When first broadcast in the 1970s, “The World at War” set the gold standard for World War II documentaries—and documentary series in general. The thoughtful, poetic narration of Sir Laurence Olivier made D-Day sound like Shakespeare. His carefully wrought screenplay was both opinionated and philosophical, delivered in a hushed, unhurried tone that respected the gravity of the subject. There was irony in many passages, but mostly sadness at the human toll of warfare.
“The World at War’ has been released as a nine-disc Blu-ray package with all 26 episodes plus 12 hours of additional programming relating to the series and the war. The restored sound and visuals are fine but what really matters all these years later is the form and content of the original programming. There is no needless flash, since the producers imagined that the audience had the mental age of adults. The intelligent, humane storyline is supported by short (but not soundbite) interviews with historians and veterans and is set against archival footage, a surprising amount of it in color. There is no romanticizing of war in “The World at War,” which was unsparing in its depiction of the brutality and the weirdness of it all.
“The World at War” is essential viewing, not only for World War II buffs but also for students of 20th century history and anyone interested in how to make a smart documentary on any subject.
