Ike: The War Years

"Ike: The War Years" is a made for TV mini-series that runs approximately 4.5 hours. It's very well done though there is a problem with any film about Eisenhower during this time. The problem is that the relationship between him and his aid/driver Kay Summersby is something that no one is sure about today. There have been many rumors that their relationship was romantic...but no convincing evidence exists to confirm or refute this. Because of that, the film seemed to take a third approach...that they were very close, possibly romantic but also probably chaste as well. This seems unlikely...but who knows?!

The story begins just before the USA enters WWII. Eisenhower is a relatively unknown general...a one-star one at that. The film is about how he rose among the ranks to be the commanding general of the European war...and his relationship with Summersby.

The film features excellent acting...much of it by Robert Duvall in the title role. Lee Remick wasn't bad as Summersby, but was also miscast, as Summersby was English...and Remick tries her best and does a decent job...but just isn't English. I am really surprised that they didn't just cast an English actress.

A minor quibble I have, very minor, is that the film shows too many clips of the war....and colorizing them (very clumsily since it was in the early years of this 'service') didn't help. Still, despite a few complaints, the film is good provided you are patient and have 4.5 hours to give the film.

Robert Duvall must have watched a lot of footage of the real Eisenhower. His performance is never boring, and the other cast members are fine, too. As World War II history, this four-hour mini-series may give too much importance to Ike's relationship with his driver, Kay Summersby, on whose memoir the script is partly based. But who cares? As a movie, it is well written and acted, and doesn't distort the important historical facts. We get to see many of the great personalities: Roosevelt, Churchill, Montgomery, the other generals. And we get to see some fascinating incidents, for example, Ike meeting personally with the troops as they prepare to cross the English Channel on D-Day. I've seen this film several times, and still enjoy it. A first-class production.

I watched this program years ago, when the colorization of black and white footage was used for the first time in a mainstream production. The effect was less than stellar. Robert Duvall and the rest of the supporting cast were excellent. The acting and writing overcame the shortfalls in the production set design and the lack of detail to military hardware. I am glad that this didn't devolve to a torrid love affair that many "biographies" seem to do when it comes to military or world leaders. We can only hope that this is re-made with today's attention to detail that movies like Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers gave to their productions. Of course, I would also hope that any remake is also populated by actors at least as capable as Duvall and company. 6 stars of 10.

A wonderful film about a great man. Too much of Kay Summersby as another commenter noted. The drama and difficult decisions required of Ike are presented well. His conflict with Montgomery and the great character of Churchill are presented in great fashion. His concern for the common soldier and interaction with the common soldier are heartwarming. Americans need to know about "The Great Generation" of men and women who volunteered for WWII and of the trials they endured. The film also denoted clearly the interactions between the leaders of the war effort in a realistic fashion...not in the usual Hollywood bravado fashion.