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Ol' Man River: The Mighty Mississippi

There is no river on earth where so many dreams were dreamt, where so many dreams came true or fell apart, where the dividing line between life and death is as thin as on the Mississippi - North America's great river.

  • 2007
  • Ended
  • Documentary
  • ~51m / ep
  • 1 season

Travel from the steamy delta beyond New Orleans, upstream to headwaters in great northern swamps, and along the Mississippi's greatest tributary, the Missouri. The crew encounter a wealth of wildlife, from tropical manatees to ancient horseshoe crabs, primitive giant fish, colorful herons, industrious beavers, deadly rattlesnakes, herds of buffalo, and prairie dog colonies. Dramatic reconstructions illustrate what the river was like when the first explorers encountered it, meeting Indian tribes and witnessing new wildlife spectacles.

Latest: Miniseries · 2007

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English-narrated two-part international edition of 92-minute film aired as part of Universum (Universe) on ORF1, 26 April 2007.

  1. E1. The Great Barrier

    Aug 6, 2007 · 51m

    Its catchment basin is the size of the Indian subcontinent and, at nearly 2.400 miles, it is the third longest river in the world. Come journey along the Mississippi from its mouth in the salt marshes of the Gulf Coast to its source deep in the northern forests near the Canadian border.

  2. E2. The Two Rivers

    Aug 13, 2007 · 51m

    The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers helped shape the economy of the United States. Today, huge barges make their way through elaborate lock and dam systems, requiring no less skill than that of the famous steamboat pilots of old, so strongly evoked by Mark Twain.