I have been waiting for years/decades for this mini-series to be released on home video. For those who don't remember, in the aftermath of the success of "Roots" for a brief period networks put a lot of money into producing miniseries programing. It was going to be the next big thing to save the networks (kind of like reality shows today).
As a result, this adaption of "Once An Eagle" is top-notch. The production values are outstanding and, to use a cliche, it features an all-star cast. Sure, the story of the two officers (once admirable, one despicable) is a little black and white, but it's still a whale of a story. The WWI and WWII periods are really entertaining, even if the story may drag a little in the middle. [Note to purists: the story ends in World War II, while the book continues on to the verge of the Viet Nam War, but it's much more dramatic this way.]
I can't believe that over seven hours of great entertainment is priced so reasonably, much less than a lot of mediocre 90 minute movies. This item is a great value. I've already ordered two and will probably be buying many more as gifts.