With its ultra-realistic combat, the “Brothers in Arms” series carries within it the DNA of Saving Private Ryan by Steven Spielberg. Through its historical rigor and attention to detail, it is one of the best series ever made.
We’re not going to beat around the bush. Band of Brothers is quite simply THE series on the Second World War in Europe, endowed with exceptional resources: more than 10,000 extras, 500 actors, and a budget estimated at 125 million dollars.
With the realistic combats most often filmed with a hand-held camera, it carries within it the DNA of Saving Private Ryan, widely re-evoked at the beginning of June, on the sidelines of the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Allied Landings, June 6, 1944.
And for good reason: it is produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks (who will also direct an episode). Broadcast in France several times (and for the first time in the summer of 2002), it enjoyed enormous success, both in France and in the United States, Great Britain, Italy and Germany.
Based on the work of American historian Stephen E. Ambrose (died in 2002), the series retraces in ten episodes the poignant (and true) destiny of Easy Company, a member of the 506th regiment of the 101st parachute division, of its training to the heart of Germany, to Hitler’s eagle’s nest in Berteschgaden.
HBO
Another Anglo-Saxon historian, Dan Snow, recently gave his point of view on the series, on the History Hit Youtube channel; evoking in particular the historical rigor of Frères d’armes describing D-Day.
“I think it’s one of the great scenes in television history. They put the actors through the kind of tactical training that these men would have gone through, the sound design and the weapons are top notch. They got fired with World War II weapons to create an accurate soundscape and show the importance of small units of well-trained and well-led men, each of whom played their part on D-Day and constitute the sum total of all these small actions which meant that D-Day was a success, and that the Allies suffered fewer losses than they feared when they reached these beaches.
June 6, 1944 and the Battle of Normandy are mentioned in episodes 2 and 3; respectively “Jour D” and “Carentan”. In episode 2, Easy Company is (badly) parachuted above the famous village of Sainte-mère l’église, before having to face a powerful German battery installed near the Brécourt manor, which fires on Utah Beach.
The episode “Carentan” takes place on June 12, 1944, when the Allies fought hand-in-hand with the Germans for control of the town, which had strategic importance. It is in fact a crossroads / lock between Cotentin and Calvados.
Below, an excerpt from episode 3, and its violent clashes in the town of Carentan…
Want to see or rewatch Band of Brothers ? It is now available on the new Max streaming platform.