With the onset of World War II, five of Hollywood’s most acclaimed directors relinquished their established careers and comfortable lives to enlist in the armed forces, dedicating their talents to filmmaking in service of the war.

Each director, now working, discovers that their cinematic vision is often beyond the reach of governmental constraints and the unpredictable realities of war.

With the war concluded, the five returned to Hollywood with the intention of rebuilding their lives and careers. Yet, the experiences they endured had irrevocably altered them; the shadows of conflict would linger, shaping their futures in …