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Poster for The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty

Seen it?

1985 | 60 min | History, Documentary

Monday Morning Maybeearly rating

Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe

With almost no lasting buzz and soft box office, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Great for the curious and anyone who likes stories from the past brought to life. Set against the energy of New York.
The mood
Eye-opening.
The pace
Well paced for a documentary, at 1 hr. Done before bedtime.
What might put you off
Skip it if you want made-up drama tonight.

For more than 100 years, the Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of hope and refuge for generations of immigrants. In this lyrical, compelling and provocative portrait of the statue, Ken Burns explores both the history of America’s premier symbol and the meaning of liberty itself. Featuring rare archival photographs, paintings and drawings, readings from actual diaries, letters and newspapers of the day, the fascinating story of this universally admired monument is told. In interviews with Americans from all walks of life, including former New York governor Mario Cuomo, the late congresswoman Barbara Jordan and the late writers James Baldwin and Jerzy Kosinski, The Statue of Liberty examines the nature of liberty and the significance of the statue to American life. Nominated for both the Academy Award ® and the Emmy Award ®, The Statue of Liberty received the prestigious CINE Golden Eagle, the Christopher Award and the Blue Ribbon at the American Film Festival.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsNot counted

    Not enough reviews on record yet

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsBelow par

    Nominated for 1 Oscar.

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 11K people sought it out in the past year

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Cast & crew

Directed by Ken Burns

  • David McCulloughSelf - Historian / Narrator
  • Jeremy IronsSelf (voice)
  • Derek JacobiSelf (voice)
  • Paul RoeblingSelf (voice)
  • Arthur MillerSelf (voice)
  • James BaldwinSelf - Writer
  • Mario CuomoSelf - Governor of New York
  • Miloš FormanSelf - Film Director
  • Jerzy KosińskiSelf - Writer
  • Barbara JordanSelf - Former Congresswoman