Piece of Cake

Rating:
Summary: An Organizational View of War
Review: Piece of Cake is an excellent organizational view of the first year of the Second World War (1 September 1939 - 7 September 1940) from the perspective of a notional RAF fighter unit, dubbed "Hornet Squadron." Most war movies follow one of two standard conceits: the individual perspective (e.g. Patton, Lawrence of Arabia, the Patriot) or the small-group perspective (e.g. Platoon, All Quiet on the Western Front, Stalingrad). Of course, wars are fought by organizations, not individuals or small groups, and Piece of Cake is a rare example of an organizational look at war. Hornet Squadron, is the hero of the film, not the pilots who come and go. By the end of the film virtually all the main characters are gone, but unlike All Quiet On The Western Front where the war ends soon after the death of the narrator, the war goes on and the squadron continues to fight. There is a message herein about the nature of modern industrialized war that might be lost on some viewers, particularly those accustomed to war romance.

The film includes a very interesting set of characters. The most interesting are: (1) Squadron Leader Rex, an arrogant, aristocratic leader who tries to run the squadron like a feudal village. Rex exemplifies the British warrior of the 19th Century whose confidence exudes from his sense of class and cultural superiority, rather than his actual military talents. As a combat leader, Rex is a disaster.

(2) "Moggy" is one of the original pre-war members who, aside from being a good pilot, is a virulent socio-path. When Churchill praises the bravery of the RAF pilots on the radio, "Moggy" mocks him and swills his beer. He enjoys telling replacements how quickly they are likely to die. Actually, it's hard to believe that any unit commander would tolerate his guff for very long because his attitude eventually begins to wear down morale in the unit.

(3) Chris Hart is an American volunteer who arrives as a replacement. Hart is an experienced pilot who fought in Spain with the Republicans, but his presence in the squadron is only grudgingly accepted. Although he ends up being one of the most reliable pilots in the squadron, Hart's efforts to improve the unit's combat performance are constantly met with resistance. Contrast the official cold-shoulder toward Hart with the blind-eye to Moggy's antics and it is a wonder that the British won the Battle of Britain.

(4) "Flash" is a pilot who goes bonkers and likes to fly upside-down. His medical review describes him as "batty, but still capable of flying." As in Catch-22, Flash thinks the war is "smashing" and doesn't want to quit.

(5) "Uncle" is the squadron adjutant, an older, world-wise former pilot who now flies a desk. With his experience, Uncle can size up any pilot in a few seconds and he acts as a steadying force in the unit. Uncle is also a terrific subordinate who knows how to manage head-strong commanders like Rex or deal with insubordinate junior pilots.

(6) "Skull" is the squadron intelligence officer. Although he initially appears to be a "fish-out-of-water" bookworm, it is soon apparent that Skull has a vital role to play and he does it well. Early on, his effort to improve aircraft recognition skills in the pilots is ignored and results in a friendly-fire incident. Later, he recommends installing gun cameras to record "kills"; the pilots resent him questioning their combat claims, but his efforts improve the unit's performance.

The first two-thirds of the series covers the Phony War period in France, which is a quiet spell in the war which will not be familiar to most Americans. Rex takes the squadron to France and they all settle into a nice, cozy chateau for the winter of 1939/40. Unfortunately, this period could have been used to better develop the characters but instead is wasted in the gratuitous romance of two pilots. When the war does kick off with the German attack in May 1940, the squadron is hit hard and virtually knocked out of action. Sent back to England to regroup, the pilots are rapidly whittled away by attrition in the early phases of the Battle of Britain. One year after the outbreak of war, only two pilots from the original group have survived. However, essential characters like Uncle and Skull, normally missing from war movies, are there to organize the replacements and to keep the unit going.

The film might be accused of certain technical conceits (e.g. using late-model Spitfires), an unusual concentration of nationalities and eccentric personalities in one unit and an overly-cynical depiction of fighter pilots in general. All these points are true to a degree. However, the main truth is that Piece of Cake is one very fine war film that depicts the gritty, unromantic reality of modern organized warfare: the team matters more than the individual. Sorry, Erich Remarque.

Rating:
Summary: Piece of Cake is Absolutely Flavorfull!
Review: Piece of Cake was originally broadcast on PBS about 10 years ago. It covers a squadron of Spitfire pilots just before the German invasion of France. The actions and interactions of the group is what makes this special. As is common in war, not everyone survives. The combat scenes are excellent, even with only a few actual working Spitfires in existence during filming. A must for WWII devotees.

Rating:
Summary: "War is a nasty business"
Review: This excellent mini-series tells the story of RAF Hornet Squadron, from their frustration during the "Phony War" to the deadly air combat over England. This movie succeeds where the 1969 movie "Battle of Britain" failed. Don't get me wrong, I like "Battle of Britain", but the characters in this are developed so that you get to know each one (although they die off rather quickly). As the war progresses, some of the pilots go nuts, some become hard-hearted, and others simply go numb and follow orders blindly. My favorite character is the cynical "Moggy" (played by Neil Dudgeon), who always has a negative sarcastic comment to say! There's enough humor, romance, and especially action to keep anyone entertained from beginning to end. The airiel photography is awesome and really captures the beauty of the Spitfire, one of the finest fighter planes of all time. This movie is highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Not The Battle of Britain!
Review: This mini-series (as it was in Australia) is about as far removed from 'Battle of Britain' as 'Battle of the Bulge'. Seriously, though, the book was great and this is about as faithful to the book as these things get, except for one MAJOR difference - they flew HURRICANES, not Spitfires! I realise that availability of aircraft and artistic licence probably dictated this change, but the Spitfire always gets the glamour, when the Hurricane did most of the work. Ask any British aircrew from

WWII. Anyway, I enjoyed this, and I wish they would televise it again in Australia, (I'm surprised they don't, considering Tom Burlinson's role). I especially like Moggy Cattermoles cynical, but REALISTIC attitude to their place in the War. Well worth a watch - almost comparable to Catch22 in it's view of war.

Rating:
Summary: Great spitfire mini-series
Review: when I first watched this mini-series I was expecting a love story amidst the battle of britain. If you look at the DVD cover you might think this too. NOT SO! This is an excellent WW2 series. The battle sequences are very well done. This is also not a propagandized version of events...but is gritty and realistic. a real surprise. Excellent.

Rating:
Summary: Was "Moggy" real
Review: You don't have to be a military aviation or World War II buff to enjoy "A Piece of Cake". Originally aired on British television in 1988 and then the following season on Public Television here in the U.S.,"Piece of Cake" is a six-part mini-series, that follows the fortunes of Hornet Squadron - a fictional RAF fighter squadron - during the first year of World War II. Based on the book by Derek Robinson, the story begins on September 3, 1939 and ends on September 7, 1940.

"Piece of Cake" takes the viewer from Chamberlain's broadcast, through the so-called phony war, the fall of France and finally, the Battle of Britain. "Cake" tells the story of these historic events, not on the grand scale of a "The Longest Day", but on a small, intimate scale. Life and death, love and war, sorrow and joys are told through the stories of the men (boys in many cases) of this squadron - individually and collectively.

"Piece of Cake" is an example of what British television does so well - the ensemble production. There are no stars in this series, except perhaps the half-dozen or so antique Spitfires rounded up to perform the aerial sequences. The cast assembled were relative unknowns, although some have subsequently became familiar faces to viewers of PBS series such as "Masterpiece Theater" and "Mystery". Certainly the absence of big-name stars contributes to the realistic feel of the series. You are meeting each actor and the character he portrays for the first time.

Another factor contributing to authenticity of the series was the way "Piece of Cake" was filmed. According to an article that appeared in the October 1988 issue of "TV Times", the cast lived and worked together on location during the filming - even going as far as calling each other by their fictional nicknames and attending "funerals" for those cast members when they written out of the series.

While there are no stars in "Piece of Cake" and all the roles are well acted; several stand out and are worthy of being singled out for special mention. As Squadron Leader Rex, a career RAF officer who leads Hornet Squadron during the first half of the year, Tim Woodward plays Rex as a generous country squire - paying half of his squadron's mess bill. But this benevolence comes at a price - Rex insists upon his pilots flying tight, tidy formations and he tolerates no questioning of these tactics.

The pilot who most often dares to question Rex's tactics is the American Christopher Hart III, ably portrayed by Boyd Gaines. A rich-kid and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War, Hart is the officer best positioned to take on Rex. He's the only pilot who has had combat experience against the Luftwaffe.

Neil Dudgeon appears in all six episodes as Flying Officer 'Moggy' Cattermole, a cynical pilot who is out - at all times -- for number one. A quick-witted, sarcastic bully, 'Moggy' is - by his own admission - not "an officer and a gentleman". Although his constant sniping gets on everyone's nerves at times, his skill as a pilot and his killer instinct is appreciated - as long as it's aimed at the enemy.

The two actors whose characters evolve the most during the course of the year are 'Fanny' Barton and 'Flash' Gordon. Through Tom Burlinson's portrayal, 'Fanny' grows from a conscientious pilot to the leader of Hornet Squadron during the tumultuous days of the Battle of Britain. Nathaniel Parker takes 'Flash' from a well-scrubbed young pilot to a romantic young husband and eventually into madness. His appearance during the first episode is little more than "wallpaper", lounging against a fireplace during the declaration of war radio broadcast. By the final two episodes we find an unshaven 'Flash' shooting seagulls from a shabby beach chair atop the cliffs of Dover, flying his Spitfire upside down, and quoting large "chunks of Churchill" to an RAF medical officer.

Supporting the pilots of Hornet Squadron were the Adjutant and Intelligence officers - Flight Lieutenant 'Uncle' Kelleway and Flying Officer 'Skull' Skelton - convincingly played by David Horovitch and Richard Hope. As a veteran pilot of Word War I, Horovitch's Kelleway is the calm, pipe smoking, voice of experience. Hope's "Skull", on the other hand, is a Cambridge don, a Flying Officer who calls flying "unnatural".

"Piece of Cake" is visually beautiful. The sequences with the Spitfires are aerial ballets - so graceful that one almost forgets the real horrors these scenes represent. Derek Robinson's excellent novel was well adapted by Leon Griffiths and the excellent cast was well directed by Ian Toynton. Lynnette Cummin's costume designs capture both the spirit of time and the individual eccentricities of pilots of Hornet Squadron.

In his speech before the House of Commons at the height of the battle, Prime Minister Winston Churchill said - "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." The creators, cast and crew of "Piece of Cake" have created a fitting tribute to those "few".

Rating:
Summary: Piece of Cake
Review: You don't have to be a military aviation or World War II buff to enjoy "A Piece of Cake". Originally aired on British television in 1988 and then the following season on Public Television here in the U.S.,"Piece of Cake" is a six-part mini-series, that follows the fortunes of Hornet Squadron - a fictional RAF fighter squadron - during the first year of World War II. Based on the book by Derek Robinson, the story begins on September 3, 1939 and ends on September 7, 1940.

"Piece of Cake" takes the viewer from Chamberlain's broadcast, through the so-called phony war, the fall of France and finally, the Battle of Britain. "Cake" tells the story of these historic events, not on the grand scale of a "The Longest Day", but on a small, intimate scale. Life and death, love and war, sorrow and joys are told through the stories of the men (boys in many cases) of this squadron - individually and collectively.

"Piece of Cake" is an example of what British television does so well - the ensemble production. There are no stars in this series, except perhaps the half-dozen or so antique Spitfires rounded up to perform the aerial sequences. The cast assembled were relative unknowns, although some have subsequently became familiar faces to viewers of PBS series such as "Masterpiece Theater" and "Mystery". Certainly the absence of big-name stars contributes to the realistic feel of the series. You are meeting each actor and the character he portrays for the first time.

Another factor contributing to authenticity of the series was the way "Piece of Cake" was filmed. According to an article that appeared in the October 1988 issue of "TV Times", the cast lived and worked together on location during the filming - even going as far as calling each other by their fictional nicknames and attending "funerals" for those cast members when they written out of the series.

While there are no stars in "Piece of Cake" and all the roles are well acted; several stand out and are worthy of being singled out for special mention. As Squadron Leader Rex, a career RAF officer who leads Hornet Squadron during the first half of the year, Tim Woodward plays Rex as a generous country squire - paying half of his squadron's mess bill. But this benevolence comes at a price - Rex insists upon his pilots flying tight, tidy formations and he tolerates no questioning of these tactics.

The pilot who most often dares to question Rex's tactics is the American Christopher Hart III, ably portrayed by Boyd Gaines. A rich-kid and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War, Hart is the officer best positioned to take on Rex. He's the only pilot who has had combat experience against the Luftwaffe.

Neil Dudgeon appears in all six episodes as Flying Officer 'Moggy' Cattermole, a cynical pilot who is out - at all times -- for number one. A quick-witted, sarcastic bully, 'Moggy' is - by his own admission - not "an officer and a gentleman". Although his constant sniping gets on everyone's nerves at times, his skill as a pilot and his killer instinct is appreciated - as long as it's aimed at the enemy.

The two actors whose characters evolve the most during the course of the year are 'Fanny' Barton and 'Flash' Gordon. Through Tom Burlinson's portrayal, 'Fanny' grows from a conscientious pilot to the leader of Hornet Squadron during the tumultuous days of the Battle of Britain. Nathaniel Parker takes 'Flash' from a well-scrubbed young pilot to a romantic young husband and eventually into madness. His appearance during the first episode is little more than "wallpaper", lounging against a fireplace during the declaration of war radio broadcast. By the final two episodes we find an unshaven 'Flash' shooting seagulls from a shabby beach chair atop the cliffs of Dover, flying his Spitfire upside down, and quoting large "chunks of Churchill" to an RAF medical officer.

Supporting the pilots of Hornet Squadron were the Adjutant and Intelligence officers - Flight Lieutenant 'Uncle' Kelleway and Flying Officer 'Skull' Skelton - convincingly played by David Horovitch and Richard Hope. As a veteran pilot of Word War I, Horovitch's Kelleway is the calm, pipe smoking, voice of experience. Hope's "Skull", on the other hand, is a Cambridge don, a Flying Officer who calls flying "unnatural".

"Piece of Cake" is visually beautiful. The sequences with the Spitfires are aerial ballets - so graceful that one almost forgets the real horrors these scenes represent. Derek Robinson's excellent novel was well adapted by Leon Griffiths and the excellent cast was well directed by Ian Toynton. Lynnette Cummin's costume designs capture both the spirit of time and the individual eccentricities of pilots of Hornet Squadron.

In his speech before the House of Commons at the height of the battle, Prime Minister Winston Churchill said - "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." The creators, cast and crew of "Piece of Cake" have created a fitting tribute to those "few".