I've seen the original John Ford film by the same name and then this series and I found the series to be much better. It is, of course, MUCH longer, which allows for more story telling, more character development and a lot more depth than the original film could ever hope to achieve. But it is precisely that depth that makes this series so much better. This thing had a great cast, including James Arness, Bruce Boxleitner and Fionnula Flanagan. Other great actors and actresses made appearances in some of the episodes. The acting in this whole series is great by everyone. The Civil War also plays a huge role in this film. The story is gripping and will definitely keep the viewer interested - there are no "slow" places in this entire series. The screenplay was written by several writers but was seamlessly integrated. There are several emotional rollercoasters going at once with the family being torn apart and put back together a few times. Viewers just can't seem to tear themselves away. Movies of this caliber are rare and should you ever see this miniseries being run on TV, be sure to crank up your VCR and tape it. You'll want to see it again and again.
Review of How the West Was Won
