Aside from the quality of the film print, this is well-made & informative. It aired originally as part of NBC's documentary series of the 1960's called "Project XX", on Thanksgiving night, Nov,. 24, 1961. A companion piece followed a year or 2 later, also on NBC, titled "Lee, the Virginian", hosted , as here, by Thomas Mitchell. Such history docs were common among the 3 networks in that era but, sadly, no more. The Grant & Lee programs aired in connection with the Civil War Centennial occurring in the U.S. at that time. Would be nice to see this Grant doc digitally restored to sharp, crisp b&w but I imagine there's no money in it. Fortunately, the audio is quite good, with no skipping, jumping, or sounding "run down", though the background music occasionally is a little wavery & tinny, a condition common to unrestored old films. Would be nice to see the Lee program as well. Several of the "Project XX" programs are viewable on You Tube but "Lee, the Virginian" is not among them. I'm grateful, though, that "U.S. Grant, an Improbable Hero" is.
Aside from the quality of the film print, this is well-made & informative. It aired originally as part of NBC's documentary series of the 1960's called "Project XX", on Thanksgiving night, Nov,. 24, 1961. A companion piece followed a year or 2 later, also on NBC, titled "Lee, the Virginian", hosted , as here, by Thomas Mitchell. Such history docs were common among the 3 networks in that era but, sadly, no more. The Grant & Lee programs aired in connection with the Civil War Centennial occurring in the U.S. at that time. Would be nice to see this Grant doc digitally restored to sharp, crisp b&w but I imagine there's no money in it. Fortunately, the audio is quite good, with no skipping, jumping, or sounding "run down", though the background music occasionally is a little wavery & tinny, a condition common to unrestored old films. Would be nice to see the Lee program as well. Several of the "Project XX" programs are viewable on You Tube but "Lee, the Virginian" is not among them. I'm grateful, though, that "U.S. Grant, an Improbable Hero" is.