I hope this review finds a home amongst the long suffering hardcore fans who must've been in agony (30+ years!) for the official release. But it's here and I hope you guys enjoy the well-deserved DVD production.
First off, I'm a huge fan of the TV mini-series format that ran from the 70's thru the late 80's, and I was stunned that I had never heard of this production before. Not once ever. As I think about it, I'm still amazed that this slipped past for so long.
I read all 35 reviews that were posted here since 1998 (IMDB reviews) - and I agree with all of you wholeheartedly - this was a fantastic and truly wonderful production.
And I also agree it was a dastardly crime that it took this long for 'Once An Eagle' to be given back to the viewing public.
Okay, onto the review. (some spoilers - so be warned)
As new fan of the series, I was surprised at how good the story that was told. Typically, as others have mentioned, the WWII drama is over the top, hyper-melodramatic and ultimately "Hollywood-ized" - presenting a false, and ultimately, empty impression of the lives of soldiers, both officers and enlisted; especially those soldiers who did their service in between WWI and WWII. Can you imagine being a 2LT for 17 years?!?
You couldn't have better defined the transition between a peacetime Army and wartime Army. The crafty officers who ably played the political game often meant that battle troops would be left behind in the promotions department; creating the initial paper-pusher trained service that combat hardened Imperial Japanese forces could take advantage of.
Love that scene when John Fujioka, despite portraying an army officer who looks suspiciously like Hideki Tojo, clearly represented the real-life naval attaché to Washington D.C. in that period - a certain Captain Isoroku Yamamoto who often deftly deflected concerns that Imperial Japan would ever be a threat to the United States. That clever warrior. He was already on a war footing back in '28, thirteen years before Pearl.
And very interestingly, I enjoyed how the production dealt with Court's homosexuality without having to confront it, which would have skewed the storyline in a pathetic attempt to validate some kind of political point, either pro or con. Very well done. Subtlety like this is a lost art in today's world of screaming-in-your-face lack of diplomatic skills. I realize that some may disagree with me here. But that's my impression given the collective scenes of the man on a personal level; what little there was to reveal - was very revealing indeed.
I've read the comparisons between this and 'Winds Of War'. Until I had seen 'Eagle' - I would've been hard pressed to say that anything was better for the period. And because of the budget, obviously the battle scenes will always favor Winds. But the true character and temperament of the war, the men and women who were involved - you have to watch Once An Eagle.
My only serious complaint was the ending. It felt like it was shortened by one episode, with many unanswered and unresolved questions. For example:
Even a counting of... skulls... would mean little if the B-29 stuck bottom first - the ball turret gunner's body would have essentially disintegrated making an accurate accounting improbable. Or even worse - had the B29 been unable to drop its payload before impact - what would the corps troops think? The bodies, what little remained, would be completely destroyed thereby making a count of the tags meaningless if not impossible. I can't see how anyone could make an honest appraisal in those situations. Questions like these haunted families for years afterwards, so I honestly see it as possible.
Overall - fantastic and well worth the 7 hours spent.
I always and thoroughly enjoy stumbling onto a hidden unexpected gem. :-)
First off, I'm a huge fan of the TV mini-series format that ran from the 70's thru the late 80's, and I was stunned that I had never heard of this production before. Not once ever. As I think about it, I'm still amazed that this slipped past for so long.
I read all 35 reviews that were posted here since 1998 (IMDB reviews) - and I agree with all of you wholeheartedly - this was a fantastic and truly wonderful production.
And I also agree it was a dastardly crime that it took this long for 'Once An Eagle' to be given back to the viewing public.
Okay, onto the review. (some spoilers - so be warned)
As new fan of the series, I was surprised at how good the story that was told. Typically, as others have mentioned, the WWII drama is over the top, hyper-melodramatic and ultimately "Hollywood-ized" - presenting a false, and ultimately, empty impression of the lives of soldiers, both officers and enlisted; especially those soldiers who did their service in between WWI and WWII. Can you imagine being a 2LT for 17 years?!?
You couldn't have better defined the transition between a peacetime Army and wartime Army. The crafty officers who ably played the political game often meant that battle troops would be left behind in the promotions department; creating the initial paper-pusher trained service that combat hardened Imperial Japanese forces could take advantage of.
Love that scene when John Fujioka, despite portraying an army officer who looks suspiciously like Hideki Tojo, clearly represented the real-life naval attaché to Washington D.C. in that period - a certain Captain Isoroku Yamamoto who often deftly deflected concerns that Imperial Japan would ever be a threat to the United States. That clever warrior. He was already on a war footing back in '28, thirteen years before Pearl.
And very interestingly, I enjoyed how the production dealt with Court's homosexuality without having to confront it, which would have skewed the storyline in a pathetic attempt to validate some kind of political point, either pro or con. Very well done. Subtlety like this is a lost art in today's world of screaming-in-your-face lack of diplomatic skills. I realize that some may disagree with me here. But that's my impression given the collective scenes of the man on a personal level; what little there was to reveal - was very revealing indeed.
I've read the comparisons between this and 'Winds Of War'. Until I had seen 'Eagle' - I would've been hard pressed to say that anything was better for the period. And because of the budget, obviously the battle scenes will always favor Winds. But the true character and temperament of the war, the men and women who were involved - you have to watch Once An Eagle.
My only serious complaint was the ending. It felt like it was shortened by one episode, with many unanswered and unresolved questions. For example:
- What happened with Sam's decision to hold Court responsible for his actions at "Palladium"? Of course he stuck to his guns and went forward, but what about after?
- The point at which 'Palladium' occurs suggests the latter part of the war, mid-to-late 1944. There was still a lot of fighting and many battles left in the Pacific theater - was Sam ever given a chance to command again? Or did he lose his chance by accusing a fellow officer of dereliction and murder? Typically those charges in an official inquiry will always taint both officers involved - irrespective of the results, but the ending doesn't point to any single foregone conclusion.
- Did Sam and Tommie ever resolve their issues with one another, the loss of their son, and get back together? I know that things pointed in that direction, but to see them put Donny to rest *as a couple* and move on would have been a reward for viewers who traveled with them throughout their amazing journey. A summation, perhaps after the war had ended, showing them at the home on the lake. Something.
- Was Jinny ever able to settle down and find a life of her own apart from her highly dysfunctional family?
- Was it possible, however remotely, that Donny somehow survived? I know they had the funeral, meaning the Army Air Corp was able to retrieve the remains. But it happened back then that some aviators survived - concealing their American identities by tossing their dog tags into a pile of burning wreckage to throw off & evade opposing forces, attempting to contact partisans, and maybe even make it back to the allied lines.
Even a counting of... skulls... would mean little if the B-29 stuck bottom first - the ball turret gunner's body would have essentially disintegrated making an accurate accounting improbable. Or even worse - had the B29 been unable to drop its payload before impact - what would the corps troops think? The bodies, what little remained, would be completely destroyed thereby making a count of the tags meaningless if not impossible. I can't see how anyone could make an honest appraisal in those situations. Questions like these haunted families for years afterwards, so I honestly see it as possible.
Overall - fantastic and well worth the 7 hours spent.
I always and thoroughly enjoy stumbling onto a hidden unexpected gem. :-)