20760 Soul bruthah Lou Rawls narrates this early 70s naval recruitment film, so you know it's cool. Targeted at young black men and women, Rawls makes the Navy sound like free education, a good-paying job with perks aplenty and equal treatment with whites (women are promised equal pay and treatment with men), world travel to beaches full of babes and hunks, and civilian employers lining up to hire you when you're discharged. Not mentioned is the Navy's not-too-distant history of assigning African-Americans to the kitchen, or the three-letter word beginning with "w". I guess those topics aren't cool enough. The afro hairstyles in this film are a sight to behold, and you feel sorry for what the Navy is bound to do with them. Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ***. Weirdness: **. Historical Interest: ****. Soul Quotient: *****. Overall Rating: ****. It's a Soul Brother's Life in Today's Modern Navy! Christine Hennig 2004-09-12 08:55:57 2004-09-12 08:55:57 4 21741 Lou Rawls is amazing as the narrator of this short-film/commercial about the U.S. Navy. His frank but casual speaking style conveys a very strong and convincing message; giving the impression that he is a older brother, mentor or well-respected best-friend. Rawls delivery hits upon a lot of convincing topics making the hard sell of military service without crossing the line seperating brotherly advice and snake-oil sales pitch, in my humble opinion. I wonder how effective this Naval recruiting video was during in the late-Vietnam/post-Vietnam era United States. This is a great little film, ya dig? ScotisRule 2004-09-27 17:46:22 2004-09-27 17:44:38 5 The US Gov. used Lou a lot in PSAs. I saw him on TV once pushing Selective Service with that same delivery. Did the military develop a slightly relaxed atttude about hair? I saw a few beards. BTW, Lou was never in the Navy. He was an Army paratrooper. Lou could sell the Brooklyn Bridge 4 Mewster 2005-12-25 08:26:38 2005-12-25 08:26:38 First off, Lou Rawls sent me. (R.I.P. by the way, kind of freaky I just saw this film yesterday) Heyyyy man, you know what? Being in the navy is way cool, you can operate all sorts of right on equipment, and they'll pay you dough for doing it brother! And they'll give you a better education, you know what I'm saying? As a matter of fact, just watch this film that almost can be marketed to anyone without all the jive talk. (Oh, and that woman's scary, scary afro). Right on. You know what I'm saying? I think you do. 3 Spuzz 2006-01-06 19:08:29 2006-01-06 19:08:29 Hey bro! Shave off that 'fro and join the Navy! In four years you can work your way up to Senior Barber on a ship, and hang out on the beach in Hawaii with a fine black chick! Lou Rawls Navy Propaganda 2 Bob Capps 2006-07-14 04:20:08 2006-07-14 04:20:08 If you notice some of the sailors sport beards and long sideburns. Those were permissible from just after the Vietnam War for about six years. The Coast Guard allowed beards until 1986. The film is realistic, recalling that this was only a few years from the time that segregation was condoned in the areas where the naval bases were located at the time. It gives a realistic look at what the Navy is all about. This was post-Vietnam 5 loyaltubist 2006-09-24 23:26:44 2006-09-24 23:26:44 6 3.83