Orde Wingate (British TV Mini-Series)
Picture: C
Sound: C Extras: C Episodes: B
Barry Foster (Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy) is the
title character of Bill Hays’ biographical mini-series on Orde Wingate
from 1976. A man who was pro-Zion to a
fault, he became a key trainer and organizer early on of the Israeli Defense
force in the country’s early years following controversial WWII service. Like many leaders who became prominent and
groundbreaking, he too was a guerilla and some would site that as involving
some kind of terrorism, but it is not that simple, which is why this
mini-series holds up so well.
Don Shaw’s teleplay is as much an examination of the man
as it is of his history, motives and influence. Oddly, here is another key figure in the 20th Century
we do not hear as much of or enough about because it is not convenient to
political correctness and more than a little revisionist history has been
getting peddled post 9/11 for all kinds of dumb reasons. Foster shows a new side of himself and his
talents in the role and I also wonder if some kind of anti-Semitism is a
factor. Either way, if the topic
interests you, this double DVD set of Orde Wingate is definitely worth
your time.
The 1.33 X 1 image shows its age in its origination on older
professional analog PAL video, with some good color, but little flaws
throughout. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
is on the flat side, but the presentation is still passable for its age, if not
the best for a TV production of its time.
Stills and a featurette with a group of experts examining the Wingate
legacy are good extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
