I ragazzi di Tuskegee

HBO is by far the best at making original movies and shows. Tuskeegee Airmen is no exception, in fact it's my favorite movie from HBO pictures to date. Stunning acting and a fantastic script. My praise goes out to all involved in this film and I definately hope HBO continues it's long trend of fantastic films and series.

This movie gives a good look at the first all black squadron of fighter pilots trained in Tuskegee, Alabama. The trials and tribulations of the "Fighting 99th" as they join the 332nd Fighter Group. They gained respect and much deserved recognition by escorting bombers over Germany. The Tuskegee Airmen received over 800 medals for their collective war efforts and never lost a single bomber under their protection. A standard, but memorable WWII flick with its share of 'dog-fights'.

The hard working cast includes: Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., John Lithgow, Christopher McDonald and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.

NOTE: parts of the movie were filmed in Muskogee, Oklahoma at Davis Field. Local EMTs and firefighters were used as extras.

Tuskegee Airmen is a timeless movie. Lawrence Fishburn plays the role of grudging hero to its maximum potential. The bad guys are racist and ignorant, but they are consistently confronted with the truth of their stupidity. This movie tells the tale, without an overtly biased point of view. There are certainly black men who failed to qualify as pilots during WW2, just as there were white. The racial struggle is brought to light without alienating anyone. The acting is extraordinary, the air fight scenes are power packed and the story is life itself. You must see this film.

I was 17 years old when I first saw this movie on HBO. I was enthralled by WWII history already at this point. This movie opened my eyes to a whole other area of history that was missing in the history books of the small 99.5% white town I grew up in. The challenges these hero's faced just to serve their country they so loved while a good percentage of the country loathed them is deserving of a decoration in and of itself. This is mostly what the movie focuses on. However, the record of the men of 332d is second to none; no other unit in WWII could boast that while escorting, they never lost a bomber. John Lithgow also plays a good bit-part in the movie. He is a much better actor than I because I could never play a part where I had to utter such bigoted garbage as he did in this movie. Laurence Fishburne and Andre Braugher deliver stellar performances as Hannibal Lee and the great military leader Benjamin O. Davis. This film is a definite must see for any WWII history fan and a great movie for everyone else. Too bad it was never released in the box office I think it would have faired well.

I am an American History teacher and I really appreciate this film. While for me, I prefer some of the documentaries featuring the actual airmen, this is a great movie for teens and adults (despite the LARGE amount of swearing you'll hear throughout the film). It takes the true story of these pilots and creates a a fictionalized story--changing names as well as taking a bit of a creative license in telling the story. However, in spirit it is very accurate and is an excellent history lesson. What I particularly like is how blunt and directly it deals with prejudice--it doesn't pull punches or take the politically correct route.

The movie itself is well-written, directed and acted. In fact the film has an excellent ensemble cast--complete with some famous names (such as Lawrence Fishburn and Cuba Gooding) and lots of faces you'll recognize from TV and movies.

Another HBO Production about the Black-American experience that I STRONGLY recommend is MISS EVERS' BOYS. Once again, top-notch production values and an important film for our history.

NOTE: The DVD for this film is pretty poor. While all the content of the movie is there, there is little else. A documentary about the pilots and other background information is conspicuously absent. It's a real shame.