Comments on Kennedy Mini-Series

[Mark Giardina]

My own comments are as follows:

The actor who portrays JFK really looks like the former president.

The series is giving the real Joe Kennedy a lot of slack. From the books and articles I read about the guy he was more ruthless than what is being portrayed in the series.

RFK comes across as a choir boy compared to his brother and father. I thought he had a 'fling' with Marilyn Monroe?

I just can't feel sorry for Jackie O. She married JFK knowing what a womanizer he was. But then I do feel bad that she (in the series) couldn't spend enough time with her kids. But she had to know what she was getting into when JFK ran for president in 1960.

As for the efforts by the Kennedys, or some others, to have this show not aired on the History Channel, I don't see what the fuss is all about.

Everyone knows about Kennedy's affairs, the old man's ties with organized crime, and how Hoover had files on the president. There isn't anything really new that the public isn't aware of, so like I said I don't know why such a major effort to keep this mini-series from airing.

The acting is quite good and the series is far from boring.

 

[FreddyE1977]

I agree that Greg Kinnear has really nailed Kennedy, both in his dialect and his appearance.
Katie Holmes perhaps a bit less so, but Jackie O seems like a very difficult woman to capture precisely.

If Joe Kennedy was an even bigger a*hole than he is being portrayed in this series, then he must have been the
all-time champion. I presume it was his portrayal which caused the Kennedy family to start making phone calls to
try and keep this thing off the air in the US.

I agree that Bobby is portrayed as too squeaky-clean. Maybe compared to some of the others he was, but they
portray him as some great moral compass (albeit one who can be belligerent....JFK has to keep telling him to stop insulting
his cabinet members)

The quality of the acting is excellent, as are the period costumes, sets, classic cars, etc.
The biggest flaw I've found in it are some distinct Canadian accents slipping out of members of the
supporting cast every now and then (he's gone oot).

All of the dirt on the Kennedys is common knowledge. They are no doubt concerned with maintaining their
aura and their legend, in preparation for trying to get some member of the next generation back into
political power. Plus, at some level, I get the feeling some of them just get their yuks from the fact that
they can pick up a phone and get a major production canceled, or get people fired.

 

[LKellerIII]

I have read (can't remember where) that Joe Kennedy made big profits from alcohol during Prohibition. Also that he was originally (quietly) pro-Hitler - in the sense that he made a lot of money in business deals with Nazi Germany and didn't want that to end.

Does the mini-serious touch on any of that?

 

[benwolf]

Fact-wise, really quite laughable. I was hoping for some good historical drama, but its like a Lifetime movie with a mix of Oliver Stone. When I saw "Joe Kennedy" shouting "This country is ours for the taking!" I guess we can see the liberties writers took with it. Many historians have laughed it off.

I will say much of the acting is superb, from those who play Joe, Jack, Bobby and Ethel. Katie Holmes is awful.