An elephantine, unintentionally hilarious 1983 TV miniseries adaptation of Herman Wouk's bestselling novel that telescopes and trivializes World War II into a potboiler romance where affairs of the heart are occasionally interrupted by battles and bombs that destroy everything and everyone (except, of course, the principal players), the emotional core of this overcooked tale lies in a pair of awkward love stories. Ali MacGraw and Jan-Michael Vincent play young lovers separated by war, although it is painfully obvious that both actors are too old to successfully convey the impression of impassioned youth. Even more embarrassing is Robert Mitchum as career Navy man Victor "Pug" Henry, who takes time from saving the world to enjoy an adulterous distraction with Victoria Tennant, who seems young enough to be his granddaughter. Mitchum's traditional sleepy-eyed approach to acting nearly betrays him here--he is so visibly bored with the proceedings that one expects him to start snoring. A small army of B-list actors, including Polly Bergen, David Dukes, Elke Sommer, Topol, and Peter Graves, pop up for spot-the-star moments that distract from, rather than enhance, the story, while Hitler, Mussolini, Churchill, and Stalin are played by unknown actors lost under waxworks makeup with community theater-level accents (Franklin D. Roosevelt is played by Ralph Bellamy in a hammy parody of his Sunrise at Campobello triumph). After a few hours, you'll be begging for someone to get the white flag. DVD extras include four "making-of" featurettes. Still, given the huge popularity of The Winds of War (which set viewing records back in the '80s heyday of the TV miniseries), this is a strong optional purchase. (P. Hall)
The Winds of War
Paramount, 6 discs, 879 min., not rated, DVD: $79.99 Volume 19, Issue 6
The Winds of War
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