Hiroshima

I found this masterpiece of a film by perusing the cable tv guide. Being a war history enthusiast, I was drawn to the content of the movie, only to realize that the production and actors and characters and images and storyline were equally well done. None of the performers are big celebrities, but that fact takes nothing away from their incredible performances and likenesses to the true people they portrayed. Kenneth Welsh as Harry Truman and Wesley Addy as Sec of War Stimson dominate with memorable renditions, but the entire cast deserves almost equal praise. I was not aware that President Truman was on a battleship when the uranium bomb descended on Hiroshima. The attitudes of American and Japanese leaders were nicely shown, and Truman's portrayed thoughtfulness and decisiveness were impressive. One of the infrequent 10's of my movie history. The docu-drama format gave the piece an even more realistic appeal.

Excellent. Recounted are the events leading to President Truman's decision to drop an A-bomb on Hiroshima in 1945 and its aftermath. Filmed primarily in "tinted" black and white with the weaving of newsreel and stock footage. Witness testimonials put the explanation point on the haunting depictions. Kenneth Welsh is uncanny in his portrayal of Truman. Other stars of note are: Richard Masur, Leon Pownall, Wesley Addy, Daisaku Akino, David Gow, Ken Jenkins and Naohiko Umewaka. A must for WWII and history buffs.

The closing stages of the Pacific Theatre of WWII are revisited recently by filmmaker Clint Eastwood, in his two movie compendium Flags of Our Fathers, and Letters from Iwo Jima, depicting the Battle of Iwo Jima from both perspectives of the Americans and the Japanese. Hiroshima, a made for TV movie in 1995 for Hallmark Entertainment, does so in one movie, clocking in at a massive 180 minutes.

But the running length is fully deserved, as this is probably as detailed one could get without boring the audience. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode and Koreyoshi Kurahara, they each take on their respective country's angle, beginning from April 12th 1945 with Roosevelt's death.

Spottiswoode focused on Truman's abrupt taking over the presidency, with a lot of catching up to do with regards to the war. As Vice President, he's kept largely out of the daily workings during Roosevelt's term, and suddenly is thrust into the hot seat with the passing of Roosevelt, making decisions that will affect countless of lives worldwide. Of note is the moral dilemma faced with the Manhattan Project, as well as looking into the inner circle's politicking of racing toward being the 1st nuclear power, and the demonstration of such a might with a public display of a detonation. You'll also see how the pilots train with mock bombs and mock targets during their countless drills just to get it right.

On the other hand, Kurahara was focused on the Japanese's lack of understanding and therefore deliberation on surrender, and takes a long hard look at how the Imperial Army dealt with impending invasion by the Allied forces. What's to note here is the portrayal of Emperor Hirohito, as he surveys his land bombed incessantly by B29s. Politics and bickering between politicians and the military take the spotlight here.

I'd bet most would find new nuggets of information from this informative dramatization of the events leading up to the detonation of the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, like how Kyoto was deliberated over and spared, being the equivalent of a religious city, and a city with monuments worth preserving. I'd learn that the US actually had to call the bluffs, having only 3 bombs at the time, with Little Boy (Hiroshima's) made of uranium, and Fat Man (Nagasaki's) made of plutonium, and another plutonium one used as a test bomb, because the method of fission is slightly different from uranium's, and had to be tested first to ensure it works.

If technical details aren't your cup of tea, then perhaps cultural differences between the two countries, and the bridging of this understanding, might be of interest to you. It's equivalent to today's lack of understanding, and the lack of a well thought out strategy, that we see wars fought and degenerated into the issues faced today. It was interesting to note that prior to WWII, Japan had never lost a war, and therefore, doesn't know what defeat, nor surrender is, and hence, absolutely had no idea going about doing it. It could also be attributed to the Asian "face" value, that death always be a better option compared to a humiliating defeat.

Combined brilliantly with stock archive footage, documentary reels and interviews from veterans on both sides. Hiroshima is well worth the 3 hours spent watching it, unraveling itself like a history book. My only gripe was that the ending was abrupt, all over with the announcement of the Japanese surrender.

All Region DVD comes with no extras.

This is an outstanding production. And I think it no coincidence that it wasn't produced in the US.

Over 50 years later, American emotions still run high about our use of nuclear weapons against Japan; the recent backlash against the Smithsonian exhibit is proof. This film is a nuanced, balanced, objective treatment with, as far as I can tell, remarkable historical accuracy. One sees just how simplistic and myopic the leaders of both sides were as they made (or avoided making) momentous decisions that affected the entire future of the human race. The one voice of reason, scientist Leo Szilard, is brushed off with hardly a hearing.

This film is an effective indictment of our human propensity to place enormous powers in the hands of just a few individuals. I doubt any American producer could have made it.

The film deftly mixes historical footage with re-enacted scenes using actors. Normally this sort of thing is rather jarring, but here it works. Even the transitions between the real Truman in newsreel footage and the actor playing him work well.

Perhaps the best made-for-tv movie I've ever seen. Historically correct and blended with real footage and interviews of actual participants I was spell-bound for three hours. The haunting musical score only added to the emotional story telling of this significant historical event.