The HBO mini series Band of Brothers is viewed as amongst the very best war movies ever created. Influenced by the book by Stephen Ambrose, the ten episodes recount the history about the soldiers of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Regiment of the American 101st Airborne. The series starts with their basic training at Toccoa, Georgia prior to being transferred to the United Kingdom while they make ready for their role on the D-Day Landings at Normandy.
Each and every episode gets going by interviewing veterans of Easy Company. The veterans speak about their war time experiences that this episode covers however at this point, the men aren’t identified. Even though the veterans are not identified, the episodes gets you familiar with the characters from the start and the actors are well cast so it is easy to connect with them from the outset.
Whilst the action scenes are filmed superbly, the thing that makes Band of Brothers stand out from various other war movies is that it reveals the personal tales so effectively. For example, in episode two only before Easy are due to jump into Northern France, amongst the soldiers, Bill Guarnere, learns his brother has been killed at Montecassino.
The 10 episodes tell the stories of Easy Company beginning with their basic training prior to heading into action in Northern France and on to the village of Carentan. Episode four sees the roll-out of replacements into Easy and illustrates the issues they have being accepted by veterans of Normandy as Easy are involved in Operation Market Garden.
The following two episodes include the run up plus the fighting at Bastogne throughout the Battle of the Bulge. By now a number of Easy are at breaking point and this is the subject matter of episode seven. While the war in Europe nears the end, there is a final patrol for Easy Company. The horrors of war are underlined the minute the men find a concentration camp. The final episode sees Easy go to Austria where they capture the Eagle’s Nest high in the mountains at Berchtesgaden.
The series finishes with interviews with the men of Easy Company and eventually identifies the men that viewers have learned to know all through the ten episodes of Band of Brothers.
Tags: Ardennes, bastogne, battle of the bulge