The Winds of War (1983– )

In the late 1930s, world politics begin to head in a dangerous direction. In Europe, Germany expands and rearms and proceeds to annex several border countries into the Reich. Meanwhile, ... See full summary »

Stars:

Robert Mitchum, Ali MacGraw, Jan-Michael Vincent

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Robert Mitchum	...	Victor 'Pug' Henry (7 episodes, 1983)
Ali MacGraw	...	Natalie Jastrow (7 episodes, 1983)
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	Byron Henry (7 episodes, 1983)
John Houseman	...	Aaron Jastrow (7 episodes, 1983)
Polly Bergen	...	Rhoda Henry (7 episodes, 1983)
Lisa Eilbacher	...	Madeline Henry (7 episodes, 1983)
David Dukes	...	Leslie Slote (7 episodes, 1983)
Topol	...	Berel Jastrow (7 episodes, 1983)
Ben Murphy	...	Warren Henry (7 episodes, 1983)
Peter Graves	...	Palmer 'Fred' Kirby (7 episodes, 1983)
Jeremy Kemp	...	Brigadier General Armin Von Roon (7 episodes, 1983)
Ralph Bellamy	...	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (7 episodes, 1983)
Victoria Tennant	...	Pamela Tudsbury (7 episodes, 1983)
Wolfgang Preiss	...	Field Marshal Walter von Brauchitsch (7 episodes, 1983)
William Woodson	...	Narrator (7 episodes, 1983)
Dragomir Stanojevic		(7 episodes, 1983)
Günter Meisner	...	Adolf Hitler (6 episodes, 1983)
Reinhard Kolldehoff	...	Hermann Goering (6 episodes, 1983)
Werner Kreindl	...	Colonel General Franz Halder (6 episodes, 1983)
Rainer Penkert	...	Grand Admiral Erich Raeder (6 episodes, 1983)
Alexander Kerst	...	Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel (6 episodes, 1983)
Joachim Hansen	...	Field Marshal Alfred Jodl (6 episodes, 1983)
Howard Lang	...	Winston Churchill (4 episodes, 1983)
Anton Diffring	...	Joachim von Ribbentrop (4 episodes, 1983)
Timothy Stack	...	Yeoman Ryan (4 episodes, 1983)
Barry Morse	...	Wolf Stoller (3 episodes, 1983)
Michael Logan	...	Alistair Tudsbury (3 episodes, 1983)
John Carter	...	Colonel William Forrest (3 episodes, 1983)
Tom McFadden	...	Hugh Cleveland (3 episodes, 1983)
Roy Poole	...	Harry Hopkins (3 episodes, 1983)
Deborah Winters	...	Janice Lacouture Henry (3 episodes, 1983)
Joseph Hacker	...	Lt. Carter 'Lady' Aster (3 episodes, 1983)
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Maj. Gen. Tillet (2 episodes, 1983)
Scott Brady	...	Capt. Red Tully (2 episodes, 1983)
Edmund Purdom	...	Luigi Gianelli (2 episodes, 1983)
Lawrence Pressman	...	Bunky Thurston (2 episodes, 1983)
Lin McCarthy	...	Blinker Vance (2 episodes, 1983)
Enzo G. Castellari	...	Benito Mussolini (2 episodes, 1983)
Edmund Pegge	...	Air Commodore Burne-Wilke (2 episodes, 1983)
Leo Gordon	...	General 'Train' Anderson (2 episodes, 1983)
Elizabeth Hoffman	...	Eleanor Roosevelt (2 episodes, 1983)
Michael McGuire	...	Fred Fearing (2 episodes, 1983)
Ferdy Mayne	...	Ludwig Rosenthal (2 episodes, 1983)
Sky du Mont	...	Count Galeazzo Ciano (2 episodes, 1983)
Judith Atwell	...	Sally Forrest (2 episodes, 1983)
James Ray	...	Chargé Reese Claremont (2 episodes, 1983)
Stelio Candelli	...	Scarfaced Gestapo Agent (2 episodes, 1983)
Karl-Otto Alberty	...	White-haired Gestapo Agent (2 episodes, 1983)
Eloise Hardt	...	Mrs. Lacouture (2 episodes, 1983)
Henryk Rajfer	...	Groom at Wedding (2 episodes, 1983)

Storyline

In the late 1930s, world politics begin to head in a dangerous direction. In Europe, Germany expands and rearms and proceeds to annex several border countries into the Reich. Meanwhile, Italy attempts to establish a Facist Colonial Empire under Mussolini while the Empire of Japan stands ready for a major war with China. Enter the Henry family, headed by career naval officer Victor "Pug" Henry. "Winds of War" thus follows the exploits of Pug and his children, all of which are set against the backdrop of world events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

---

Plot Keywords:

japan | germany | 1930s | italy | luftwaffe | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Italian Polish Portuguese Russian Hebrew

Release Date:

6 February 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Herman Wouk's The Winds of War

Filming Locations:

Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jadran Film, Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

883 min 720 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ralph Bellamy plays Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) in this production. Bellamy had played a younger FDR twenty-two years prior to this mini-series in the film Sunrise at Campobello and in the stage version winning Broadway's 1958 Tony Award as Best Actor (Dramatic). Later, Bellamy would reprise his role as FDR in this mini-series' sequel, War and Remembrance.

---

Goofs

When Byron and Natalie pull up to the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, the shadow of the camera crane is visible on the stone gate.

---

Quotes

Wolf Stoller: There are certain conversations that have to be forgotten. And in Germany we have a phrase for such delicate matters. We say, "under four eyes."
Victor 'Pug' Henry: I believe I've heard that phrase.
Wolf Stoller: What transpires next is under four eyes. You and Armin had a conversation about this lend-lease bill. Did he make sense to you? You prefer not to say, eh? Of course. You are a diplomat.
Victor 'Pug' Henry: I'm a gunnery expert, misplaced in diplomacy, and hoping to get the hell out of it.
Wolf Stoller: A man of honor wants to serve on the field.
[...]

---

Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.90 (2013)

User Reviews

Gunter Meisner is terrific

As I review the comments of others, I see little reference to Gunter Meisner's work as Adolf Hitler in this series. Well, I see where someone thought it overdone. My own reaction was to wonder if this actor won any awards for his performance. Anyone know? Every time he appeared, I commented to my wife how impressed I was at how striking and forceful and commanding he was. Particularly in his scene with the General about the invasion of France. Overall, the Winds of War is a very compelling piece of work. I don't know how I managed to miss it when it first showed as a miniseries, but I'm sort of happy since I can now appreciate it on DVD without commercials. I bought it for my wife for Christmas. She kept mentioning it as the best TV movie she ever saw, and darned if she isn't right.