Below is a list of my favorite television productions (so far) that are set in the 1940s: FAVORITE TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS SET IN THE 1940s
1. "Homefront" (1991-1993) - Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick created this award-winning series about the residents of a small Ohio town in post-World War II. 
2. "Mob City" (2013) - Jon Bernthal starred in this six-part limited series that was inspired by John Buntin's book, "L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City". Co-starring Alexa Davalos and Milo Ventimiglia, the series was created by Frank Darabont.
3. "Agent Carter" (2015-2016) - Hayley Atwell starred as Margaret "Peggy" Carter, an agent with the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) in the post-World War II Manhattan. Created by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the MCU series co-starred James D'Arcy and Enver Gjokaj.
4a. "Band of Brothers" (2001) - Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced this outstanding television miniseries about the history of a U.S. Army paratrooper company - "Easy Company" - during the war. Damian Lewis and Ron Livingston starred. (tie)
4b. "The Pacific" (2010) - Spielberg and Hanks struck gold again in this equally superb television miniseries about the experiences of three U.S. Marines - John Basilone, Robert Leckie and Eugene Sledge - in the war's Pacific Theater. James Badge Dale, Joseph Mazzello and Jon Seda starred. (tie)
5. "Manhattan" (2014-2015) - Sam Shaw created this series about the creation of the first two atomic bombs at Los Alamitos, New Mexico. The series starred John Benjamin Hickey.
6. "The Winds of War" (1983) - Dan Curtis produced and directed this television adaptation of Herman Wouk's 1971 novel. The seven-part miniseries starred Robert Mitchum, Ali McGraw and Jan-Michael Vincent.
7. "Pearl" (1978) - Stirling Silliphant wrote this three-part miniseries about a group of men and women who experienced the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Angie Dickinson, Robert Wagner, Lesley-Ann Warren and Dennis Weaver starred.
8. "The Jewel in the Crown" (1984) - The ITV aired this award winning television adaptation of Paul Scott's "Raj Quartet" novels (1965–75) about the end of the British Raj in India. The fourteen-part miniseries starred Art Malik, Geraldine James, Charles Dance and Tim Pigott-Smith.
9. "Foyle's War" (2002-2015) - Anthony Horowitz created this television crime drama about a British police detective during World War II. The series starred Michael Kitchen, Honeysuckle Weeks and Anthony Howell.
10. "RKO 281" (1999) - Liev Schreiber starred as Orson Welles in this 1999 television adaptation of 1996 documentary called "The Battle Over Citizen Kane". The television movie also starred John Malkovich, Roy Schneider, James Cromwell and Melanie Griffith.
Below is a list of my favorite television productions (so far) that are set in the 1700s:
FAVORITE TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS SET IN THE 1700s
1. "John Adams" (2008) - Emmy winners Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney starred as John and Abigail Adams in this award winning HBO miniseries about the second U.S. President from his years as a Boston lawyer to his death. Tom Hooper directed.
2. "Turn: Washington's Spies" (2014-2017) - Jamie Bell starred in this television series that is an adaptation of Alexander Rose's 2006 book, "Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring". The series was created by Craig Silverstein.
3. "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (1982) - Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour starred in this television adaptation of Baroness Emmuska Orczy's novels about a British aristocrat who adopts a secret identity to save French aristocrats from the guillotine during France's Reign of Terror. Directed by Clive Donner, Ian McKellen co-starred.
4. "The History of Tom Jones – A Foundling" (1997) - Max Beesley and Samantha Morton starred in this adaptation of Henry Fielding's 1749 novel about the misadventures of an illegitimate young man in the mid-1700s, who had been raised by a landowner. Metin Hüseyin directed.
5. "The Book of Negroes" (2015) - Aunjanue Ellis starred in this television adaptation of Laurence Hill's novel about the experiences of an African woman before, during and after the American Revolution; after she was kidnapped into slavery. Clement Virgo directed.
6. "Black Sails" (2014-2017) - Toby Stephens starred in this television series, which was a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's novel, "Treasure Island". The series was created by Jonathan E. Steinberg
and Robert Levine.
7. "Garrow's Law" (2009-2011) - Tony Marchant created this period legal drama and fictionalized account of the 18th-century lawyer William Garrow. Andrew Buchan, Alun Armstrong and Lyndsey Marshal starred.
