"Piece of Cake" is a top notch production, excellently adapted from one of my favorite books by Derek Robinson. The acting is superb, the score, set designs, locations and period detail create a wonderfully full viewing experience.
I first watched this show during its North American release in 1990 and promptly went out and bought the book. I since acquired the DVD set, and watch it a couple of times a year. Yes, there are some discrepancies with the book (such as the switch from Hurricanes to Spitfires) which are likely explained by budgetary and availability issues, and the aerial scenes may look a little dated by now. But despite these minor shortcomings, the series it not diminished in its quality.
Some detractors (elsewhere on this post) seem hung up on political correctness and 'fact'. Ignore their remarks. "Piece of Cake" is a rousing good story, based on historical circumstances and, as the author states: "Hornet squadron is fiction. The places where it was based do not exist. All the characters in the story are invented. Everything else is a authentic as I could make it." These detractors obviously don't know the difference between documentaries and entertainment. We all know that "Bridge on the River Kwai", "Patton", "Apocalypse Now" and "M*A*S*H" were not representative of typical military 'behavior', but they all stand as excellent films by any standard.
If you want to watch cold hard fact, watch the documentary series "World at War". If you want something to help put a human face behind the horror and the terror of war, watch "Piece of Cake".
Apologies for the digression. Ten out of ten for "Piece of Cake".
I first watched this show during its North American release in 1990 and promptly went out and bought the book. I since acquired the DVD set, and watch it a couple of times a year. Yes, there are some discrepancies with the book (such as the switch from Hurricanes to Spitfires) which are likely explained by budgetary and availability issues, and the aerial scenes may look a little dated by now. But despite these minor shortcomings, the series it not diminished in its quality.
Some detractors (elsewhere on this post) seem hung up on political correctness and 'fact'. Ignore their remarks. "Piece of Cake" is a rousing good story, based on historical circumstances and, as the author states: "Hornet squadron is fiction. The places where it was based do not exist. All the characters in the story are invented. Everything else is a authentic as I could make it." These detractors obviously don't know the difference between documentaries and entertainment. We all know that "Bridge on the River Kwai", "Patton", "Apocalypse Now" and "M*A*S*H" were not representative of typical military 'behavior', but they all stand as excellent films by any standard.
If you want to watch cold hard fact, watch the documentary series "World at War". If you want something to help put a human face behind the horror and the terror of war, watch "Piece of Cake".
Apologies for the digression. Ten out of ten for "Piece of Cake".