Brothers in arms

Brothers in arms ( Band off Brothers ) is a Feuilleton televised américano - British, in 10 episodes from approximately 1 hour, created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg according to the work of the historian Stephen E. Ambrose and diffused between the September 9th and the November 4th 2001 on the network HBO. In France, the serial was diffused between the July 22nd and the August 19th 2002 on France 2.

Synopsis

Inspired of the work of the historian Stephen E. Ambrose, this serial recalls the history of the soldiers of the Easy Company, of the 506e Régiment of Infantry Parachutist, the 101e Airborne Division US (of which the members are known under the name of “Screaming Eagles” or “Eagles hurleurs”), of its beginnings and until the end of the Second world war in 1945.

With the whole beginning the recruits do not know anything with the airborne units and are involved very hard. The Easy Company, is involved of all the companies of the regiment. The first lieutenant Herbert Mr. Sobel wants that its men are the best and the life to them as much as it rots can. Its second in command, the first lieutenant Richard D. Winters, coldly promoted, is seen better by the men and is better strategist. Sobel in spite of is very promoted with the rank of captain by colonel Sink, but this last after the mutiny of the warrant officers of Sobel, is finally constrained to affect Sobel in a school of jump in parachute for the volunteers, in England.

The day before the June 6th 1944, the Easy is parachuted with the top of the Normandy. Parachutings are a disaster, the dropzones (zones of jumps) are missed and all the company is scattered in the Cotentin. Moreover, lieutenant Meehan who orders the company is killed in the explosion of his C-47. The command of the company thus returns in Winters.

Then one follows everywhere the company in Europe, as in the Norman scrap-metal for the catch of a German battery of artillery, with Carentan for street battles ultra violent one or the snipers find their happiness, with the Netherlands with Nuenen (birthplace of Van Gogh according to Webster) and with Eindhoven for the Opération Market Garden, the forests of the Ardennes with Bastogne and Foy, and finally the release of the concentration camps of Dachau. Then day V-E with Berchtesgaden for the catch of the “eyrie” of Hitler, last bastion of the Third Reich.

Distribution

Kirk Acevedo (VF: Emmanuel Garijo) : Sergent Joseph Toye
Rick Gum (VF: Bruno Carna) : Sergeant George Luz
Damian Lewis (VF: Pierre Tessier) : Major Richard D. Winters
Ron Livingston (VF: Thierry Kazazian) : Captain Lewis Nixon
Neal McDonough (VF: Bruno Dubernat) : Lieutenant Lynn “Buck” Compton
David Schwimmer (VF: Michel Lesorne) : Captain Herbert Mr. Sobel
Matthew Settle (VF: Cyril Artaux) : Captain Ronald Speirs
Donnie Wahlberg (VF: Gilles Morvan) : Regimental sergeant major Carwood Lipton
Ross McCall (VF: Fabien Briche) : Corporal Joseph D. Liebgott
Scott Grimes (VF: Vincent de Bouard) : Sergeant Donald G. Malarkey
Michael Cudlitz (VF: Bertrand Arnaud) : Denver “Bull” Randleman
Nicholas Aaron: Robert “Popeye” Wynn
James Madio (VF: Vincent Ropion) : Frank Perconte
Hake Hanks: The Candidate Jones
Frank John Hughes (VF: Constantin Pappas) : Sergeant Bill Guarnere

Rewards

Golden Globe Award 2002: Better minisery
Emmy Award 2002: Better minisery
Emmy Award 2002: Better casting for a minisery
Emmy Award 2002: Better realization
Emmy Award 2002: Better sound for the episode D-day ( Day off days )
Emmy Award 2002: Better assembly for the episode D-day ( Day off days )

Episodes

Comments

During the tour, one sticks to characters who are their own, like Bill Guarnere or Joe Toye which are the burned heads of their section. More poetic, as the Blithe soldier who does not find the force to fight and makes touch with the neck by a embusqué gunner or Webster which is the intello company (it leaves Harvard), or courageous and devoted like the Speirs captain, a leader except par, or very the sympathetic nerve Lipton regimental sergeant major or the commander Winters.

What makes the force of Brothers in arms is that the men remain dependant until the end and that the reported events all are real, as at the time of the Day-J, when Malarkey speaks with a prisoner américano-German or the fabulous race of Speirs in front of a whole German garrison with Foy, without being made cut down.

Continuation

A news télésuite of 10 episodes carried out by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman named The Pacific is planned for 2009, the action will proceed in the Pacific during the Second world war.

Derivative products

Video games

Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, a video game taking again the beginning of the scenario of the serial.
Brothers in Arms II: Earned in Blood, video game taking again the airborne part of the unloading of Normandy with in particular the battle of the hedges and the catch of Carentan. Very near to the series, by the places of engagements but also by the characters. The Hartsock sergeant of the play resembles much to lieutenant Winters of the series. This play takes again to him also real events.
Cal off Duty: The Great Offensive, extension of the first opus Cal off Duty. This the American play campaign is held in Bastogne and Foy. The player incarnates a soldier of the 506e Régiment of Infantry Parachutist, the regiment of Easy Company.
Medal off honor: Allied Assault
Medal off Honor: Airborne

See too

Cinema of national security

Random links: