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Factual: History

Documentary series which ranges widely over Britain's social and cultural history.

Documentary series which ranges widely over Britain's social and cultural history, its narrative-led storytelling offering a richly immersive and varied window onto the past.

The Last Days of the Liners

BBC Four HD

Timeshift: The Last Days of the Liners

Paul Atterbury

Gerry Dawson

John Das

Michael Poole

Timeshift: Series 9: Episode 4: The Last Days of the Liners

Episode 4

Episode 4: The Last Days of the Liners

Series 9

BBC Four - Timeshift, Series 9, The Last Days of the Liners

How countries competed to launch the best passenger ships after the Second World War.

Documentary telling how, in the years after the Second World War and with national pride and prestige at stake, countries competed to launch the most magnificent passenger ships.

Documentary which tells the story of how, in the years following the Second World War, countries competed to launch the most magnificent passenger ships on the great ocean routes. 

National pride and prestige were at stake. The Americans had the United States, the fastest liner of all; the Dutch had the elegant Rotterdam; the Italians had the sleek Michelangelo; the French had the France as their supreme symbol of national culture and cuisine; and Britain had the Queens Mary and Elizabeth. 

The coming of the jetliner and the 1960s' assault on class and privilege might have swept this world away, but as the film explains, the giant vessels sailed on. Today, more people than ever travel on big ships - liners that have a modern take on glamour and romance.

Timeshift: Series 9

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

Documentary series which ranges widely over Britain's social and cultural history

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Episode 4: The Last Days of the Liners

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