The extraordinary story of how Hollywood changed World War II – and how World War II changed Hollywood, through the interwoven experiences of five legendary filmmakers who went to war to serve their country and bring the truth to the American people: John Ford, William Wyler, John Huston, Frank Capra, and George Stevens. Based on Mark Harris’ best-selling book, “Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War.”
Direction
Bouzereau lets modern masters unpack their traumatized ancestors.
Editing
Jarring cuts between Hollywood glamour and concentration camp footage.
Writing
Harris' thesis: war made artists, then broke them.
Director
Laurent Bouzereau
Meryl Streep
Narrator (voice)
Francis Ford Coppola
Self
Steven Spielberg
Self
Paul Greengrass
Self
Guillermo del Toro
Self
Lawrence Kasdan
Self
John Ford
Self (archive footage)
William Wyler
Self (archive footage)
John Huston
Self (archive footage)
Frank Capra
Self (archive footage)
George Stevens
Self (archive footage)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Meryl Streep recorded narration in one day, sight unseen — she trusted the material that much.
The 'directors as soldiers' framing deliberately echoes their own wartime propaganda techniques, implicating the viewer in the spectacle.
US
