Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg’s TV miniseriesBand of Brothersis widely regarded as a masterpiece, praised for its historical accuracy. That said, eventhe best historical TV showscan change details for a variety of reasons, including for dramatic effect. WhileBand of Brothershas a very well-earned 94% positive Rotten Tomatoes rating, it still got a few things wrong.
The series is based on the historian Stephen E. Ambrose’s 1992 non-fiction book of the same name, which covers the lives of a parachute infantry company. Manycharacters inBand of Brothersare based on real people, and the show begins during their paratrooper training, ending in occupied Berchtesgaden, Germany.
Band Of Brothers Is One Of The Most Accurate War TV Shows
Its D-Day Scene Drew Critical Acclaim For Its Accuracy
War can be a controversial topic for TV shows, especially when covering wars that have been thoroughly reported on.WWII is so well-documented that historical inaccuracies can be discovered in minutes, harming the credibility of any show that presents itself as a faithful representation.Band of Brothersmay have some flaws, but it has been praised more than it has been criticized.
Band of Brothershas often been described as “the definitive WWII TV series"for its accuracy. Whenhistorical experts have analyzedBand of Brothers, they have praised many of its depictions of war, including the use of tanks. The German troops were not always as well-equipped as the American forces, andBand of Brothersshowed the Germans using other weapons against the tanks.
Band of Brothersis a show that perfectly captures the horrors of warthrough the relationships and camaraderie between the soldiers. While some of the historical details have been changed, this key feature is certainly whyBand of Brothershas stood the test of time. Virtually every detail has been praised in the show’s standout episode, which portrays D-Day.
Band of Brothers' second episode, “Day of Days,” focuses on the D-Day landing, and it is one of the most accurate depictions of the historical event ever made. The cast was put through the same kind of tactical training that their characters would have gone through, and real WWII weapons were fired and recorded to create an accurate soundscape.
Whenhistorian Dan Snow analyzedBand of Brothers' D-Day episode, he described it as"one of the great scenes, I think, in television history.“The episode shows the historical details well, but also emphasizes the importance of each person’s individual acts. Snow explained, “…it shows the importance of small units of well-trained, well-led men, each playing their part.”
Why Historical Accuracy Was So Important For Band Of Brothers
One of the main goals ofBand of Brotherswas to honor the sacrifices made by the paratroopersin WWII. Whilenone of the Easy Company soldiers are alive today, some were still alive at the time of filming, and Spielberg and Hanks went to great lengths to interview them. The two then worked directly from the soldiers' recollections.
Astime removes viewers from the brutal and harrowing realities of WWII, it is extremely important to accurately depict the events and their effect on the soldiers.Band of Brothersdoes not just show the mechanics and tactical choices in war, but the human cost. This included a concentration camp and PTSD, which are realities that people must continue to depict accurately.
Hanks and Spielberg each have a personal interest in WWII, which has resulted in some of their best projects. Spielberg directedSchindler’s Listbefore helmingSaving Private Ryan, which also starred Hanks.Saving Private Ryanis widely regarded as one of the greatest war movies of all time and, likeBand of Brothers, also includes a harrowing D-Day scene.
Because of the creators' passion for the subject matter and their previous track record of exceptional war-themed projects,it was clear thatBand of Brotherswas going to be something special.Band of Brothersproved thatHanks and Spielberg are the kings of WWII-themed movies and TV shows, and the best possible creative team for the series.
What Band Of Brothers Doesn’t Get Right
Band Of Brothers May Not Have Been 100% Accurate, But It Changed Television
Even withBand of Brothers' excellent directing team and star-studded cast, it has not been immune to criticism.Band of Brothersis not entirely accurate, and while some of the details have been changed for ease of storytelling and dramatic effect, others are odd creative decisions.Band of Brothersmakes some big mistakesthat get history very wrong.
One of the most obvious mistakes inBand of Brothersis the date of Hitler’s death, which was brought forward by several weeks to April 11th, 1945, when he really died on April 30th. This is a particularly odd and distracting error, as the date change is not significant to the plot and could have easily been written to reflect reality.
Other mistakes are larger, like the episode in which Easy Company found and liberated a concentration camp, which did not happen. The show also depicted them arriving in Berchtesgaden first, when it was another battalion.More harrowing is theBand of Brothersscene in which a soldier is left behind, which would not happen as US soldiers are trained not to do this.
Band of Brothershas won 34 awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Miniseries.
BeforeBand of Brothers, low-budget sitcoms had generally dominated the TV world, and the hard-hitting series changed the TV landscape in a shift away from this genre.Band of Brotherswas the most expensive series of all time when it was released, with a budget of $125 million and an average cost of $12.5 million for each episode.
Each episode ofBand of Brothersfeels like a short movie, and this is not surprising given the experienced directing team and high production budget behind the show. While it was not 100% historically accurate in terms of its plot details,Band of Brotherschanged television forever by raising the bar for what was possible for a TV show.
