Pearl originally aired in 1978; however it was an annual event on television for many years. I will admit that every December I looked forward to watching this show. In recent years it has not been aired, so when it came out on DVD I was more than anxious to see it again. And, it did not disappoint me. It is still as interesting and engaging as it was all those years ago.
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
This year, 2011, marked the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The event of December 7, 1941 was one of the defining moments in American history. Along with the assassination of President Kennedy and the later attacks of 9/11, Pearl Harbor was a day that took away a little more innocence from this young country.
Pearl: The Miniseries, although it does include the events of December 7, 1941, is more about the personalities and lifestyles of the characters than it is about the actual attack. It is a look at how the people of the time lived and how they responded during the attack and after.
Robert Wagner, Angie Dickinson, Lesley Ann Warren and More
Robert Wagner heads an all-star cast in this dramatic story of characters living in Honolulu in 1941. As Captain Cal Lankford, Wagner plays a Southern gentleman with a strong sense of morality and duty. He comforts Midge Forrest (Dickinson) who is married to Col. Jason Forrest (Dennis Weaver), a no-nonsense hard-nosed army Colonel who has worked his way up the ranks and is intent on taking control of the Hawaiian Islands. Midge is an unhappy woman who gets her thrills by sleeping with other men and rebuffing any efforts of intimacy by her husband. They have shared some tragic events and she cannot let go of them.
Cal is intrigued by Dr. Carol Lang (Warren) who is troubled by something tragic in her past. She is an interesting character whose background unfolds throughout the film.
Other characters include Holly Nagata (Tiana Alexandra), a first generation Japanese American who considers herself American first, as does her younger brother Danny (Mike Miyashiro). Their parents are old-fashioned Japanese and do not look kindly on Holly dating a Caucasian, Lt. Doug North (Gregg Henry). Doug’s father, Commander Michael North (Richard Anderson) and his mother (Marion Ross) and sister (Mary Crosby) are in Hawaii to visit him and when the attack occurs the Commander is given a new assignment.
Katherine Helmond plays the Madam. As such, she knows everyone. Adam Arkin plays Billy Zylowski, a tough guy with a sweet spot. Other characters that come into play throughout this soapy miniseries are played by Audra Lindley, Max Gail, Christian Vance, and Brian Dennehy.
Pearl: The Miniseries
While the main focus of the film is not the actual attack on Pearl Harbor, the attack does come into play, although not until the second disc in this three-disc set. The show revolves around the interpersonal relationships, both before and after the bombings.
The relationships between the Japanese Americans and the Caucasians, the relationships between the wives of different ranking officers, the marital relationships and the relationships between the servicemen all come into play. Earlier I referred to this as a soapy miniseries. That is not derogatory by any means. This is an interesting look at people that happen to get caught up in an event that changed them and the country.
Review of Pearl
While this is not a film that would be considered a true-life account of the attack on Pearl Harbor, it is an interesting story about people. The fact that it takes place on and around December 7, 1941 makes it that much more compelling.
Pearl: The Miniseries is part of the Warner Archive Collection and can be ordered through their website.
- Pearl: The Miniseries
- Studio: Warner Home Entertainment
- Discs: 3
- Running time: 279 minutes
