The Winds of War is Part I of a superlative trilogy that should be required viewing for every person worldwide.
The script is brilliant in its macro and micro examination of people and events leading to WWII.
The cast includes one glaring weakness, but is otherwise rock solid. An aged and overweight Mitchum is better than no Mitchum at all. John Houseman is perfect as a disbelieving Jewish intellectual. Peter Graves is flawless as the government contractor who beds Mitchum's wife, Polly Bergen. The surgically enhanced, not-all-that-old real world feminist activist is exceptionally well-cast as Mitchum's morally bankrupt wife. Diametrically opposite sons Jan Michael Vincent and Ben Murphy are entirely believable. Sami Frey is a typically understated member of the Jewish underground. Jeremy Kemp is both believable and not entirely contemptible as a pre-war member of the German general staff. Other supporting cast members shine throughout.
Ali MacGraw's performance is nothing less than painful --- apart from being totally ms.cast as an American Jewish princess.
This is one great, great, great 14 hours 39 minutes tour de force.
Be sure to catch the even better Parts II and II.
Well done!
The script is brilliant in its macro and micro examination of people and events leading to WWII.
The cast includes one glaring weakness, but is otherwise rock solid. An aged and overweight Mitchum is better than no Mitchum at all. John Houseman is perfect as a disbelieving Jewish intellectual. Peter Graves is flawless as the government contractor who beds Mitchum's wife, Polly Bergen. The surgically enhanced, not-all-that-old real world feminist activist is exceptionally well-cast as Mitchum's morally bankrupt wife. Diametrically opposite sons Jan Michael Vincent and Ben Murphy are entirely believable. Sami Frey is a typically understated member of the Jewish underground. Jeremy Kemp is both believable and not entirely contemptible as a pre-war member of the German general staff. Other supporting cast members shine throughout.
Ali MacGraw's performance is nothing less than painful --- apart from being totally ms.cast as an American Jewish princess.
This is one great, great, great 14 hours 39 minutes tour de force.
Be sure to catch the even better Parts II and II.
Well done!