https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=A_Man_Called_SargeA Man Called Sarge - Revision history2026-08-07T07:48:51ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=A_Man_Called_Sarge&diff=410164&oldid=prevCleanupBot II at 10:43, 14 August 20232023-08-14T10:43:57Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|1990 film by Stuart Gillard}}<br />
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}<br />
{{Infobox film<br />
| name = A Man Called Sarge<br />
| image = A_Man_Called_Sarge_poster.jpg<br />
| image_size =<br />
| caption = Promotional poster<br />
| director = [[Stuart Gillard]]<br />
| producer = {{Unbulleted list|[[Gene Corman]]|{{small|Executive Producers:}}|[[Yoram Globus]]|Christopher Pearce|{{small|Associate Producer:}}|[[Itzik Kol]]}}<br />
| writer = Stuart Gillard<br />
| narrator = [[Don LaFontaine]]<br />
| starring = {{Unbulleted list|[[Gary Kroeger]]|Gretchen German|[[Jennifer Runyon]]|[[Marc Singer]]|[[Bobby Di Cicco]]|[[Andy Bumatai]]}}<br />
| music = Chuck Cirino<br />
| cinematography = [[David Gurfinkel]]<br />
| editing = Richard Candib<br />
| studio =<br />
| distributor = [[The Cannon Group]]<br />
| released = {{Film date|1990|2|2|United States}}<br />
| runtime = 88&nbsp;minutes<br />
| country = United States<br />
| language = English<br />
| budget =<br />
| gross = $92,706 {{small|(domestic)}}<br />
}}<br />
'''''A Man Called Sarge''''' is a 1990 American [[parody film]], written and directed by [[Stuart Gillard]], starring [[Gary Kroeger]], [[Marc Singer]], Gretchen German and introducing a young [[Natasha Lyonne]].<br />
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The humour is built on [[slapstick]] and verbal [[pun]]s, in the fashion of comedy filmmaking trio [[Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker]], [[parody|spoofing]] a variety of classic war films – notably ''[[Casablanca (film)|Casablanca]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100100/movieconnections|title=''A Man Called Sarge''|work=Movie connections|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]|access-date=June 18, 2022}}</ref> – and the [[stereotype]]s of the [[war film|genre]]. Sarge (Gary Kroeger), the [[anti-hero]] protagonist, is a patriot with an over-the-top [[John Wayne]] [[persona]]. The [[antagonist]], General Von Kraut (Marc Singer), is a [[derogatory]] portrayal of a German commander – extremely evil, perverted and a poor decision maker – emphasized by his name, as [[kraut]] is often used as a [[pejorative]] term for German soldiers. Furthermore, Sarge's group of misfit soldiers include a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], a [[NYC|New York]] [[Jew]], a [[hillbilly]] and a [[French people|French]] [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]] in the style of [[Maurice Chevalier]].<ref name=christian_movie_review>{{cite web|url=http://www.movieguide.org/archive/32/7381/&Itemid=44 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110717001932/http://www.movieguide.org/archive/32/7381/&Itemid=44 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |title=''A Man Called Sarge'' |website=[[Movieguide]] |access-date=May 20, 2010 }}</ref><br />
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A memorable moment in the film is when Miss Sadie (Gretchen German), a naïve [[Mission (Christian)|mission]] school teacher, sings a song called "[[Jesus Christ|Jesus]] Was a Black Dude", with a full [[gospel music|gospel]] choir, to the [[Arab]] children in her class.<br />
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The film was [[Shot (filmmaking)|shot]] [[Filming location|on location]] in Israel.<br />
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==Plot==<br />
Set during the [[World War II]] [[North Africa]]n [[Western Desert Campaign]], the story follows a misadventurous squad of [[French Foreign Legion]] [[deserters]], led by their charismatic [[sergeant|Sarge]]. They set out across the [[Sahara]] desert to strike a blow on the [[Nazi Germany|German]]-occupied city of [[Tobruk]].<br />
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==Cast==<br />
* [[Gary Kroeger]] as [[sergeant|Sarge]] Duke Roscoe<br />
* [[Marc Singer]] as [[General (Germany)|Generalmajor]] Klaus Von Kraut<br />
* Gretchen German as Miss Sadie Rayburn<br />
* [[Jennifer Runyon]] as Fifi LaRue<br />
* Andy Greenhalgh as [[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]] Leslie Browning<br />
* Michael Mears as [[Commandant (France)|Commandant]] Henry Cheval<br />
* [[Bobby Di Cicco]] as [[Private (rank)|Pvt.]] Frank Anzalone<br />
* Travis McKenna as Pvt. Billy Bob<br />
* [[Howard Busgang]] as Pvt. Irving Steinmetz<br />
