"Pearl Harbor" is appallingly bad.

I saw "The Victors" on the big screen when it came out (1963). The last war movie I'd seen was "The Longest Day," with its spare-no-expense, heroic optimism. "The Victors" knocked me for a loop.

More than half a lifetime passed before I saw it again on cable. It was still great. After a couple more viewings over a few years, I began to focus more on the unfortunate woodenness of some of the actors, notably (is anybody surprised) George Hamilton. There are also one or two teeth-grittingly embarrassing moments. But there are also some truly brilliant episodes. The "newsreel" technique some may remember from the godawful "Black Sheep Squadron" was ripped from "The Victors"; back in '63, it was new and startling. The hand-held camera used in an early scene also works exceedingly well.

"The Victors" has been panned and re-panned by The Critics, though a very few have recognized its importance. The weaknesses will bother some, but to me they're more than made up for by the overall effect.

If you're optimistic by nature, and demand a "story," this movie may well leave you cold. Otherwise....

I'd say go rent it, but last time I looked it was still not available in any form. Don't know why. Keep watching your cable listings.