The American West

The ground runs red with the blood of their stories, from Jesse James to Billy the Kid and Butch Cassidy. These men were the first to live the American dream, and the first to die for it. And who better to take us on this journey than the Western expert Robert Redford.

Redford's knowledge and passion for this period is incredibly apparent in each of the eight episodes, as well as guest appearances from Ed Harris, James Caan, Kris Kristofferson, Mark Harmon, Tom Skerrit, Tom Selleck, Burt Reynolds and Kiefer Sutherland.

Before the west was won, it was bloodied by gangs, infighting and a turf war on a scale never seen again in the United States. It was a unique period in US history, where anyone could wander into the unknown and take from it what they wanted - as long as they were willing to fight for it.

The west was won in the 40 years between the end of the Civil War and the turn of the century. From the Civil War veterans first heading out into the unknown, to the final gunshot that closed the Frontier, the west would come to define American identity. But this land didn't come without a fight. As the borders expanded further and further, outlaws ruled the land, and in this lawless territory, the only justice was power.

Brutal gang wars raged, and by necessity, came the earliest form of law. But in the west, money and greed ruled everything, and having the law on your side meant nothing: the only thing that mattered was who could shoot fastest. Executive Producers: Emmy® Award-winning Stephen David, Award winning Robert Redford and Laura Michalchyshyn. Directed By: John Ealer