* [[Andy Bumatai|Andrew Bumatai]] as Pvt. Willy Bearpaw<br />
* [[Chris England]] as Fergus<br />
* [[Jeffry Wickham]] as Fitzpatrick<br />
* [[Peter Dennis]] as Montgomery, based on [[Field Marshal (United Kingdom)|Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Montgomery]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.poohcorner.com/Peter-Dennis-Actor-Performer.html|title=Peter Dennis, Actor, Performer|author=Dennis, Peter|website=Pooh Corner|access-date=May 26, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306145226/http://www.poohcorner.com/Peter-Dennis-Actor-Performer.html|archive-date=March 6, 2022}}</ref><br />
* Yehuda Efroni as Father Bruce<br />
* [[Natasha Lyonne]] as Arab girl<br />
* [[Bruce Jenner]] as himself<br />
* [[Don LaFontaine]] as [[narrator]]<br />
<br />
At the time of production, Gary Kroeger was mostly known for his work on the late-night [[sketch comedy|comedy]] and [[variety show|variety TV show]] ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', where he was a [[Saturday Night Live cast|regular]] from 1982 to 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://snl.jt.org/cast.php?i=GaKr|title=SNL cast profile: Gary Kroeger|work=The SNL Archives|access-date=May 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020085647/http://snl.jt.org/cast.php?i=GaKr|archive-date=October 20, 2022}}</ref> Although Kroeger had starred in a few films prior to and after ''A Man Called Sarge'', this is the only time he played the [[title role]] in a [[feature film]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471856/|title=Gary Kroeger|work=Profile and filmography|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]|access-date=May 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227075143/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471856/|archive-date=December 27, 2022}}</ref> He had previously worked with director Stuart Gillard as the [[Leading actor|main character]] in [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]'s 1987 [[television movie]] ''[[The Return of the Shaggy Dog]]''.<br />
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Marc Singer was a well established TV actor when he enrolled as General Von Kraut, with a career spanning almost 20 years, including the lead role in the [[television series|series]] ''[[V (science fiction)|V]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://heroesforhire.us/?p=578|title=Marc Singer: Biography|website=Heroes for Hire|access-date=December 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227151700/http://heroesforhire.us/?p=578|archive-date=December 27, 2022}}</ref> As a feature actor, he was best known for the 1982 film ''[[The Beastmaster (film)|The Beastmaster]]''. ''A Man Called Sarge'' marked a return to the big screen and the start of a prolific film career during the 1990s. This was the Singer's second collaboration with producer Gene Corman, the first being ''[[If You Could See What I Hear]]'', released in 1982. They worked together again on ''[[Watchers II]]'', released in the summer of 1990.<br />
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Gretchen German had an active television career since the mid-'80s, but ''A Man Called Sarge'' was her first feature film.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0314525/|title=Gretchen German|work=Profile and filmography|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]|access-date=May 13, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100405020124/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0314525/| archive-date= April 5, 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/gretchen-german-26571/filmography|title=Gretchen German|work=Filmography|publisher=[[All Movie Guide]]|access-date=May 13, 2022}}</ref><br />
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Natasha Lyonne, who was living in Israel at the time,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005169/bio |title=Natasha Lyonne |work=Biography |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] |access-date=May 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003022817/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005169/bio |archive-date=October 3, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> achieved her first [[Credit (creative arts)|credited]] feature film role as a young Arab girl who gets punched in the face by General Von Kraut, while trying to defend Miss Sadie, her teacher. She is credited as Natasha Leon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100100/fullcredits#cast|title=''A Man Called Sarge''|work=Full cast and crew|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]|access-date=May 17, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820133204/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100100/fullcredits|archive-date=August 20, 2022}}</ref><br />
