This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Good concept, poorly executed.

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

but it's very, very different from the book.the sister an older girl? named Mary, not Moira? blonde, not brunette? they jump overboard? they end up in Winfield from the get-go? he says "that will not be buying any potatoes" without learning it from the Sister? working in a coal mine? Martinique? Friends with Katherine Hennessey? Mrs. Hennessey having a miscarriage? Wanting to adopt the boy first, rather than the girl? Joe almost getting robbed? Joe's actually driving a hot wagon? he returns to Mr. Squibs? and borrows money from him? Joe reveals his name to Ed Healey? A big huge virginity-losing scene? No anti-Irish sentiment by the military guy? Hamlet and not Chopin? the military guy is the one who gets shot? and doesn't get left behind? Healey has a daughter? Miss Emmy has a thing for Harry? Harry doesn't end up being in love with Liza? a big fight with Healey? Harry is in love with Emmy? Elizabeth makes a pass at Joseph? Healey dying after finding out about his nonexistent daughter's child? Bernadette being such a nice person? a big confrontation with Hennessey?

I really can't say enough about it here, because I've been hugely attached to it since it came out. There are several reasons to watch it - along with the "historical romance" reasons, there are the political ideas (which are that much bigger in the novel, but a very big part of this TV version). Whether it's borderline "conspiracy" thinking (with "those men" who influence everything) or not, those ideas have influenced plenty of my political thinking. (Partly because of this story, I always think the phrase "opportune little war" when I hear about ANY given war- and quite some time BEFORE the past three years.) Richard Jordan was just great as Joseph, an Irish character who hardly fits any of the images of Irishmen (even the positive ones), who's almost completely "cool", and whose emotions don't come out (in a big way) except in certain dramatic scenes, like the scenes with Catherine or Tom (for opposite reasons). There isn't enough room to mention all the best actors and characters, or scenes, but there's Perry King as Rory Armagh, Patty Duke Astin as Bernadette (I think someone here mentioned how great she was as a tragic character, and she won an Emmy for it, very deservedly), Jane Seymour as Margery, Cliff DeYoung as Brian Armagh, the aviator-film-maker etc., with his star Pearl Gray (Pearl White), Vic Morrow, who was extremely good as Tom Hennesey (and whom you really feel sorry for in that last scene with him, in spite of everything he's done), Beverly D'Angelo as Miss Emmy, Charles Durning as Big Ed Healy (I don't know if he's ever played a more entertaining character), and Harvey Jason as Harry Zeff. As far as I know, he's mainly a supporting actor in comedies, and you see that in his "sidekick" kind of relationship with Joseph, but of course with other levels to it - the scene where Joseph accuses Harry of being disloyal to him, which is the one kind of talk Harry can't stand to hear from him, and the scene where Joseph turns his back on blackmailing the senator, and Harry is glad for all three of them (not knowing what's coming next). And of course, the big guest stars, like John Houseman as Mr. Chisholm and Henry Fonda as Senator Bassett (two of the best scenes). Again, I could go on and on, but it's simply a very underrated story, as far as I know (in spite of the Emmy). Though to me, underrated is putting it pretty mildly.

Does anyone ever remember anything else that LordActon ever said?I must agree with one of the other reviewers,who commented on Taylor Caldwells' reactionary,ultra-right wing view of history,and the alleged conspiracies that a clique of powermad millionaires are using to control the fate of the world.I especially enjoyed his describing it as "John Birch",and lunatic.Caldwell also espoused a medieval,Catholic view of human nature,which interpreted life and all human motivation as being determined by the basest, rawest,and most vicious, mean-spirited factors imaginable.(Lest one think I am a bigot, please be aware that I am a Roman Catholic, and am aware of how our church doctrine has changed over the centuries.) She felt that, if any behavior of an unselfish sort happened, it was invariably caused by the most depraved and malevolent aspirations that could be construed. So, the characters in her novels inevitably act from positions of malice, corruption, and malevolence. Of such vicious cyclesis paranoia born.Given these assumptions, this series, rather wisely, attempts to tone down the grim, bitter, erspective, and has, indeed, sanitized and homogenized much of what was related in the original story. From a technical point of view, it's well-done. And it's nice tosee jane Seymour in her early career, establishing one of many portrayals as a noble, igh-minded, virtuous,and beautiful and sensous heroines.

I have just seen Captains And The Kings on video and I thought that was the best mini-series that I have ever seen. Richard Jordan was outstanding as Joseph Armagh. This was probably the best performance of his film career. He put his whole heart and soul into this role. And he certainly deserved the Golden Globe award that he won for this. He had me hooked from his first scene to the end, so much so that I just kept watching it until it was finished. I also thought that Perry King was also excellent as Rory Armagh and I think he should have received something for his performance. Patty Duke was terrific as Bernadette and I am glad that she did win the Emmy for her role, she certainly deserved it. I also thought that Blair Brown, Charles Durning and Jane Seymour were also excellent in this. So I highly recommend this mini-series to anybody that appreciates great talent and a great story and this was a classic with outstanding acting.