THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 26, 1995 TAG: 9508240018
SECTION: TELEVISION WEEK PAGE: 1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY BONKO, TELEVISION COLUMNIST
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
It's hard to believe, but 50 years ago in our culture, the racism was so deep and wide that some white airmen in World War II resented the help they got in combat from African-American fighter pilots.
You can see that shameful chapter in U.S. history played out on Home Box Office Saturday at 8 in an original film, ``The Tuskegee Airmen'' starring Laurence Fishburne. It will be on HBO again Tuesday and Wednesday plus four screenings in September.
In one scene, a bomber pilot from deep in Texas drawls to his co-pilot that he resents being saved from an onslaught of enemy fighters by the black airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group. He even doubts there were black pilots at the controls of the P-51 Mustangs that chased off the German fighters.
``If they were flying those planes, what happened up there was a fluke,'' said the racist pilot.
It was just one of the insults, large and small, heaped on the 445 African-American pilots who eventually flew in combat. Senators from the South went on record saying they doubted the men in the 99th, 100th, 301st and 302nd squadrons had what it takes to fly in sophisticated warplanes. Former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt became a champion of ``The Fighting 99th'' after she took a spin in one of the squadron's aircraft.
Roosevelt was well aware of the indignities these man had faced. As cadets on the way to training in Tuskegee, they were forced to give up their seats on a train to white German POWs.
It was no wonder, then, why Robert W. Williams, who flew 50 missions as part of the Tuskegee squadrons, broke into tears several times when he told his story recently at a gathering of the Television Critics Association. The memories cut deep.
``This film is both high adventure and the story of an incredible group of men who were able to overcome walls of prejudice to accomplish great things,'' said Frank Price, the executive producer of ``The Tuskegee Airmen.''
Sixty-six of the fliers gave their lives in World War II.
``They are a source of pride and inspiration to me,'' said Fishburne who admitted to TV writers that he passed up larger paychecks in feature films to do this project for HBO. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the Cosby kid all grown up who co-stars with Fishburne, Andre Braugher of ``Homicide: Life on the Street,'' John Lithgow and Cuba Gooding Jr., said the film is a good history lesson for young blacks.
``It's hard for those of my generation to really understand the racial climate in the country at that time, and the limits that were placed on us,'' said Warner. Even after the black pilots proved their skills in combat, those in charge of the Army Air Corps at the time denied them promotions and rarely gave the black officers prestigious assignments away from their planes.
``We had jobs such as assistant to the assistant groundskeeper,'' said Williams. ``It was a very discouraging time for all of us.''
``The Tuskegee Airmen'' is not great TV by any means. It plays like a recycled John Wayne World War II film instead of a serious docudrama on life in the 1940s for America's forgotten black heroes. But even with its flaws, this HBO movie is a history lesson well worth your time.
Come Sunday at 9 p.m., cable again re-visits the past.
This special on The Disney Channel, ``Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times,'' is about a war, too. It's the battle between Wilson of the Beach Boys and the demons inside of him. Producer Don Was lays it all out for viewers - Wilson's drug addiction, the troubles in his marriage, the on-again, off-again relationship with his daughters, Carnie and Wendy.
There are few scenes of the Beach Boys in concert, which is a shame, but in this special you do see a lot of Wilson at work at the piano. And there's a nice closing segment in which he sings ``Do It Again'' with his daughters.
``Performing with the kids was thrilling,'' said Wilson. My, how he has aged. And my, how he has trouble communicating on camera. ``I was thrilled to death to see the girls do my music. They really liked my songs.''
Pop and the girls last week sang ``Do It Again'' at a club in Manhattan. Might they be planning to go out on tour together?
And while we are on the topic of music on cable, be advised that Bravo on Friday at 10 p.m. begins an eight-part series, ``Masters of American Music,' starting with ``The Story of Jazz.'' Bravo promises to serve it all up, including swing, boogie-woogie, be-bop, the blues and the music that made New Orleans famous. The series will later focus on the music of Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Charlie Parker. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
"The Tuskegee Airmen" premieres on HBO Saturday night at 8.
The life of Brian Wilson is discussed by daughters Wendy, left, and
Carnie in ``Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made For These Times'' on
Sunday.
by CNB