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==Production notes==<br />
[[File:Akko BW 13.JPG|thumb|175px|right|The [[Khan al-Umdan]], in [[Acre, Israel|Acre]], was used for a showdown scene between [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] and [[Axis powers|Axis]] forces]]<br />
''A Man Called Sarge'' was produced by [[Gene Corman]], brother and production partner of [[Roger Corman]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0180020/bio|title=Gene Corman|work=Biography|publisher=Internet Movie Database|access-date=May 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810155249/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0180020/bio|archive-date=August 10, 2022}}</ref> from a 1988 script by director [[Stuart Gillard]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.faqs.org/copyright/on-foot-on-horseback-on-wheels-a-man-called-sarge-jailbait/|title=''A Man Called Sarge''|work=Register of Copyrights|publisher=Internet FAQ Archives|access-date=June 18, 2022}}</ref> Serving as executive producers were [[Yoram Globus]] and Christopher Pearce, heads of [[The Cannon Group|Cannon Pictures]] at the time. This film is part of the early 1990s attempt by Globus, an [[Israelis|Israeli]] veteran producer, to save and rebuild Cannon under new administration, after the departure of his cousin and longtime business partner [[Menahem Golan]] and the [[financial distress]] in the late 1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/Writers-and-Production-Artists-Gi-Ha/Golan-Menahem-and-Yoram-Globus.html|title=Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus|publisher=Film Reference|access-date=May 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031095736/http://www.filmreference.com/Writers-and-Production-Artists-Gi-Ha/Golan-Menahem-and-Yoram-Globus.html|archive-date=October 31, 2022}}</ref> Eventually, The Cannon Group filed bankruptcy a few years later.<br />
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Gene Corman had previously produced ''[[Tobruk (1967 film)|Tobruk]]'', a 1967 war action film, set during the [[Operation Agreement|failed British attempt]] to capture Tobruk, in September 1942.<br />
<br />
Although the city of [[Tobruk]] is located in [[Libya]], filming was done in Israel. One of the final scenes, the showdown between Sarge and Von Kraut, was shot in the [[Khan al-Umdan]] [[caravanserai]], in the historical centre of [[Acre, Israel|Acre]].<br />
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==Release==<br />
''A Man Called Sarge'' had a short-running [[Film release|theatrical release]] on February 2, 1990, earning $92,706 at the domestic [[box office]].<ref name = boxofficemojo>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mancalledsarge.htm|title=''A Man Called Sarge'' (1990)|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=May 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140406033447/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mancalledsarge.htm|archive-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> It was released on [[VHS]] later the same year. The film was [[Re-release#Films|re-released]] in 2001 as an [[Amazon.com]] exclusive.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000059ZXB exclusive Amazon.com VHS edition of ''A Man Called Sarge'']</ref> The film received a [[PG-13 (Motion Picture Association)|PG-13]] rating from the [[Motion Picture Association of America|MPAA]], [[:File:FSK ab 16 logo.svg|ab 16]] from [[Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft|FSK]]<ref name = amazon_de /> and [[:File:BBFC 15.svg|15]] from the [[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]].<br />
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On some promotional material, the [[taglines]] used were:<br />
* ''They have no fear. No shame. No chance. All would be lost except for... A Man Called Sarge''<br />
* ''First there was [[Airplane!|Airplane]]. Then there was [[Police Academy (franchise)|Police Academy]]. Now it's time for... A Man Called Sarge''<br />
* ''Wo wir sind, ist die front!'' — [[german language|German]] for ''Where we are, is the front!''<ref name=amazon_de>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.de/dp/B001D25KZO|title=''A Man Called Sarge - Wo wir sind, ist die Front!''|publisher=[[Amazon.com|Amazon.de]]|access-date=May 14, 2022}} {{font color|gray|{{strong|(German)}}}} — [https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://www.amazon.de/dp/B001D25KZO&ei=xHbtS5q9A82MuAezucGhBg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBQQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3DB001D25KZO%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff english translation] by [[Google Translate]]</ref><br />
