Miniseries – Five Came Back

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S R An important perspective on WW2 Hollywood involvement in documenting / propagandizing it. Well made, directed, and presented. The other directors give it credibility and gravity. Without it, the actual original content is much less approachable. Saw on Netflix. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/08/25 Full Review Eleonoor It feels unbelievably ironic to watch a exceptionally well made show about Hollywood being heroic and working to save Western Civilisation. Where did all those heroes go? Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Masterful, elegant and truly compelling. I watched the reference series of the same name - made up of all the films used that informed this mini-series, beforehand. This is a considered and informed examination of the men and teams behind the films, as well as a look at the movies these Directors made before and after. It also gives a lot of information about each of their life stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though I shall have to watch it again, as there is so much content to process! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Isaiah Y As a film buff and fan of history, I found this miniseries amazing. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/23/20 Full Review Audience Member Superb documentary series. During World War 2 several movie directors joined the US armed forces, making documentary films of the war. These included five of the greatest directors, not just of that era, but of all time: Frank Capra, John Ford, John Huston, William Wyler and George Stevens. They had a great impact on the war, and the war had an impact on them, not only during the conflict but in their subsequent cinematic careers. Superb documentary series. The five directors covered in the series are legends of cinema. By the ends of their careers they would, between them, win 14 Oscars and be nominated 50 times (Capra 2 wins, 6 nominations, Ford 4/6, Huston 2/15, Wyler 3/14, Stevens 3/9). Between then they would ultimately direct six Best Picture Oscar winners (It Happened One Night, You Can’t Take It With You, How Green Was My Valley, Mrs. Miniver, The Best Years Of Our Lives, Ben Hur). However, from 1942 to 1945 most of their time was spent helping the war effort, directing some brilliant, relevant and inspiring documentaries. These were not shot from behind a desk but out in the thick of it – Ford was wounded at the Battle of Midway, a cameraman of Wyler’s was killed in aerial combat while filming The Memphis Belle and Wyler himself lost his hearing while filming the film Thunderbolt. This documentary series shows well how the five of them contributed, often having to fight and manipulate their own War Department to have their films released, or, at least, not tampered with. The personal sacrifices, mentioned previously are also well documented. Most emotionally, the effects of the war on the five of them are examined. They all came back changed men, including in their movie-making styles and careers. The interviews with five present-day directors – Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Paul Greengrass, Guillermo Del Toro and Laurence Kasdan – help frame the contributions of the five and translate their work for us to understand. Good narration by Meryl Streep, adding the right amount of gravitas to proceedings. Great documentary on five extraordinary film-makers. Makes for emotional watching for any lover of the silver screen. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member I haven't ever cried like I did at the end of this. Excellent. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Five Came Back — Miniseries

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