World War II: When Lions Roared (1994) (TV)

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writer (WGA):

David W. Rintels (written by)

Release Date:

19 April 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Drama | History

Plot:

This TV Movie is about the Tehran Conference between FDR, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. It shows the interaction between the three leaders at the close of the Second World War. |

Plot Keywords:

Historical | WWII

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Joseph V. Stalin
Bob Hoskins	...	Winston Churchill
John Lithgow	...	Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Harry Hopkins
Jan Triska	...	Vyacheslav Molotav

Also Known As:

Then There Were Giants

Runtime:

UK:115 min (DVD version) | USA:194 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

Gideon Productions

Trivia:

This production was the first to be filmed expressly for broadcast in the high-definition television (HDTV) format.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: On the table at one of the conferences there are miniature flags of the three powers. The U.S. flag used is the fifty-star flag, which did not exist until 1960.

Quotes:

Joseph V. Stalin: Experience has taught me to face up to reality, no matter how unpleasant it may be, and to tell the truth.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Man Who Shot Chinatown: The Life and Work of John A. Alonzo (2007)

A Docudrama that Entertains and Informs

It is good to see this 1994 television miniseries finally come out on DVD. Be prepared for a long evening (the running time for the two discs is three hours 23 minutes) but it is time well invested. WORLD WAR II: WHEN LIONS ROARED is a creative montage of actual film clips from the newsreels shown in theaters at that time together with contemporary filmed drama in script written by David W. Rintels and crafted and directed by Joseph Sargent. This film allows us to revisit history the way it was - with more behind the scenes activity among the great powers than most other films offer.

The roaring lions are very well portrayed by John Lithgow as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Bob Hoskins as Winston Churchill and Michael Caine as Stalin. Each actor steps wholly into his role without resorting to mimicry or simply stage makeup. It is fascinating to see how the USA was a non-intervener at first (a refreshingly different stance form the current aggressor role we have adopted) and how the needs of the planet required global cooperation in the face of Hitler et al. Ed Begley Jr. offers a lot of information about the important figure Harry Hopkins about whom we hear little as does Jan Triska as Vyacheslav Molotav, Stalin's key man.

The compilation of real footage with created footage including the split screen technique to allow the three leaders to interact from their different locations works well. This is one of those historic films that deserves repeated viewing. An excellent production. Grady Harp