Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

No words can describe the quality and importance of this masterpiece. Pacey and gripping throughout every minute of this six hour series, Captains and The Kings captures the essence of our political reality both in the past and today. "Chew on this and get it down: The world runs on money. Call it commerce, call it government, call it the will of the people but what it really is, what we really have all over this world is Government of the Money, by the Money and for the Money." There has never been a truer line given to any character in any drama and, at the pivotal moment when it is delivered, everything falls comprehensively into place. The plot tells the story of Joe Armagh, a 14 year old Irish immigrant arriving in America in 1857 to find himself orphaned and responsible for the care of his two younger siblings. He finds work and connections and gradually builds up a fortune only to discover that wealth and power have both privileges and costs. He is recruited to the super rich set who are able to control politics and even world events. And he persuades them to groom his son to be a President motivated to serve them. Of course there is a heavy price to pay and the curse of a Senator driven to suicide through his dealings with Joe plays out its inevitable path. The similarity of the plot to the fate of the Kennedy family 50 years later is neither an accident to the author nor the director. Indeed it can be argued that the whole drama is a brilliant analysis of the Kennedy assassinations of 1963 and 1968 indicating the powers that orchestrated them and the reasoning behind them.Joe is clearly paralleled with the patriarch of the Kennedy clan. One of his sons is killed in wartime action, a daughter is mentally handicapped, another son is clever at business whilst the son chosen to be President is plainly modeled on the philandering but noble thinking JFK with a death scene that copies almost entirely the shooting of Robert Kennedy in 1968. Even the camera angle of the dying man are almost a carbon copy of the stricken Senator in a Los Angeles hotel. The curse of the Kennedy's which has seen tragedy strike at the family over four generations is mirrored on the Armagh family. But the key element to the whole production is that the Super Elite is shown as manipulators of the US-Spanish War of 1898, the assassination of Mckinley in 1901, the Great War against Germany in 1914 and ultimately the assassination of both Kennedy brothers 50 years later. And the descendants of the group are still in power today.

In 1976 I was given a copy of the book by Taylor Caldwell by a dear friend who suggested I read it. I was not too keen initially in reading it , but did find it quickly becoming a book that was difficult to put down. While I usually prefer to watch a movie than read a book, the book added more to the story than the movie. The only problem I have with the movie (my vote as the best mini series ever)is that a list of non-fiction books she listed at the back of the book she used to form her novel are regrettably missing at the end of the movie. Joseph Armagh's recognition of a powerful group of individuals determining national politics so intrigued me that I have spent the last thirty years investigating the concept, beginning with the books she recommends at the end of the book. My world view has been unalterably formed by this historical novel and the subsequent investigations over the ensuing years. While I highly recommend this movie, I would also recommend reading the book and beginning your own search for political insight.

I remember seeing this on television when it first aired. I did not know it had been released on VHS. I hope it is on DVD. This is without a doubt the best mini-series (besides Roots in my opinion) ever. I remember always making sure I was at home to see each episode. They just don't do TV like this anymore. I especially remember Mr. Jordan's lead role and that he was outstanding. The same for Perry King and everyone else. It is perplexing to me, however, that we don't have quality television like this anymore. There is so much junk on and reality non-sense that programs designed to make you think are non existent. Was this ever repeated. I think it would be a good idea to rerun this program.

Robert Jordan is great in the lead role. From the end of slavery to the forming of the unions (as I remember) this story peaked my interest. A great demonstration of what can to a person who pursues riches and power their entire life. Just how far would a person go is acted out in a rich environment of clashing personalities in a time period of some the greatest opportunities in history. I have been checking off and on for a couple of years now hoping to find this great program on DVD. This is one of the best mini series ever made. I haven't seen it since it was on Television but will purchase it as soon as it is released on DVD.