8. "Poldark" (1975/1977) - Morris Barry and Anthony Coburn created this series, an adaptation of the first seven novels in Winston Graham's Poldark literary series. Robin Ellis and Angharad Rees starred.
9. "Outlander" (2014-present) - Ronald Moore developed this series, which is an adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's historical time travel literary series. Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan starred.
10. "Poldark" (2015-2019) - Debbie Horsfield created this series, an adaptation of the first seven novels in Winston Graham's Poldark literary series. Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson stars.
"CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR" (2007) ReviewEleven years ago, I first learned about how a Texas congressman named Charlie Wilson led the effort to drive the Soviet Army from Afghanistan after nearly ten years. I learned about Operation Cyclone from the 2007 biopic, "CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR". Operation Cyclone was the code name for the C.I.A. program to arm and finance the mujahideen in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989, prior to and during the military intervention by the USSR in support of its client, the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. The program leaned heavily towards supporting militant Islamic groups that were favored by the regime of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in neighboring Pakistan, instead of the less militant Afghan resistance groups that had also been fighting the pro-Marxist Democratic Republic of Afghanistan regime since before the Soviet invasion. Operation Cyclone proved to be one of the longest and most expensive covert CIA operations undertaken during the agency's history. Directed by Mike Nichols and based upon George Crile III's 2003 book, "Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History", "CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR" began in 1980, when Congressman Charles "Charlie" Wilson (D-Texas) became aware of the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan during to trip to Las Vegas. But it took an old friend of his, Texas socialite Joanne Herring, to encourage him to finally get involved with driving the Soviets out of Afghanistan. First, Wilson pays a visit to Afghanistan, where he visits a refugee camp and the country's leader, President Zia-ul-Haq. Upon his return to the U.S., Wilson recruits the help of veteran C.I.A. agent Gust Avrakotosto help him kick start an operation that would provide aid - food, medical and especially military - to the Afghans. And finding military aid would mean enlisting support from both Israel and Egypt. At the same time, Wilson is forced to face a Federal investigation into allegations of his cocaine use, as part of a larger investigation into Congressional misconduct.I must admit that I did not have a very high opinion of "TIMELESS" when I first saw it over ten years ago. I honestly did not know what to expect. I certainly did not expect a comedy-drama with a lot of wit and snappy one-liners. Or perhaps I was expecting something a little more . . . intense? Who knows. But looking back on the film, I finally realized that my opinion of it has increased over the years. I enjoyed how the movie went to a great deal of effort to provide details of Wilson's efforts to aid the Afghans, especially the Mujahidee (Afghanistan's freedom fighters). Whether those details were historically accurate or not - I have not the foggiest idea. But I found Wilson's efforts to find ways to provide aid and help the Afghans throw out the occupying Soviets without the rest of the world finding out about U.S. involvement very interesting . . . and rather amusing. This sequence of events included a rather humorous first meeting between Wilson and his C.I.A. liaison, Gust Avrakotos. Another aspect of the film that I found humorous were Wilson's efforts to curb his friend Ms. Herring's patriotic and religious fervor over the program - including one scene in which she bluntly assured her guests at a fund raiser that President Zia-ul-Haq was not responsible for the death of his predecessor, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. For me, one of the film's most interesting and hilarious scenes featured Wilson's meeting with both Israeli and Egyptian representatives in order to acquire arms for the Mujahidee - a meeting that included an Arabic dance (belly dance) from the daughter of an American businessman.Judging from the movie's Oscar, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations, one could see that "CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR" was not exactly a front-runner for Academy Award nominations during the 2007-2008 movie awards season Philip Seymour-Hoffman earned the majority of the film's major nominations. Julia Roberts did earn a Golden Globe Awards, but nothing else. Did it deserve more acclamation? I do not know. Mike Nichols did a competent and entertaining job in allowing moviegoers peeks into C.I.A. policies, Washington and international politics. Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman (as C.I.A. operative Gust Avrakotos) all gave excellent performances. Well . . . Hanks and Hoffman struck me as entertaining and excellent. But I really enjoyed Roberts' performance as the colorful Houston socialite. It seemed a shame that she was only nominated for a Golden Globe Award. The movie also featured solid performances from Amy Adams, Ned Beatty, Om Puri, Christopher Denham, John Slattery, Ken Stott, Shaun Tolb, Peter Gerety and Emily Blunt. But if I must be honest, the movie did not give me a charge. I enjoyed it very mcuh. I mean, I really found it entertaining. But I did not love "CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR". I remember while leaving the theater following my first viewing of the film, I had this feeling that something was missing. I do not know. It could have been the unsatisfying ending, which I found to be rushed. It could have been James Newton Howard's score that seemed too treacly for a borderline black comedy about a U.S. congressman, the C.I.A. and the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan. Or perhaps I found the movie's ending even more treacly than its score. Either Nichols or the movie's producers - Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman - lacked the balls to portray the consequences of Operation Cyclone.I cannot say that "CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR" was a great film. I do not know if I would regard it as one of Mike Nichols' best efforts. But I found it very entertaining, thanks to Aaron Sorkin's screenplay, Nichols' direction and a first-rate cast led by Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman. And if one is intrigued by a peek into American politics during the 1980s, I would highly recommend it.
