Everything is politics

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 4, 2008

Categories | Movie Reviews, Documentaries

President John F. Kennedy with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (1963)

The 2008 political season is in full swing and it’s been an unforgettable season so far. Watching the first African-American to accept a presidential nomination at the Democratic convention last week was staggering. It was an incredibly important historical moment that I wasn’t sure I’d ever see in my lifetime. Like many Americans I’m extremely weary of the entire political process, but watching political campaigns unfold is an opportunity to watch history in the making and I’m fascinated with American history.

My fascination with history is what recently led me to watch three interesting historical documentaries about John F. Kennedy. The films are part of the The Robert Drew Kennedy Films Collection - JFK Revealed which Docurama Films just released as a nicely packaged DVD set. The three films included in this collection are Robert Drew’s Primary (1960), Crisis (1963) and Faces of November (1963). The 2-disc set also contains some impressive extras such as lengthy audio commentaries by Robert Drew and his cinematographer Richard Leacock. And a behind-the-scenes film called The Originators that features the director and his film crew at the time which included two of the most important documentary filmmakers of the sixties, D.A. Pennebaker (Don’t Look Back (1967), Monterey Pop (1968), Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1973) , etc.) and Albert Maysles (Salesman (1968), Gimme Shelter (1970), Grey Gardens (1975), etc.).

In Primary (1960) audiences get an up-close and personal look at presidential hopeful John F. Kennedy and his opponent Hubert H. Humphrey as they try to win the hearts and minds of voters in Wisconsin during the 1960 Democratic primary. Primary is a very evenhanded film and Humphrey comes across as a down-to-earth candidate but it’s not hard to see why Kennedy would go on to become the 35th President of the United States. His charisma is clearly evident. Next to Humphrey, Kennedy’s youthful exuberance, good looks and easy-going personality obviously appeal to the young voters who rush to greet him. Women swoon over him and men swoon over Kennedy’s beautiful and nervous young wife, Jacqueline Kennedy.

Occasionally you get to hear from disgruntled voters who seem mostly bothered by Kennedy’s Catholic faith and wonder how he can govern a nation when he has to answer to a “higher power.” Even though I was well aware of the problems Kennedy faced as a Catholic candidate, it’s surprising to hear citizen’s somewhat reasonable concerns about mixing religion and politics in 1960. Today candidates are now pressured into attending events such as the recent Saddleback Civil Forum on Presidency and they seem to flaunt their faith at every opportunity. Watching Primary made me long for a time when American voters seemed to know how important it was to keep a healthy distance between church and state.

President Kennedy with brother Robert Kennedy

Crisis (1963) was made three years after Primary and in the film President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, are faced with enforcing a federal court order that will allow two black students (Vivian Malone and James Hood) to enroll in the University of Alabama. At the time Alabama was the last state still holding out against integration and Alabama’s Governor George Wallace vowed that he would personally block the door of the University if the black students attempted to enter it. The Kennedy brothers, along with Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach, try to calmly come up with non-aggressive solutions to the crisis they’re facing and it’s fascinating to watch.

This important event would lead President Kennedy to introduce his Civil Rights Act in a historical televised speech that is showcased at the end of Crisis. The tense drama that unfolds in Crisis is undercut with some genuinely moving moments such as when the African-American student James Hood proclaims that he would like to be the Governor of Alabama one day. After recently watching Barack Obama accept the Democratic presidential nomination, the dreams of James Hood seem especially poignant now. Young Robert Kennedy also makes an unforgettable impression in Crisis while he’s juggling phone calls and navigating through the old government establishment. He makes his joy known in a wide grin when he learns that Vivian Malone has successfully entered the University with help from the Federal government and it’s nearly impossible not to smile along with him.

Mourners at President Kennedy’s funeral (1963)

Faces in November (1963) is a short and somber film that focuses on John F. Kennedy’s funeral in November of 1963 (only 4 months after the events portrayed in Crisis) and it shines a subtle light on the confused and saddened faces of many of the statesmen and American citizens who attended it. This short film is not necessarily easy viewing but it does offer an intimate look at the way people publicly grieved President Kennedy’s murder. Robert Kennedy is no longer the smiling Attorney General that we saw in Crisis and the shock, grief and anger he must be feeling after his brother’s death is palpable.

Watching these three films together offers interested viewers an opportunity to watch history unfold in a way that is often more thought-provoking and honest than many modern documentaries. They also reminded me of how brief President Kennedy’s time in office was. There is a stark quality to all the films that makes them resemble old newsreels and that could be distracting to a few viewers who might find them a bit dated and slow-moving. But if you’re interested in American history and politics these films are definitely worth a look. Director Robert Drew is one of the leading figures of the North American Direct Cinema movement and besides their obvious historical importance, the three films featured in The Robert Drew Kennedy Films Collection showcase groundbreaking documentary techniques that have become commonplace now.

The Robert Drew Film Collection - JFK Revealed is currently selling at Amazon for $26.99 and you can also find the films available for rent at Greencine and Netflix.