Guy RESTING PLACE is a fractured mix of two dramas. It begins as a very conventional American race drama, in which Georgia locals refuse to have a black Vietnam Lieutenant buried in their all-white cemetery. It then morphs into a military-set mystery as the circumstances of the Lieutenant's death are revealed to be suspicious.This double narrative robs either story of the time needed to develop itself and makes the conclusion feel rushed and unsatisfying. Major characters, like the Lieutenant's parents (Morgan Freeman and C.C.H. Pounder), are abandoned for much of the film's running time. The split between the Georgia town and the local Army base ensures that neither comes alive.The film begins with a degree of racial subtlety as the local authorities explain their reasons for opposing the burial. Having avoided the racial violence in the South of the late 1960's they don't want to move too far, too fast in this post-Civil Rights Era, for fear of causing it. For once these are concerned citizens, not hate-filled rednecks. The second narrative has promise too. The Lieutenant's death turns out to be the result of a mistake he made that killed some of his men and lost him the trust of his platoon. Consequently in their next firefight he leads but nobody follows, assuring his death. Unfortunately subtlety is thrown out the window as an unconvincing racial subtext is introduced and the Lieutenant's mistake is revealed to have really been made by his radioman (motivated by racism).Handsome production values and some unusually restrained acting from John Lithgow fail to redeem the inability of the screenplay to combine its two stories.

whpratt1 Enjoyed viewing this film about an American Soldier who was being returned to his hometown a small city in Georgia. Major Kendall Laird, (John Lithgow) is escorting the remains of this soldier and he has to face the family, Luther Johnson, (Morgan Freeman) and his wife. This procedure usually takes a few days, however, Major Kendall experiences strange behavior by the men who were in combat with this Lt. Johnson, who has been awarded a medal for saving their lives. There is also another problem which involved the burial place for Lt. Johnson because of a racial problem with the town people who do not want a Black person to be buried in their cemetery. There are many twists and turns and this film reveals a very surprising story about what really happened to Lt. Johnson.

George Parker "Resting Place" tells of an Army officer (Lithgow) who accompanies the body of a black Vietnam war hero home for burial only to find the cemetery is segregated and the body is shrouded in mystery. A well cast journeyman TV drama, "Resting Place" is a thoughtful and poignant exploration of one man's search for truth among a too divided civilian population and a too unified military unit. Good stuff with a message for everyone.

dwmorrison As usual, Hallmark Hall of Fame has done an outstanding job of presenting the factual events of the times. Our world is not always a pleasant place, but as these events show, truth and right generally prevail. I like the fact that this experience was an education for all involved, especially John Lithgow's character.