Civilisation 

Sir Kenneth Clarke guides us through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilisation in western man. Beginning with the bleakness of the dark ages to the present day, we consider ... See full summary »

Stars:

Kenneth Clark, Nicholas Blake, William Devlin

3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Kenneth Clark	...	Himself - Narrator 14 episodes, 1969-1970

Storyline

Sir Kenneth Clarke guides us through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilisation in western man. Beginning with the bleakness of the dark ages to the present day, we consider civilisation's articulations and expressions in some of man's finest works of art.

---

Plot Keywords:

intelligence | christianity | medicis | rome italy | florence italy | 

---

Genres:

Documentary | History | Music | War

---

Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 February 1969 (UK)

Also Known As:

Civilisation: A Personal View by Kenneth Clark

Filming Locations:

Notre Dame, Paris 1, Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min (13 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the segment titled "The Light of Experience", narrator Lord Clark discusses the great developments in Europe of the XVIIth century - mathematics, measurement, observation - and notes that these "were not hostile to architecture; nor to music, for this was the age of one of the greatest English composers, William Purcell." Here he is misquoting himself, for in the book that accompanies this series (Civilisation. New York and Evanston: Harper & Row, 1969, p.218) he correctly names the composer as Henry Purcell.

---

Quotes

Narrator: I suppose it's debatable how far Elizabethan England can be called civilized. Certainly, it doesn't provide a reproducible pattern of civilisation as does, for example, 18th-century France.

---

Connections

Featured in Screenwipe: Episode #2.1 (2006)

---

Soundtracks

Jubilate Deo
(uncredited)
Composed by Giovanni Gabrieli
Episode: {"Grandeur and Obedience" (1969) (ep. #1.7)}

User Reviews

Enlighteneing, engaging, and intimate program of scholarly work

First broadcast in 1969,Civilization was produced not only to showcase the new medium of color television but also to reassure a then turbulent society of its established roots.

Before viewing Civilization I had never heard of Kenneth Clark, or K Clark as he was known to his contemporaries. At first glance he appears to be the product of a stodgy old order, a stereotypical brown flannel suit poised very uneasily in the Age of Aquarius. However his soft demeanor, articulate observations and frank but reasonable opinions quickly become very endearing qualities. I soon found myself very disappointed I had never met the man, or at least lived through his era.

I can say with confidence that if you seriously enjoy history, particularly the European variety, you will enjoy Civilization. Even if you don't, the stunning and intimate portrayal of 1500 years of art may still be captivating enough to hold your attention. This program is unlike anything broadcast in the post-MTV era, and it sets a standard of culture and erudition that puts networks which should know better, like the History Channel, to shame.