Prohibition Comes To PBS: Don't Miss It

If you're curious about the prohibition of alcohol in the United States, OTR supposes one could always read a general history book or two. For those who seek a more vivid source of information and some entertainment as well there is a new alternative. It is the work of  documentary filmmakers, Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. well-known for their films on the Brooklyn Bridge, the Civil War, baseball, and much more. In Prohibition, they have given us another superb window into our past through their usual fusion of historic images, academic commentary, participants, and music.

This production is an efficient one coming in three episodes totaling about four and one half hours. It has good balance exploring both sides of the issue, but has no qualms about exposing the folly of attempting to legislate morality. That said, one cannot watch this program without seeing the remarkable - perhaps astounding and unsettling - similarities between our earlier war on alcohol and our current war on drug use. OTR will leave it to viewers to draw the conclusions. The important instruction here is a simple one: if you enjoy American history, don't miss Prohibition.

Time for a touch of Dickel on ice.