Spike Lee criticizes Clint Eastwood for not casting black soldiers in the movie "The Flags of Our Fathers" though 900 of them fought along the US forces.

Absent from history: the black soldiers at Iwo Jima

Then,

Clint Eastwood and Spike Lee Go to War!

Mr  Hyde, Here is the information about the movie.

Flags of Our Fathers is a film about the Battle of Iwo Jima and tells the story of how the three surviving flag-raisers were used as propaganda tools by the United States government to lift the morale of the American people and raise money for the war effort. It also shows the effects of war on the veterans and how they suffered from memories of the war for the rest of their lives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_Our_Fathers_(film)

For your convenience, I have copied and pasted this from the opener to here all because very few, including you,  refused to be sincere to themselves. Lastly, it does not matter what you assume of me - a prince or a pauper. I am who I am. I am comfortable in my own skin

For factual evidence read:

Absent from history: the black soldiers at Iwo Jima

Nearly 900 African-Americans fought on the Japanese island but not one appears in Clint Eastwood's Oscar-tipped film, writes Dan Glaister

read more ...

dude,
just because some yahoo wrote on a British paper doesn't necessarily men anything. Anyway, how come a British newspaper know more of American history? It's  just a cheap publicity from Spike and his goons from the media.Nothing more, nothing less. You can believe in anything, nobody is forcing you. But you've to agree Spike likes attention and has not done any thing of significant since Malcom X. Bamboozles...Come on, the name says it,a  JOKE.

Again the same thing, Here is from time magazine.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1812972,00.html

"Flags Of Our Fathers  zeroes in on the soldiers who hoisted the U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi, and this task, memorialized in a famous staged photograph, was accomplished by five white servicemen and a sixth, Ira Hayes, of Pima Indian descent."

Mr  Hyde,

I recommend you watch "The War" by Ken Burns which was featured on PBS some time ago.A very good documentary.

Bathroom Coffee!
Some of the point you make are excellent,
I am not an expert but historical records can be drawn from manuscripts, artifacts etc. Sometimes, the events in question are so old and the evidences are so scanty we have rely upon just the available artifacts and circumstantial evidences. For example, who among has witnessed Hitler and his atrocities?  We just have to rely on records and supporting artifacts just like nobody disputes PNS uniting Nepal in the 18th century.

But fortunately, in this case, 1945 was not a long time ago and the black soldier Captain Thomas H. McPhatter being included in the article (link above) was still alive as of 2006 and forms the basis of the article. I am sure there are other surviving non-black soldiers in the hundreds / thousands who served as a "band of brothers" together who can corroborate to McPhatters claim.
Read more on Captain Thomas H. McPhatter (picture included)

Regarding cast members, I think one should attempt to provide a balance in every aspect especially when making a historical movie so as not to alienate any category of people for which there are supporting facts . (It's good for business too). The article defends the director again and points finger to the book the movie was based on.

Rewire, I never used to read your postings. I should have done just that today as well. Now you are resorting to speculations without substance. The article clearly was published in 2006 as a commentary to the movie release and Spike Lee row started recently. How can be go back in time and fabricate that story? The problem communicating with you is so darn difficult because you would not even acknowledge simple facts to move onto the next level just like never getting to prove a theorem since the underlying facts axioms are so shaky.

Tisa, will do if I get a chance. Not a war movie fanatic but Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan was a visually stunning movie. Wasn't it?

Hyde, what is ur point???? Clint Eastwood is a racist???

 

Hehe Mav! what's in it for me?

Spike Lee has found something to pick on but this time it is pretty compelling. I would never brand this amazing movie legend Eastwood a racist. If he had done some more research for materials and incorporated those in the movie, the whole row could have been avoided. Interviews with soldiers of different background as bonus materials/special features would be excellent on DVD, I reckon.

My hyde
900 servicemen and none recorded in the history -seems a bit far fetched, to my understanding. Let's say Captain Thomas was there indeed with other black marines/army on the mission, they should have a record of his duty at least. Let's assume the white commanders didn't bother to record it, then there should be other black servicemen/women to back up his story of the war on those islands. And their records needs to be checked for the credential. The reporter, Dan, should present a copy of the interview, written or recorded. If those things are presented forward, then we can have a "acknowledgment" like you said.If not it's just mere Spike's publicity. We'll see in the coming days.
Tisa,
Ken Burn's episode was really eye opening especially the Japanese story. They were defending America and fighting the Europeans, while thousand of family /friends were put in internment camps for just being Japanese, many of them were born and raised in the US.Thousands died. There are still places on the West Coast where Japanese has settled before the Whites living a simple agricultural life, but they were all hoarded into the camps.You don't hear their side of story too much, do you?  nor DO THEY wine like Spike. Japanese have far succeeded over their misery in Japan and overseas with hard work and intelligence.