why did he bring it up at Cannes?

[ergoth]

what a sad little man lee is.

[shanghaislim]

I can see Dirty Harry now mumbling to himself...­.

".........­..little sh*t"

[kathyhussien]

Back then the military was segregated blacks and white were in different units.

[amanda85]

"Back then the military was segregated blacks and white were in different units."

Yeah, and the Japanese were "bespectacled yellow monkeys."
What is really amazing is how many Americans still take the war time racist propaganda (by which African-Americans were too stupid to fight) as the truth...

FACT: "While the film's battle scenes show scores of young soldiers in combat, none of them are African-American. Yet almost 900 African-American troops took part in the battle of Iwo Jima, including Sgt McPhatter.­"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/oct/21/usa.filmnews

[AllaboutME]

Good for you Spike! That is just like Oliver Stones movie "World Trade Center" he replaced the hero of the story who was black with a white character. Typical!

[kathyhussien]

One of the four guys at Iwo Jima that raised the flag was an Native American.

[amanda85]

There were a lot more than four involved with that flag raising. And yes, one was African-American. A small detail white conservative Republican Clint Eastwood conveniently forgot:

"Mr McPhatter (an African-American Marine), who went on to serve in Vietnam and rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in the US navy, even had a part in the raising of the flag."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/oct/21/usa.filmnews

[shanghaislim]

Wasn't he the third guy on the left at the flag raising?

[BillLumbergh]

"they got the pipe from me"
That's hardly raising the flag.
You're a troll.

[GeeBee]

Defects in the movie aside, Eastwood has described himself as a Liberal Democrat in the past.

[billu]

Black troops were segregated during wwII. For the most part they didn't see combat. They were the support, the mess hall workers and latrine diggers. Yes it was shameful, yes it happened. To show an integrated battle unit during that period would have been wildly innacurate and Clint was not going for pure fiction. For that you need to go to the Dirty Dozen. The Tuskeegee Airmen was a great movie and really showcased what Black troops went through (especially as officers).

[diboss]

I read this article that amanda85 has been linking to and I must say I was as wrong as you are here. Spike has a point. America then would never ever show a black man as a war hero. It's a shameful period of history, but let's not let the lie continue.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/oct/21/usa.filmnews

[billu]

The black unit was segregated and had a support role. That they were actively involved in combat was due to the total snafu that was Iwo Jima. If everything went the commander's way they would have been issued shovels and not rifles.

Sad but true.

[DebofMD]

Good for you, Spike.