This is a really great documentary that ties in the story of an A-36 WWII combat pilot and his family with war correspondent Ernie Pyle. Some of the footage is truly amazing and it captures the feeling and spirit of walking in his shoes. Some of the re-creation scenes could have been better achieved, but still, a first rate experience. The scenes with family member recollections are quite moving; as well. It's interesting to follow this man and his trials and tribulations. Also, how his path crosses that of Ernie Pyle. I need to find out more now on Ernie and his WWII journey. The stories are compelling and give you the feel of what these men went through and why War is hell. This may be a hard title to find, but worth the chase. I would highly recommend this one and add it with the book "Unbroken" as "well worth it" and "don't MISS" on WWII journeys!
2 Reviews
Useful Journal of War Experience.
rmax30482317 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I'm glad Robert Drew got this commentary out of his system when he did. None of us is getting younger and there are an enormous number of stories about World War II that are insane mixtures of the tragic and the ridiculous. The two wars of the 20th century represent the greatest failures of civilization the planet has ever seen. We've been ignorant and mistaken before, but our stupidity as Homo sapiens has never revealed such plumbless deaths before.
Drew was the pilot of a North American A-36, Apache, an early form the P-51 that was used in low-altitude ground attack and dive bombing roles. There's less glamour attached to flying ground support -- no opportunities for dog fights are any of the more eye-catching aerobatics. And Robert Drew's narration does nothing to juice up his frightening tale. He was shot down in Italy and managed to find his way back to Allied line without being killed. What did help is that he knew and became friendly with Ernie Pyle, the most loved war correspondent of the time. We get to hear Cliff Robertson read off a few of Pyle's unpretentious observations, which are really quite good. Pyle wrote plainly and sensitively. He's easy to listen to. He was killed on Ichi Jima later in the war. Robert Drew survived. His father, also a pilot, did not.
The reenactments were probably not a good idea. They're done with distorted lenses that turn figures into asymmetrical lumps sometimes. They're distracting rather than enlightening. Somewhere in the archives of one of the Cable Channels is a movie story of a young Minnesota man, Ken Aananson, who flew ground support missions in a P-47. There are no reenactors, just still photos and combat footage, and Aananson's voice-over, which carries little emotion, is in its own subdued way very moving. It's a two-hour documentary. The title is "Fighter Pilot." It's a remarkable film and I've never been able to turn up a reference to it.
Drew was the pilot of a North American A-36, Apache, an early form the P-51 that was used in low-altitude ground attack and dive bombing roles. There's less glamour attached to flying ground support -- no opportunities for dog fights are any of the more eye-catching aerobatics. And Robert Drew's narration does nothing to juice up his frightening tale. He was shot down in Italy and managed to find his way back to Allied line without being killed. What did help is that he knew and became friendly with Ernie Pyle, the most loved war correspondent of the time. We get to hear Cliff Robertson read off a few of Pyle's unpretentious observations, which are really quite good. Pyle wrote plainly and sensitively. He's easy to listen to. He was killed on Ichi Jima later in the war. Robert Drew survived. His father, also a pilot, did not.
The reenactments were probably not a good idea. They're done with distorted lenses that turn figures into asymmetrical lumps sometimes. They're distracting rather than enlightening. Somewhere in the archives of one of the Cable Channels is a movie story of a young Minnesota man, Ken Aananson, who flew ground support missions in a P-47. There are no reenactors, just still photos and combat footage, and Aananson's voice-over, which carries little emotion, is in its own subdued way very moving. It's a two-hour documentary. The title is "Fighter Pilot." It's a remarkable film and I've never been able to turn up a reference to it.
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