"War and Remembrance" (1988) TV mini-series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

13 November 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

The saga of the Henry family, begun in "The Winds of War" continues as America is attacked by Japan and enters World War II...

Plot Keywords:

German | General | Japan | Captain | Winston Churchill

Awards:

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 8 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Robert Mitchum	...	Capt. Victor 'Pug' Henry / ... (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
Jane Seymour	...	Natalie Henry (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
Hart Bochner	...	Byron Henry (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
Victoria Tennant	...	Pamela Tudsbury (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
Polly Bergen	...	Rhoda Henry (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
Sami Frey	...	Avram Rabinovitz (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
William Schallert	...	Harry Hopkins (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
Jeremy Kemp	...	Brig. Gen. Armin Von Roon (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
Steven Berkoff	...	Adolf Hitler (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
Robert Hardy	...	Winston Churchill (12 episodes, 1988-1989)
Topol	...	Berel Jastrow (11 episodes, 1988-1989)
Ralph Bellamy	...	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (11 episodes, 1988-1989)
John Gielgud	...	Aaron Jastrow (11 episodes, 1988-1989)
William Woodson	...	Narrator (11 episodes, 1988-1989)
David Dukes	...	Leslie Slote (9 episodes, 1988-1989)
E.G. Marshall	...	Dwight D. Eisenhower (9 episodes, 1988-1989)
Sharon Stone	...	Janice Henry (8 episodes, 1988-1989)
Barry Bostwick	...	'Lady' Aster (8 episodes, 1988-1989)
Ian McShane	...	Philip Rule (8 episodes, 1988-1989)
John Rhys-Davies	...	Sammy Mutterperl (7 episodes, 1988)
Bill Wallis	...	Werner Beck (7 episodes, 1988)
Joachim Hansen	...	Lt. Gen. Alfred Jodl (7 episodes, 1988-1989)
John Malcolm	...	Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel (7 episodes, 1988-1989)
Michael Wolf	...	Reichsmarshall Hermann Goering (6 episodes, 1988-1989)
Robert Morley	...	Alistair Tudsbury (5 episodes, 1988)
Mike Connors	...	Col. Harrison 'Hack' Peters (5 episodes, 1988-1989)
Christian Ebel	...	Rattenhuber (5 episodes, 1988-1989)
Ian Jentle	...	Josef Goebbels (5 episodes, 1988-1989)
Barry Morse	...	Col. Gen. Franz Halder (5 episodes, 1988-1989)

Runtime:

1620 min (12 parts)

Country:

USA

Language:

French | German | Hebrew | Japanese | Russian | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland

Company:

ABC Circle Films

Trivia:

Costing over $110 million, it was, at the time, the most expensive mini-series ever.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Adolf Eichmann never rose above the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the S.S. However, late into the mini-series, his character appears as a full SS-Colonel.

Quotes:

Adolf Hitler: [Hitler and his generals are under Berlin in the bunker, April 22, 1945] WHAT IS GOING ON? We have been trying to reach the Steiner army since yesterday! My patience is not limitless!
Lt. Gen. Alfred Jodl: The telephone lines, Mein Fuhrer; they keep breaking down.
Adolf Hitler: If I do not hear from Steiner within 15 minutes, somebody will be shot!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Golden Girls: Sophia's Choice (#4.22)" (1989)

perhaps the greatest miniseries ever

I actually saw this film not that long ago on History Channel, after seeing the entire Winds of War on network TV when I was down with a back injury years ago. Networks no longer make these sweeping miniseries. In one way, it's good, because so much of the time is spent on inconsequential scenes just to fill time. On the other hand, it's a shame. This particular miniseries brought the horrors of what the Jews suffered in World War II right into your living room, and it was pretty harrowing. Watching it on History Channel was an education, as historians discussed the movie during the break. They agreed that War and Remembrance was incredibly accurate in its depiction of the war.

Of course, having John Gielgud in the cast didn't hurt! He was absolutely marvelous. I can only say that the entire story arc concerning Gielgud and his family was remarkable. The scene where Natalie eats the apple brought to the cattle cars by the Christians was incredible, as was the entire cattle car saga. The concentration camp scenes, the depiction of the commandant and his family, the entire cover-up aided and abetted by the Red Cross, Natalie's will to survive and be reunited with her son -- they are etched in my heart and will stay there forever.

I heartily recommend this miniseries. Look for it on History Channel to get the commentary. This was superior work by Dan Curtis.