The Statue of Liberty (film) The Statue of Liberty (film) The Statue of Liberty is a 1985 American documentary film on the history of the Statue of Liberty ("Liberty Enlightening the World"). It was produced and directed by Ken Burns. The film first aired on October 28, 1985. It was narrated by historian David McCullough. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film included readings by Jeremy Irons and Arthur Miller, among others. Also features Paul Simon's "American Tune" at the beginning and end of the film. McCullough, then-New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, former congresswoman Barbara Jordan, director Miloš Forman,
Statue of Liberty as an embodiment of the United States in the manner that Britannia was identified with the United Kingdom and Marianne came to represent France. Columbia had supplanted the earlier figure of an Indian princess, which had come to be regarded as uncivilized and derogatory toward Americans. The other significant female icon in American culture was a representation of Liberty, derived from Libertas, the goddess of freedom widely worshipped in ancient Rome, especially among emancipated slaves. A Liberty figure adorned most American coins of the time, and representations of Liberty appeared in popular and civic art, including Thomas Crawford's "Statue of