I hope you and your son get to the point where you can watch together as this is a very interesting film. And there is hope I went on to go to a Big Ten university and decided to get a minor in history. While working on that I asked one of my teachers to go see the 4 hour silent film Napoleon (1926). We did and I got a 4 point! Of course this was before CD & DVD & internet & smartphones.
Best wishes!

Hehehe - fair enough. I take your point!

I am with the guy that said I would give your kid about 10 mins before he reaches for your throat. This film is 17 hours long! The first episode is 2 hours takes place in 1918 and is in German with English subtitles
You sound like my Dad taking my to a 1.5 hour Welsh choral concert in Welsh in a church when I was 10. I have never forgiven him for that!

And it had nothing to do with the previous 7 episodes. 7 ends they jump 10 years and were are introduced to the greatest non sequitur in a series I have ever seen. That said I agree it was poignant and interesting but it was another story.

I can't agree with the little Herman part. I found it very poignant, and one of the best depictions of what real growing up and discovering first love (after the sleeping arrangement scene), and the sledge hammer of reality coming down on his head while he was deeply in love. Welcome to the world Herman, I don't think I've ever seen a depiction of the reality of heartbreak like that before or since.
if it was any good they'd have made an American version by now - Hank Hill

Shocking Inappropriate A train wreck? The whole series goes to pieces at that point and never really recovers!!!
Yes there were some very touching moments in episodes 10 & 11 but the damage had been done.

And even if he gets that far, I'd try and avoid the "Little Hermann" episodeit's er

any normal 9 year old will be climbing the walls in the first 10 minutes. It's slow, it's in black & white, and it's in German. To subject a kid to one episode would be cruelty. To subject them to the entire series would be (appropriately) sadistic. If your 9 year old sits through this they have some severe problems.

Thanks for your thoughts I will give it a go and report back!

This miniseries is fine for any age. The raciest it gets is some whorehouse scenes, and those are very tame compared to what's on broadcast TV these days. Violence is almost non existent, implied. Most of the adult themes and such will likely go right over a 9 year olds head.
That being said, I don't think this is the kind of production which will hold the interest of a 9 year old, you can try though.
Happiness is a belt-fed weapon.