ROD STEIGER COMMANDS 'THE SERGEANT' WITH JOHN PHILLIP LAW

Year: 1968 Rating: ****1/2

It's not just what THE SERGEANT is about, or even who it's about: An American World War II hero returned to France ten years later for an otherwise breezy peacetime gig not as risky or daring...

This Army Sergeant of military construction laborers wielding old-school brass tactics to shape things up... until both someone and something distracts him... because MSgt. Albert Callan is a closet homosexual, and on the surface, Rod Steiger portrays a lonesome Army lifer who finally finds a true friend he can mentor and/or simply hang around with...

Of course it's deeper than that... but as a film from 1968 about 1952, John Flynn directs with a unique, strategic, cautious approach aptly suited for and catered to Steiger's creepy-harsh yet desperately sympathetic performance...

And on the other side is tall, handsome John Phillip Law, who often plays calm wooden types but he plays them well... His targeted Pfc. Swanson to Steiger's subtle style of persuasive bullying... after being shifted to his personal office clerk... is, in its own way, equal to the intense title role...

Law's oblivious reactions to the passive/aggressive action that only an offbeat genius like Steiger could effectively pull off within this sparse, subtle maze countered by French starlet Ludmila Mikaël as Law's gorgeous town-next-door girlfriend (who he's captivated with like Steiger is to him), caught in the middle of something that would not only be considered completely impossible back then, but never fathomed in the first place: And yet, putting the controversial theme aside, THE SERGEANT is an outright buddy flick bromance coinciding with the gentle male/female love story. Surprisingly, it's the latter that comparably lacks conviction and seduction.

Top: Rod Steiger with Bottom: John Phillip Law gunning for THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

Ludmila Mikaël THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

John Phillip Law and Rod Steiger in The Sergeant 

John Phillip Law and Rod Steiger bonding in THE SERGEANT by Seven Arts Productions

Cute and flirtatious, uncredited French girl in THE SERGEANT

Lovely French ingenue Ludmila Mikaël as Solange Gérard in THE SERGEANT

The supercool Warner Seven Arts Logo on the bottom right for this powerful poster of THE SERGEANT

Quentin Tarantino shouts-out THE SERGEANT in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Rod Steiger (beating Simon Oakland for the gig, thankfully) and John Phillip Law in The Sergeant

Rod Steiger as The Sergeant, a role heavily campaigned for by Simon Oakland... the right choice was made

John Phillip Law rides Ludmila Mikaël as Solange Gérard in THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

John Phillip Law in THE SERGEANT

Frank Latimore in THE SERGEANT

John Phillip Law in THE SERGEANT with Rod Steiger

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

John Phillip Law in THE SERGEANT with Rod Steiger

John Phillip Law in THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

John Phillip Law in THE SERGEANT with Rod Steiger

Frank Latimore in THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

Opening Credits for THE SERGEANT

Opening Credits for THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

Opening Credits for THE SERGEANT

Opening Credits for THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT

Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT with John Phillip Law