"THE POST" (2017) Review
When one thinks of Katharine Graham, Ben Bradlee and The Washington Post; the Watergate scandal comes to mind. So, when I heard that filmmaker Steven Spielberg planned to do a movie about the famous newspaper's connection to the "Pentagon Papers" . . . I was very surprised.
As many know, the Pentagon Papers had originated as a U.S. Department of Defense sponsored report that depicted the history of the United States' political and military involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967. Sometime between 1969 and 1971, former military/RAND Corporation strategic analyst Daniel Ellsberg and RAND colleague Anthony Russo secretly made several copies of classified documents about the U.S. involvement in Vietnam since 1945 and submitted them in 1971 to The New York Timescorrespondent, Neil Sheehan. The Times eventually published the first excerpts of the classified documents on June 13, 1971. For years, I have been aware of The New York Times's connection to the Pentagon Papers. I had no idea that The Washington Post had played a major role in its publication, as well.
There have been several productions and documentaries about the Pentagon Papers. However, most of those productions centered around Daniel Ellsberg or The New York Times's roles in the documents. "THE POST" marked the first time in which any production has depicted The Washington Post's role. Many people, including employees from The New York Times, have questioned Spielberg's decision to make a movie about The Post's connection to the Pentagon Papers. Some have accused Spielberg of giving credit for the documents' initial publication to the The Washington Post. And yet, the movie made it perfectly clear that The New York Times was the first newspaper to do so. It even went out of its way to convey Post editor-in-chief Ben Bradlee's frustration at The Times' journalistic coup.
Following The New York Times's publication of the Pentagon Papers' first excerpts, the Nixon Administration, at the urging of Secretary of State Henry Kissenger, opposed the publication. Later, President Richard Nixon ordered Attorney General John Mitchell to obtain a Federal court injunction, forcing The Times to cease publication after three articles. While The New York Times prepared a legal battle with the Attorney General's office, Post assistant editor Ben Bagkikian tracks down Ellsberg as the source of the leak. Ellsberg provides Bagdikian with copies of the same material given to The Times, who turns them in to Bradlee. The movie's real drama ensues when the newspaper's owner, Katherine Graham, finds herself torn between Bradlee's urging to publish the documents and the newspaper's board of directors and attorneys, urging her not to.
I had at least two problems with "THE POST". I am certain that others had more problems, but I could only think of two. I had a problem with Janusz Kamiński's cinematography. I realize that the man is a legend in the Hollywood industry. And I have been more than impressed with some of his past work - many of it for Steven Spielberg's movies. But I did not like his photography in "THE POST". I disliked the film's grainy and slightly transparent photography. I do not know the reasons behind Spielberg and Kamiński's decision to shoot the movie in this style. I do know that I found it unappealing.
My second problem with the film centered around Spielberg's directorial style. In other words, his penchant for sentimentality nearly made the film's last ten minutes slightly hard for me to swallow. I refer to the scene in which one of the reporters read aloud the Supreme Court's decision to allow both The Washington Post and The New York Times, along with any other newspaper, to continue publishing the Pentagon Papers. It simply was not a matter of actress Carrie Coon reading the Court's decision out loud. Spielberg emphasized the profoundness of the moment with John Williams' maudlin score wailing in the background. A rather teeth clenching moment for me.
Otherwise, I enjoyed the movie very much. Superficially, "THE POST" did not seem that original to me. When one has seen the likes of "ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN" and "SPOTLIGHT", what is so different between them and "THE POST". But there was a difference. For the movie's real heart focused upon owner Katherine Graham and her conflict over whether or not to allow the next excerpts of the Pentagon Papers to be published. And what made this even more interesting is the woman's character.
