I want to be like Richard Winters

Last updated on: January 11, 2011 at 9:18 am by Dave Griffey

I want to be like Richard Winters 2011-01-11T09:18:00-04:00 Dave Griffey

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A nice piece from closer to home. The death of Richard Winters, in light of the recent tragedy in Arizona, probably didn’t get the media attention it otherwise might have. But several outlets, especially from those near to his home, have given the matter more attention. I liked this one from pennlive.com. It focuses on his character, and what it was about him – and in many ways that generation – that has cast such a long shadow over those of us who came after. As Stephen Ambrose is quoted as saying, he hoped young people would want to be like him; that they would say, “I want to be like Dick Winters.” Given the selection of role models today, they could do a whole lot worse.

It’s worth noting that while Richard Winters overall like the miniseries’ portrayal of the realities of war, without, as he said, glorifying or demonizing it, there were some bones of contention he seemed to have with some of the episodes. He particularly spoke about the 5th episode, which not surprisingly focused on him. He was on record as saying he felt it a little melodramatic, that he didn’t tend to reflect on what happened on the battlefield until many years later. He also said the iconic scene from that episode, where he is shone gunning down a boyish German soldier caught completely unawares, didn’t actually happen that way at all. The soldier in question was, in fact, a crusty old veteran who attempted to kill Winters, but Winters was the quicker of the two.

Like most things on film, liberties had to be taken. Some characters were switched around for the purposes of drama or storyline. But on the whole, Band of Brothers is very faithful to the book, which almost reads like a script for the miniseries. Generally much better than Saving Private Ryan in its accuracy, and its perspective told from the point of view of those who were there*, not from the point of view of Baby Boomers and younger generations who were not only not there, but had little experience at all in the world of warfare. Highly recommended viewing.

*Many of the veterans famously asked for the language that was so prevalent in Saving Private Ryan to be whittled down. Not that they didn’t cuss, but as one vet said, they didn’t cuss like that. There was a bit of a compromise, though the language, and a gratuitous sex scene, were left in. Ironically, it was the episode Tom Hanks directed – episode five – that removed most of the language, for the series was actually the passion of Tom Hanks.

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