<br />
Like many other [[low-budget film]]s, ''A Man Called Sarge'' has a complex history of [[copyright]] ownership and [[Film distributor|distribution]] rights. Cannon Releasing, part of [[The Cannon Group]], handled the theatrical distribution rights. Worldwide video distribution was in charge of Cannon Video, in association with several [[The Cannon Group#Distribution|partners]], including [[MGM/UA Home Video]] and [[Warner Home Video]].<br />
Currently, the film's rights are owned by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]], after the acquisition of The Cannon Group catalogue, almost in its entirety, following bankruptcy in 1993.<br />
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Although [[british people|British]] actor Andy Greenhalgh, who played the role of Major Browning, estimates this to be "a long-forgotten American feature film",<ref name = andy_greenhalgh>[http://www.andygreenhalgh.com/?p=6439 Andy Greenhalgh's website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227124637/http://www.andygreenhalgh.com/?p=6439 |date=December 27, 2013 }}</ref> it occasionally airs on [[TV]] channels around the world, mainly through the [[MGM (TV channel)|MGM Channel]] and [[List of This TV affiliates|its affiliates]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mgmchannel.com/united-kingdom/movie/The_Man_Called_Sarge_0.html|title=MGM United Kingdom|publisher=www.mgmchannel.com|access-date=December 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227130005/http://www.mgmchannel.com/united-kingdom/movie/The_Man_Called_Sarge_0.html|archive-date=December 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thistv.com/man-called-sarge|title=ThisTV profile and schedule page for ''A Man Called Sarge''|publisher=ThisTV|access-date=May 17, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100406204158/http://www.thistv.com/man-called-sarge| archive-date= April 6, 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref><br />
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A [[home video]] edition was officially released on [[DVD]] in November 2011, as part of the ''Limited Edition Collection'' - MGM's [[Video on demand|On-Demand]] DVD-R line.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldies.com/product-view/2514ED.html |title=''A Man Called Sarge'' |publisher=Oldies.com|access-date=April 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622182601/http://www.oldies.com/product-view/2514ED.html|archive-date=June 22, 2022}}</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Second Battle of El Alamein]]<br />
* [[List of comedy films of the 1990s]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
* [http://www.mgm.com/view/movie/2456/A-Man-Called-Sarge/ ''A Man Called Sarge''] at [[MGM Studios]], current owner of the film's rights<br />
* {{YouTube|EPFXSzTpysU|Trailer from VHS Cassette}}<br />
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110527125800/http://www.impossiblefunky.com/archives/issue_15/15_parody.asp?IshNum=15&Headline=Not%20Funny%20Ha%20Ha Review on Issue 15] of [[Cashiers du Cinemart]], by Mike Sullivan<br />
* [http://www.movieguide.org/reviews/a-man-called-sarge.html Christian Movie Review] at [[Movieguide]]<br />
<br />
;Database<br />
* {{AllRovi movie|31079}}<br />
* {{Mojo title|mancalledsarge}}<br />
* {{IMDb title|0100100}}<br />
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|man_called_sarge}}<br />
* {{Tcmdb title|443524}}<br />
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{{Stuart Gillard}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Man Called Sarge}}<br />
[[Category:1990 films]]<br />
[[Category:American alternate history films]]<br />
[[Category:Films set in Egypt]]<br />
[[Category:American parody films]]<br />
[[Category:Films directed by Stuart Gillard]]<br />
[[Category:Films set in Africa]]<br />
[[Category:Films shot in Israel]]<br />
[[Category:Films about the French Foreign Legion]]<br />
[[Category:North African campaign films]]<br />
[[Category:1990s parody films]]<br />
[[Category:American slapstick comedy films]]<br />
[[Category:American World War II films]]<br />
[[Category:Golan-Globus films]]<br />
[[Category:1990s war comedy films]]<br />
[[Category:American war comedy films]]<br />
[[Category:1990 comedy films]]<br />
[[Category:1990s English-language films]]<br />
[[Category:1990s American films]]</div>CleanupBot II