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While the movie attempts to tell the story of Leon Uris's book "Exodus", the actors, what DID NOT make the movie, and the historical background makes way for overblown drama and Hollywood commentary.

Much of the book, as is true in most Leon Uris's works, is based on fact. I watched the movie as a child, then read the book, and haven't looked at the movie again until this last weekend. How tragic that what is a really historical, compelling time in the history of the world should be stirred together with wooden performances and sobs-over-substance.

I wish someone would remake this film with the correct cast - Eva Marie Saint is too old, and not pretty enough, to play Kitty. Paul Newman does a fair job as Ari Ben Canaan. Lee J. Cobb wasn't commanding enough to play the role of Barak, and why leave out the history of the Palmachniks, the Haganah, and the Irgun (Macabbees in the book)? Tell the story of Jossi and his brother walking to Israel. Leave out the overblown, way-too-long interview with Dov Landau when he's trying to join the Irgun. Dov was a forger and a smuggler, not a demolitions expert. I could go on and on.

I've been to Israel, and the filmography is pretty good, but sadly doesn't really tell the story of the Palestinians and the Jews, which is what Leon Uris was doing in his book.

In short, Exodus is a good movie if you don't care about history - the movie could have taken place in Ireland or South Africa. The uniqueness of the Jewish/Israeli history is smothered by the relationships and the high drama.

This movie is a sleeper - I've watched every miniseries that was ever on TV, some many times, and this one is the best. Wonderfully cast, superbly acted, and the characters are well-developed. Helen Morse perfectly fits the part of Jean Paget - strident, in control, sharp, and a bit belligerent. She bounces well off of Joe Harmon, the cowboy/taciturn/"It'll be okay" sort of guy. I was sorry that the movie didn't stick to the book, in that there was no romantic interest between Noel Struan and Jean Paget. For those who don't know, this is taken from a true story about English women marched around Malaya for 3 years by the Japanese, who indeed did not know what to do with them. Very few of them survived. Neville Shute talked to one of them, and this is her story. This movie deserves to be in everyone's collection who loves WWII stories.

What I really enjoyed about this series was the beavers! They, in true Michener style, kept appearing, reappearing, then disappearing. I am still confused about Paul Garrett's ancestry - it says he descended from both Pasquinel and the Loyds. I get the Loyd part (Jim Loyd was his grandfather) but I cannot figure out the Pasquinel connection. Was it through Major Mercy, who married Lisette Pasquinel? I agree with almost everyone else - the first few episodes are the best. Jim Conrad, Alex Karras, and Gregory Harrison are amazing in the roles.

One suggestion: Find the book and read it - it ties some loose ends together and fleshes out the characters a bit better.