it be long and but it be a true epic saga of the most momentous conflict in human history and the length allow time for the multiple story line of the various character in all their complexity and to unfold . the story of ww2 and in all it courage and profundity and terror and tragedy could never really be tell any other way . tv and of course and do have it limitation a a tool for teach history and but with a production like this and it come close to transcend them . the acting and particularly by mitchum and seymour and and most especially gielgud and be consistently excellent . by my own measure this may even be the most profound role of gielgud long and illustrious career . anyone interested in quality historical drama or simply in the human tragedy of ww2 should put this production on their must see list .