New York: A Documentary Film (1999)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the vibrant yet tumultuous period of New York during America's exuberant postwar "Gilded Age." It highlights the immense fortunes amassed by the robber barons alongside the blatant corruption of political figures like Tammany Hall's William M. Tweed. The narrative captures the growing divide between extreme wealth and deep poverty, reaching a significant peak. Concluding with a momentous transformation, the city extends its borders by incorporating Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, forging a vast metropolis known as Greater New York.