HBO's John McCain documentary is as candid as the maverick himself

Valor, stubborn conviction and sacrifice are themes repeated throughout "John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls," HBO's documentary memorializing the life and career of the Vietnam War hero and six-term senator from Arizona.

McCain, 81, who revealed this year that he had terminal brain cancer, is interviewed throughout the film, as are his family and some of his bitterest political rivals.

Their perspectives are interwoven with footage from key moments throughout his life –– McCain the wounded POW speaking on camera from Hanoi, the hero limping off the plane onto American soil after