# The Great War (1964)

> A 1964 BBC docuseries that chronicles the vast history of World War I through archive footage, sound effects, period music and actor-voiced commentary.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/14956

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 26
- Episode runtime: 40 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: documentary, war
- Created by: John Terraine, Corelli Barnett
- Network: BBC Two
- Cast: Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Emlyn Williams, Marius Goring, Cyril Luckham, Sebastian Shaw
- TMDB rating: 8.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057753/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: solemn, haunting, dignified, authoritative, elegiac

## Synopsis

The Great War (1964) is a British BBC Two documentary series created by John Terraine and Corelli Barnett. Spread across 26 episodes of roughly forty minutes each, it traces the vast history of World War I, the trenches, the battles and the political decisions that drove the conflict, through extensive archive footage. Rather than relying on talking-head interviews, the series layers historical film with sound effects and contemporary popular music of the era, so the war unfolds as a steady, sweeping chronicle. Michael Redgrave narrates the commentary, joined by voice work from actors including Ralph Richardson, who gives the voice of Douglas Haig, and Emlyn Williams, who voices Lloyd George. The result is a solemn, dignified and often haunting register, an authoritative look back at a generation lost to industrial slaughter. Viewers who enjoy World War II survey series such as The World at War and Victory at Sea, or who want a grounded, archive-driven history of 1910s Europe, will find much to appreciate in its measured approach and its respect for the human cost of the war.

## Shows like The Great War

- [The War (2007)](https://ember.film/tv/29234)
- [The Death of Yugoslavia (1995)](https://ember.film/tv/8285)
- [Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution (2005)](https://ember.film/tv/6853)
- [The Nazis: A Warning from History (1997)](https://ember.film/tv/17481)
- [World War II with Tom Hanks (2026)](https://ember.film/tv/1105057)
- [Apocalypse: The Second World War (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/30535)
- [World War II in Colour (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/38530)
- [The World at War (1973)](https://ember.film/tv/712)
- [Hollywood (1980)](https://ember.film/tv/38818)
- [Cold War (1998)](https://ember.film/tv/12599)

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