Directed by Paul Cohen, and based on the wildly popular novel by Margaret MacMillan (I say wildly popular, but I'm an historian by training so take that as you may), this docudrama merges archival footage with live action to demonstrate the difficult art of peacemaking that was the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I. When the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918 the world powers met in Paris not so much to make peace but punish Germany. American President Wilson knew a different sort of peace was necessary and came armed with his League of Nations proposal, but in the end the old ways of Europe prevailed and the Treaty was little more than a land grab for England, France, Italy, Japan and the United States and a brutalizing penalty for the German people in the form of war reparations. Paris 1919 is fascinating look at a time none of us should forget, and a prime example of how we, as humans, never seem to learn the lessons of war.
My rating 8 out of 10.
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