War and Remembrance

I really enjoyed this maxi series. It's too long to be a mini! This and the final portion are a whole lotta video..they total 14 DVDs. The initial smash series, Winds of War, was several more DVDs. So all in all, this was a long series! As I said, I enjoyed the entire "package". However, with 5 years between the first and the second series, much happened and the result was a number of actor/actress changes that make the second series confusing after seeing the first. Major characters, such as Natalie Jastrow-Henry, played by Ali McGraw in the first, Jane Seymour in the second. Aaron Jastrow, John Houseman, Sir John Gielgud. There are some others as well. Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergen reprise their superb performances as Capt. and Mrs. Pug Henry. Overall, despite the change in personnel, the acting remains great throughout the entire series. It's just kinda confusing having two different Natalies, two Aarons, two Byrons, two Janices, etc. I'm rambling, sorry. This series is long, but doesn't PLAY long. It moves along nicely and has enough plot twists to keep the viewers interest. I like this whole thing well enough to have paid to own it from start to finish. At least rent this a couple of DVDs at a time. It's worth your time!

Dan Curtis, the producer of this epic, must have been obsessed. His vision of the war years 1936 through 1945 as depicted in this and the companion work "The Winds of War" is unquestionably the best view of the impact of war on simple human beings as could ever be imagined in fiction and on film.

Based on a novel by Herman Wouk, with a screenplay written by him, the events of the pre war and war years are played out through the eyes of the family of Victor Henry a fictional middle aged naval commander and close confidant of President Roosevelt who is, at various times, posted in Berlin, Moscow, Pearl Harbor and ultimately made captain of a cruiser in the pacific. Captain Henry and his family are witness to the rise of Hitler and Mussolini in Europe, the conduct of Hitler's "Final Solution", the Russian front, and the war in the pacific. The graphic detail of this production will literally bring tears to your eyes. It is hard to watch at times as you become so very intimate with the characters.

Robert Mitchum turns in a fabulous performance as Victory Henry the no nonsense patriarch of the family. Polly Bergen plays his flibbertigibbet wife Rhoda to perfection. The rest of the cast is all really remarkable but my favorite was G.D. Spradlin who portrayed Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance , fleet commander during the Battle of Midway, above and beyond understanding.

If you're into accurate historical drama, and can deal with reality, go to your library and check this out. If you haven't seen it, you should. If you don't you will miss a genuine historical document.

Without doubt the most stunning work of filmmaking I have ever seen, "War and Remembrance" is a massive experience to watch that will haunt you always. This last great mini-series dramatizes the ENTIRE Second World War, and does so at times with a raw honesty unseen before or since on network TV.

Shot on location around the world, the soap opera stories are always intriguing as we follow the various members of the Henrys, an American Naval family as they encounter every major event of the war.

The heart, though, is the central plot of Jane Seymour, in a heartbreaking career-best performance as an American Jew trapped in Europe, and John Gielgud, mesmerizing as her uncle. As they are slowly, inexorably pulled into the Holocaust we follow them, step by agonizing step, to the final horrors of Auschwitz, filmed entirely on location.

The movie is aided by a brilliant, unforgettable score by Bob Cobert, especially the main theme which seems to encapsulate every single emotion of the thirty hours into its two minutes.

It may be a bit of a commitment to watch this, but it is worth it. "War and Remembrance" is as close to time travel as is possible, and makes that dark period of history come powerfully alive.

I doubt anyone could afford to produce this miniseries today. I saw it when it first aired and I watched it again this month on DVD and it is amazing how well it holds up. The only possible improvement would be to the special effects in the naval battle scenes because of how far we've come in 20 years with CGI graphics; but that's it! This is a masterpiece and I include the "Winds of War" in that category. The attention to detail of the period, the vehicles, costumes, locations, and interiors just take your breath away.

The cast was superb and right down the line. I can't think of a weak link among them. I did see a comment here about Robert Mitchum being a "lazy" actor in this role as "Pug" Henry but I think he played it just right. He was first and foremost a dedicated military man, not a Lothario. For an interesting contrast to his on-screen relationship with Polly Bergen as his wife Rhoda Henry, you should see the chilling dynamics between the two in 1962's "Cape Fear". By any measure Mitchum was a great actor.

Although other actors in this miniseries have more on-screen time than does Mitchum, Mitchum is clearly the anchor. And, although the performances throughout the entire cast were stellar, I have to mention that John Gielgud's Aaron Jastrow was absolutely brilliant. John Houseman, who played Jastrow in "Winds of War" was magnificent in his own right but John Gielgud made Jastrow his own in a way that I doubt even Houseman could match.

There are very few guarantees in life but "War and Remembrance" is worth every viewing minute. Just be sure to watch the "Winds of War" first.

The broadcast of "War and Remembrance", based on Herman Wouk's novel, was a television event. Although recapturing the excitement of watching the miniseries can cost you around $180, it is well worth it. From its beautiful opening and closing score to its unforgettable images and people, "War and Remembrance" is like no other. Because it was an epic miniseries, which cost around $110 million to make, the television powers that be were able to film at various locations around the world and bring vastly different (yet interconnected) stories of the war to the small screen. In that sense, it is like several miniseries rolled into one.

"War and Remembrance" revolves around the lives of two families, the Henrys and the Jastrows. The connection between them is provided through the marriage of Byron Henry and Natalie Jastrow. The Henrys are a naval family: Victor "Pug" Henry serves both as a diplomat and as the commander of a destroyer at various times in the series, Byron Henry serves on a submarine in the Pacific, Warren Henry is a naval pilot married to the daughter of a Senator. Byron's wife, Natalie Jastrow is an American Jew in Europe trying to escape the Nazis along with her uncle, Aaron Jastrow, and her son with Byron, Louis Henry. Aaron Jastrow's cousin is a Jewish Polish soldier trying to survive Auschwitz. Those are just some of the characters whose stories captivate the audience. There are also the experiences of their spouses, lovers, and the relatives of their spouses and lovers.

The audience is also given a glimpse into the thinking of the Nazi leadership, with Steven Berkoff providing a chilling and brilliant portrayal of Adolf Hitler. Here was a look at the Holocaust and the events and decisions leading up to it that was unprecedented at the time that the series debuted in 1988.

It is unfortunate that I have not found many libraries that carry copies of this miniseries on either VHS or DVD, forcing many people to either buy it or miss out on experiencing it. I, for one, have chosen to buy it, and I do not regret it for a day. I also recommend reading the book.