Winds of War [DVD] [US Import] [NTSC]

Gripping, thoughtful story of one family in the build up to the American involvement in WW2, this is an excellent series which will appeal to a wide audience.

Vincent "Pug" Henry (Robert Mitchum) is a career naval officer whose quiet manner and keen mind alert him to the ultimate plans of Hitler when he is posted to the US embassy in Berlin in the late 1930's. Pug's thoughtful reports are more accurate than the diplomats and he soon has the ear of President Roosevelt who realises that this strong man, with his language skills, can be a real asset as the threat of war deepens.

As Pug begins his brand of diplomacy - in London, Rome, Berlin and Moscow - meeting ordinary troops as well as the leaders of the 3rd Reich and the allies, his family have their own problems to deal with. Wayward son Byron falls for bookish Natalie (Ali McGraw), a woman older than him who works tirelessly for her beloved Uncle, an author who lives in Italy. Determined to prove his worth, Byron grows up fast, joins the Navy and begins to win the respect of his father. Pug's wife Rhoda enjoys the party scene in Germany and assures Pug that the stories he is hearing first hand about the treatment of Jews must be wrong, but Pug gathers information all the same, to keep the president up to date.

When Pamela (Victoria Tennant in her first major role) the grown up daughter of a friend of Pug's falls for the charms of the older Naval officer, a touching 'May to September' romance develops - but Pug is a loyal and loving husband, would he jepodise his marriage to Rhoda?

As the war gathers pace Natalie struggles to get back to the states but her Uncle has problems with his passport and she refuses to leave him. Byron meanwhile pulls out the stops to meet up with her and pursue their blossoming romance.

With real life film footage of events, a chilling reconstruction of Pearl Harbour and characters you really care about. 'Winds of War' is much more than an extended war film. By the final scenes the viewer will be screaming for more - we have to know what becomes of these 'friends' and what the future holds.

Herman Wouk wrote the tele-play from his best selling novel and the care in the script shows. Mitchum does "sleep walk" his way through much of the series, but that lends a credibility to the strong and silent Pug - a man who observes and acts after consideration and who wins the respect of all who encounter him - even managing to form strong personal friendship's with German SS leaders before the war begins in earnest.

Get hold of 'Winds of War' on dvd - it is excellent viewing of a type that sadly we seldom see these days. Extras include 'The Making of Winds of War', and location scenes.

Of all the adaptations of literature for motion pictures and television that I've seen, folks, this one scores a 95%, with most other adaptations doing at best, say 73%, in regards to plot, character exposition, and the author's intent. It was most magnaminious of Mr. Dan Curtis to have Herman Wouk as an executive member of the team (TELEPLAY).

I'm sure that you fellow Mitchum fans savor the way his characters come into a mediocre namby-pamby situation, and shake 'em on down! He doesn't disappoint as Pug. If you read the story, you could easily shoehorn Bob Mitchum into your imagination's eye.

Polly Bergen's "Rho" is the comic relief to the saga, worrying more about her hair style, and intramural competion with other Navy and Marine Corps wives, to jockey their husband's careers to the most prestigious heights, rather than being concerned with the increasingly odious global events racing down upon her family and world. Just as Mr. Wouk intended.

Ali McGraw's "Natalie" is full of delicious spunk and mischief, as she teases, and then draws in, Jan-Michael Vincent's "Briny". She Keeps the Faith with Mr. Wouk's "Natalie", who incidentally, is my favorite literary heroine.

The cinematography is picture-postcard breathtaking; you almost forget you're watching the small screen and believe you're at your favorite silver screen palace. Fits in nicely with Mr. Wouk's crisp, concise, ultra-vivid, descriptive narrative style.

The choreography of the extras and the aircraft pilots was impeccable. These were the unsung heroes/heroines of this production.

The Nazi/German/Japanese villains were most hideously brutal of any production that I've seen anywhere. For example, Herr Meisner's "Hitler" captures the monster's mincing mannerisms perfectly. The best Hitler I've seen; even better than Richard Basehardt's (1961), who did a fine job in his own right.

Herman Wouk himself plays a cameo in the story, as Dr. Jastrow's friend, the Archbishop of Sienna.

Finally, Dan Curtis had come an astonishingly long ways from the low-budget "Dark Shadows" days (for those of you who have seen old "Yank" telly shows). Like night and day. Keep an eye out for Ms. Barbara Steele, who a few years later, would play Dr. Julia Hoffmann, M.D., in the "Dark Shadows" NBC TV revival!

Why has nobody reviewed this series before? Winds of War, and its follow-on series War and Remembrance (unfortunately only available in region 1 coding) is the best war drama, and probably even the best dramatic series I've ever watched.
Superbly acted, brilliantly directed, historically accurate and faithful to the book, you will be riveted from start to the sad and moving ending.
Made for US television, was it ever shown on TV in this country? It's surprising if not as it is very pro-British.
Taking several years to film, in the late eighties, there is some loss of continuity between the two series, because some of the actors had to be changed. But it gets better as it goes on.