Ike: The War Years

This film more than any other one tells me what a great actor Robert Duvall is! He is totally immersed in his character. With the makeup, he IS Ike. And Lee Remick is perfect in her role as Kay Summersby. I would recommend this movie to anyone.

Robert Duvall does Stalin, he does Adolf Eichmann, and here he does Dwight D Eisenhower, and does him brilliantly.

This early docudrama chronicles (at 4 hours) Ike's rise from the Pentagon, to Commander of European Operations, and the end of the war. It additionally gives an honest focus on a wartime relationship Ike shared with his female British driver, Kate Summersby (Lee Remick).

The film's inclusion of this aspect of Ike's command not only humanizes what might other wise be quite a hard edged movie, but also is effective counterpoint to war.

Remick is great as Ms. Sommersby, a no-nonsense, level headed English-woman put in the most difficult of wartime circumstances, in love with a man with whom there is no long-term. The ugly contradiction being that, as long as the war continues, so will they.

Duvall gives Ike many dimensions: strength, smart but far from infallible, diligence. I have no doubt that these may well be Ike's own persona, but in Mr. Duvall's portrayal, it is ingratiating, and believable.

Good work guys.

Someone said that this film is much ado about nothing. They said that it spends an entire miniseries debating an absurdly narrow historical question. Did General Eisenhower have an affair with his English driver Kay Summersby? Harry Truman, who never liked Eisenhower, said that he wrote to General George C. Marshall and asked permission to divorce Mamie so he could marry this woman. Truman said Marshall wrote such a blistering response that he abandoned the idea. Truman said he destroyed the letter so it cannot be proven today. This aside, Robert Duvall is an amazing actor who really brings Eisenhower to life. He shows his humanity and his decency, especially when he has to make the decision for the Normandy Invasion. This is a fine miniseries in the tradition of Holocaust and Roots that gives a fine history lesson.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Likewise, World War II was a lengthy, plodding war. This film (a whopping 270 minutes in length) follows IKE from his Pentagon days early in the war up to his rise to Supreme Allied Commander and ultimate victory. Interestingly enough, the film focuses its attention on IKE's relationship with his female British driver, Kay. Sound performances by Lee Remick and Robert Duvall make this TV mini-series surprisingly good. Numerous real footage appears often in the film in between chronological sequences. Much of this footage, originally black and white has been color tinted (this movie was made before colorization). All in all it provides an interesting effect. Bottom line is this. If you can handle 270 minutes of movie you just might enjoy this finely done film.

After haveing studied General/President Eisenhower for sometime in several venues, all I can say is that Robert DuVall played the part just right. During 4 hours of this film, Robert DuVall was Eisenhower.

I wish this title was available in some video format today, it is a tremendous look at the history of the ERA. The viewer must cut through the love story of Kay Summersby and Ike. Based on all accounts of those who were there, this was a completely one sided love affair. While Ike depended on Kay in many ways, there was no affair on his part.

Once past that, the history is right on point.