Colored in Courage

Rating: 6/10 (5 May 2015)

In 1944 Belgium, during World War II, handsome American lieutenant Colin Farrell (as Thomas "Tom" Hart) is captured by the Nazis and sent to a German Prisoner of War (POW) camp. He is a US Senator's son and Yale law student; this was not supposed to happen. After some hairy distractions, Mr. Farrell ends up in Stalag 6A. He meets the prisoners' hard-nosed leader Bruce Willis (as William A. McNamara), who puts Lt. Farrell in a less than worthy barracks; it's one for enlisted men, not officers. The demotion is likely because Col. Willis knows Farrell lied to him about not cracking under German interrogation. Next, two additional men arrive at Stalag 6A. These men cause racial tension among the POWs...
The conflict centers on Terrence Howard (as Lincoln A. Scott) and Cole Hauser (as "Vic" W. Bedford). A Tuskegee pilot, the former becomes an accused black man; the latter is his white racist enemy. These men perform their supporting roles very well. However, the most memorable characterization is given by Marcel Iures (as Werner Visser). As the Nazi leader, Mr. Iures has the meatiest role. He was educated in the west (Yale, again), served in World War I and plays American jazz phonograph records. That background connects everyone...
The main star, Farrell employs his Yale studies to defend Mr. Howard. The main co-star, Willis looks steely and determined. Director Gregory Hoblit and cinematographer Alar Kivilo make "Hart's War" a fine looking film, especially during the first half. But we should not guess the big revelation before Farrell, who seems like a fairly smart guy, and the ending is most unsatisfactory.
****** Hart's War (2/15/02) Gregory Hoblit ~ Colin Farrell, Bruce Willis, Marcel Iures, Terrence Howard