BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

ya-hall This series or movie stands right up there with Transylvania 6 5000 as a real stinker. Direction, screen play and sets have to be the worst I have seen in 65 years of watching movies. The story line wanders with no believability between scenes or chapters. The actors alternate between warm and fuzzy feeling too unhappy hateful with little rime or reason. The battle scenes where made with no eye to realism in anyway as presented, WW1 trench warfare scenes are very difficult to duplicate and this program represents the worst efforts ever made.Sam Elliot is a one dimensional actor who excels as the angry cowboy and to play the part of a warm lover is way over his ability. Cliff Potts certainly played the evil, selfish, woman abusing scoundrel to the hilt, to bad the story line was so bad. Glenn Ford was Glenn Ford as usual. Clu Gulager was his usual uninspiring method acting self which would have been OK for one or two scenes but even then he has to be taken with a grain or two of salt.

wuxmup Like other reviewers, I watched this miniseries way back when. I may have been older than most of the other reviewers at the time because I was less impressed. I do remember, though, that Sam Elliott was well chosen for the role of Damon; it's a shame that his performance isn't mentioned in either IMDb's Elliott biography or the quotation from Maltin.As miniseries go, "Once an Eagle" is a decent one, especially for its time, with competent actors, exotic locales, and the nearly unique-for-TV depiction of the 1918 A.E.F. on color film, but if you're looking for more than soap opera characters in G.I. dress, you may want to try elsewhere. Sam is the upright, stoic hero and Courtney is the cowardly, sleazy villain (you can tell by their names before the story begins). The series tracks their often intersecting and conflicting Regular Army careers over half a century, right into the Vietnam War. During most of that period, and unlike the majority of his fellow field-grade officers, Sam knows how history is going to turn out. Sam always does what's right, Courtney only what advances his career. And advance it he does. Never mind that he's transparently loathsome.The entire production has that TV "feel"--bright colors, blow-dried hair, familiar attitudes, overwrought confrontations, action carefully paced to lead up to the frequent commercial breaks. Today's viewers especially may be annoyed by such factors.Of course, we've seen the characters a thousand times before, and viewers never get tired of 'em. That's entertainment. But Winds of War is arguably the better series. You'll learn more about history, and if you're like me, you'll find the characters to be a little more interesting. The same goes for the novels the shows are based on. Each to his own!

allenbar This has to be one of the finest mini-series that I have ever seen. Sam Elliott is at his supreme best, gruff voice and all. I had seen it first when it came out and enjoyed it throughly. The mini-series lets you follow the life of a young soldier from his earliest beginnings of low rank to general. His nemesis is a conniving, devious rank climber without any morals whatsoever. It takes you from WW1 through WW2. Years later I read the book. As magnificent as it was to read, I still think the film was better. My greatest demur is that I have found it unavailable.If you should have a copy that I may share, buy or borrow, please let me know.

overthemoon-2 This series was really great. The cast was wonderful and acting superb! I'm surprised it hasn't already been released! I agree with the comment made by the other fan that this mini-series is better than the "Winds of War." It is better!! This was filmed back in the '70s when the T.V. mini-series first came about and is one of the reasons that mini-series are still popular. To the "powers that be"----please release this to DVD so that those of us who have seen this series can be entertained again. Those who have yet to see it have a nice surprise awaiting them!! Thanks!