If one had read Graham's memoir, "Personal History", one would learn that for years, she had suffered from an inferiority complex since childhood, due to her strained relationship with her more assertive mother. In fact, her father, who was the newspaper's original owner, had handed over the newspaper to her husband, Philip Graham, instead of her. And she saw nothing wrong with her father's decision. Following her husband's death, Graham found herself publisher of The Post. During the movie's setting - June 1971 - not only did Graham found herself dealing with Ben Bradlee's urgent demand that the newspaper publishes the Pentagon Papers, but also with the newspaper's stock market launch. Even worse, Graham also found herself facing a board of directors who did not take her seriously as The Post's publisher.
So in the end, "THE POST" was more than about the Papers itself and the question of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War. It seemed to be about how an unpopular war had an indirect impact upon a woman's life through a political scandal. The movie also seemed to be about a struggle between the media's belief in free press in order to inform the people and the government's belief in its right to control what the people should know. In a way, the Vietnam War and Daniel Ellsberg's release of the Pentagon Papers established The Washington Post's rise as an important national newspaper. And it opened the public's eyes about the U.S. government's involvement in Vietnam - something that had been hidden from the government for over two decades. The war and Ellsberg also kick started Katherine Graham's elevation as a newspaper publisher willing to take a risk for an important news story and of her self-esteem. Spielberg's movie could have simply been about The New York Times's scoop with its publication of the first excerpts of the Pentagon Papers and its battle with the Nixon Administration. But as I have earlier pointed out, his narrative has been seen in past productions.
Aside from my disappointment with Kamiński's cinematography, there were other aspects of "THE POST" I admired. I certainly had no problems with Rick Carter's production designs. One, he did an admirable job of re-creating Washington D.C. and New York City circa 1971. And I was especially impressed that both Carter and set decorator Rena DeAngelo's recreation of The Washington Post's newsroom was as accurate as possible. I had learned that the newsroom depicted in the 1976 movie, "ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN" was slightly larger. Apparently, sometime between the newspaper's coverage of the Pentagon Papers and Watergate, its newsroom had been renovated and enlarged. Good catch on Carter and DeAngelo's part. Hollywood icon Ann Roth designed the costumes for the film and I must say that I was impressed. I was not impressed because I found her costumes dazzling or memorable. I was impressed because Roth, who had also served as costume designer for three of director Anthony Maghella's films, perfectly captured the fashion styles of the conservative Washington political set of the early 1970s.
Both Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks earned acting nominations - for their portrayals of Katherine Graham and Ben Bradlee. Streep is the only one who earned an Academy Award nod. I am a little conflicted about it. On one hand, I cannot deny that the two leads gave very good performances. Streep did an excellent job in conveying Graham's emotional growth into her role as her late husband's successor as owner of The Washington Post. And Hanks was first-rate as the ambitious and tenacious Bradlee, who saw The Post's acquisition of more excerpts from the Pentagon Papers as a step into transforming the newspaper as a major national periodical. The movie also featured an interesting performance from Bob Odenkirk, who portrayed Ben Bagkikian, the assistant editor who had decided to set out and find Ellsberg after the Attorney General's Office forced The New York Times to cease publication of the Papers. Another interesting performance came from Bruce Greenwood, whose portrayal of the besieged former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara really impressed me.
I was surprised to discover that "THE POST" won a Best Ensemble award from the Detroit Film Critics Society. But you know what? Perhaps I should not have been that surprised. With a cast that included Carrie Coon, David Cross and Philip Casnoff; I really enjoyed those scenes featuring Bradlee with his senior staff, whether they were discussing or examining the Pentagon Papers. The movie also featured solid performances from Bradley Whitford, Sarah Poulson, Matthew Rhys, Michael Stulhbarg, Alison Brie, Jesse Plemmons, Pat Healy, and Zach Woods.
I can honestly say that I would not regard "THE POST" as one of my top five favorite movies directed by Steven Spielberg. In fact, I am not sure if I would regard it as one of his best films. But the movie proved to be one of my favorites released in 2017, thanks to Spielberg's direction, a first-rate screenplay written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, and an excellent cast led by Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. I have a feeling that it is one movie that I would never get tired of watching.
