The Civil War: A Film By Ken Burns

Season 1
 (4,449)
9.11990TV-PG
The original Emmy Award-winning nine-part series is now digitally restored to archive the highest definition for optimal picture quality.
Directors
Ken Burns
Starring
Sam WaterstonJason RobardsMorgan Freeman
Genres
DramaHistoricalDocumentarySpecial InterestMilitary and War
Subtitles
English [CC]
Audio languages
English

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  1. 1. The Cause - 1861
    September 7, 2015
    1 h 39 min
    TV-PG
    Subtitles
    English [CC]
    Audio languages
    English
    Beginning with an examination of slavery, this episode looks at the causes of the war and the burning questions of union and states' rights.
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  2. 2. A Very Bloody Affair - 1862
    September 8, 2015
    1 h 8 min
    TV-PG
    Subtitles
    English [CC]
    Audio languages
    English
    1862 saw the birth of modern warfare and the transformation of Lincoln's war to preserve the Union into a war to emancipate the slaves.
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  3. 3. Forever Free - 1862
    September 8, 2015
    1 h 15 min
    TV-PG
    Subtitles
    English [CC]
    Audio languages
    English
    This episode charts the dramatic events that led to Lincoln's decision to set the slaves free.
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  4. 4. Simply Murder - 1863
    September 24, 1990
    1 h 1 min
    TV-PG
    Subtitles
    English [CC]
    Audio languages
    English
    This episode begins with the nightmarish Union disaster at Fredericksburg and follows two clashes that spring.
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  5. 5. The Universe of Battle - 1863
    September 24, 1990
    1 h 35 min
    TV-PG
    Subtitles
    English [CC]
    Audio languages
    English
    This episode opens with a dramatic account of the turning point of the war: the Battle of Gettysburg.
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  6. 6. Valley of the Shadow of Death - 1864
    September 25, 1990
    1 h 9 min
    TV-PG
    Subtitles
    English [CC]
    Audio languages
    English
    This episode begins with a biographical comparison of Grant and Lee and then chronicles the extraordinary series of battles that pitted the two generals against each other from the wilderness to Petersburg in Virginia.
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  7. 7. Most Hallowed Ground - 1864
    September 25, 1990
    1 h 11 min
    TV-PG
    Subtitles
    English [CC]
    Audio languages
    English
    The presidential campaign of 1864 set Abraham Lincoln against his old commanding general, George McClellan.
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  8. 8. War is All Hell - 1865
    September 26, 1990
    1 h 8 min
    18+
    Subtitles
    English [CC]
    Audio languages
    English
    William Tecumseh Sherman's March to the Sea brings war to the heart of Georgia and the Carolinas and spells the end of the Confederacy.
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  9. 9. The Better Angels of Our Nature - 1865
    September 26, 1990
    1 h 8 min
    TV-PG
    Subtitles
    English [CC]
    Audio languages
    English
    After chronicling Lincoln's funeral, the episode recounts the final days of the war, the capture of John Wilkes Booth and the fates of the series' major figures.
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More details

Supporting actors
Garrison KeillorArthur MillerGeorge PlimptonHorton FooteGeorge BlackPhilip BoscoDerek JacobiJeremy IronsDavid McCulloughChristopher Murney
Producers
Ken BurnsRic Burns
Season year
1990
Network
PBS
Purchase rights
Stream instantly Details
Format
Prime Video (streaming online video)
Devices
Available to watch on supported devices

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars

4449 global ratings

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