jianakn Reviews

Once an Eagle (1976–1977)

Great Cast - Butchered the Book

[3/10 · 27 January 2023]

Once an Eagle is a fantastic novel... I have owned a copy since 1976 and read it several times. This mini-series is very poor by comparison.

This should have been 20 episodes to get the story right. There are lots of scenes in the mini series that never happened in the book, or happened far differently, such as when Damon and Massingale first met.

In the book, Massingale and his driver are lost. Sam's troops have just come out of a major battle after being held in close reserve, and under shell fire. They are all exhausted, filthy relaxing in the ruins of a building that has a well. Sam is there in the background.

Massingale approaches some of Sam's men and does not get shown the proper respect for an officer. He snaps and orders them to attention before starting to give them a dressing down about showing proper military discipline.

Sam is watching Massingale and evaluating what type of man he is. Then he intervenes and countermand's Massingale's orders.... telling his men to back to what they were doing.

Massingale is shocked by the state of Sam's uniform and the fact Sam is not wearing his insignia. He starts to lecture Sam about proper military discipline. Sam starts to get angry and calmly tells Massingale to get back in his disgusting Packard and leave.

The offended Massingale intends to report Sam's conduct and gets out a notebook to take down Sam's name and service number. Massingale does an immediate back flip once he learns who Sam is because at the time, Sam in one of the most decorated soldiers in the American forces after winning the highest award for bravery.

Massingale turns on the charm, claims responsibility for their confrontation, and makes light of being the monster from staff who has to drive around in a disgusting Packard being the bearer of bad news. Then he exits.

During the river crossing attack, Sam is hit by malaria and keeps leading the assault on the opposite bank. There is later a critical battle where Sam improvises an antitank gun to come to Ben's aid when Japanese tanks appear.

The deep bond between Sam and Ben is not really shown that well in the mini series. The relationship between Sam and Tommy is somewhat different..... she has an affair around the same time he does.

The final scene in the TV show is nothing like what happens in the book.

This mini series had such a great cast and could have been so much more if it had not been done on the cheap, stayed true to the book, and there were more episodes like the other war- rie mini series that were made around the same time.

It will be difficult to do a remake...... Sam Elliot and that calm deep drawl of his will be extremely difficult to recast.

My advice to people is take the time to read the novel...... it is one of the most captivating books I have read..... which is why I have owned a copy of it for nearly 50 years.

The Mallorca Files (2019– )

Light entertainment with great scenery

[9/10 · 8 March 2022]

An uptight English female detective forms an unlikely partnership with her German detective counterpart who has adapted well to the relaxed island lifestyle.

The two lead characters are 'fallible' human beings who make mistakes and don't have all the answers as they solve crimes. While forging their working relationship they begin to influence and transform each other's personal lives in unexpected ways.

It is not perfect writing. However, it is good enough to provide a light, quirky distraction with an occasional laugh from a more serious world.

The backdrop of Spanish culture and scenery on the island of Mallorca is magnificent....well at least it is from here in Australia.

Adolf Hitler: The Greatest Story Never Told (2013)

An interesting alternative to history as we know it.

[8/10 · 14 October 2014]

I have watched the series. Certainly there are some controversial pieces of information contained within that do not paint the Allied leadership in a good light. Seeing Auschwitz survivors talking about their experiences in camp with a social life including a grand piano was extraordinary. Did the Germans execute these people deliberately or was it a case that as the war progressed, economic resources became extended beyond the capacity of the Germans to maintain and feed the population under their control. Was typhus the reason that prompted the burning of bodies to prevent disease and epidemic? The Allies were dealing with the problem at the end of 1945.

Hitler had a problem with usury as did most of the European countries since the time of the Dark Ages. What Hitler saw in Stalin also proved correct, remembering that under his rule possibly 13 to 20 million people were killed outside of actual combat. Stalin was a mongrel, a real mongrel in every sense of the word and unfortunately Lenin had died. Perhaps it would have been different had Lenin lived and maintained power. The question is; are we guilty knowing the actions of others and doing nothing to prevent it?

I believe the answer to that is yes. Berlin left to Stalin was an ethical, moral disgrace to punish the European industrial competitor to the US. Did mass bombing of civilians breach the Geneva Convention? Most certainly!

Seeing Hitler speak, I saw a side in the man I was brought up to believe didn't exist. His words don't suggest that he was insane in his beliefs at the start. What I do believe is that the 2 competitors in the industrial race with limited resources compared to the USA were taken down and their technology stolen. Churchill and Roosevelt were Freemasons, suggesting to me we saw the outcome of a battle that had been raging since the 12th century between the aristocracy, money, industry and trade. The significance of independence in 1776 was that industry and trade had been robbed consistently by aristocracy and church in Europe through time, but got out from under the control and influence of both in the new nation. I think the blend of socialism and capitalism was something that both communists and capitalists feared alike because it worked. Creating 6 million jobs during the 1930s when the world was in depression was an extraordinary feat.

Give this series the same open minded chance you would give a member of your family and it may prove that history was indeed incorrectly written by the victors. I kept stopping the tape to read the newspapers that were shown. There are some very real and valid questions that left me thinking what we know and what really is true may be two different ends of the same stick. What I understand is that sanctions and economic manipulation can be used to place burden and disadvantage upon others to the point where they have no choice but to fight back. Maybe the titles don't match up but look at the information with wider eyes, seeing the picture in the background. Please note I have not used the words Hebrew, Jew or Nazi in this review. Remember 1 thing – We all share the same DNA.