41

I've been binging almost any political doc I can find from the 90s through the present and this one has been the worst. Just an utterly bland whitewash. It felt like something made for a convention, except it was two hours long. Bush says nothing of substance the entire time, nor does the film come to any interesting points. It was genuinely like listening to your grandpa tell old stories.

President George Herbert Walker Bush or George Sr. as I like to call him was only a one term president. He had spent two terms as Vice President under popular Ronald Reagan. George talks about his life from the beginning to the present. Barbara never intervenes or gets interviewed at all. George Sr. displayed his love for his wife and children and country. The interview is a bit revealing about the man's life from a prominent family in Connecticut to moving to Texas where they settled in the fifties. The documentary showed about his time at their summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine. George talks about his life, Yale, Texas, CIA and life in Washington D.C. The documentary could have been moved along quicker. There are tender moments like when he talks about his daughter, Pauline Robinson Bush, who passed away at 4 year old and there are actual family home videos with her in it. This documentary makes me nostalgic for the good old days when the president was held to the highest pedestal.

This HBO documentary should be entitled, "George H. W. Bush Unplugged", but it is called 41: His Family, His Triumphs, His Legacy, Inside the Life of G.H. Bush on American Leaders. This intro-perspective is the most personal documentary on the former 41st life and times. It delves back to his family roots and you gain a well rounded view of his evolution. I learned a few new things, one that Bush was named after his uncle, whom they called "pops." So as to distinguish the younger Bush, they called him "poppy." His father was a United States Senator Prescott Bush and we all know his legacy was continued with George "W" Bush and Jeb Bush. Now his grandson has recently announced that he will run statewide in Texas. The cinematography is well done and the film footage and old photographs help tell the story of how this senior Bush climbed the political mountain and show cases a little of life after public office. With Bush sharing his story, you will get a real sense of this man, our nation's 41st President. He values family, God, and the beliefs in the possibilities of America.

This is an unfortunate whitewash that misses some of Bush's most shameful, and a few of his best moments. John Meachem's book is a far better and far more honest account of this consequential man.

The first thing that needs to be said about "41" is that it is more of an extended interview than a documentary. The interviewer uses photographs and video to cover all the areas of George Herbert Walker Bush's life, from childhood to the Presidency and beyond. "Poppy" himself chimes in on all the important milestones.

Some will like this approach, while others will not. I tend to prefer a more documentary style approach (where other opinions besides those of the subject him/her self are examined), which is why "41" won't get a higher star rating from me. One has to remember while watching this that these are just the opinions of President Bush about his life. While his former Presidency and accomplishments gives him the platform, there are other interpretations of his Presidency that are not covered here.

Another thing that tends to hurt this film is that President Bush is not an overtly emotional man whatsoever. Even talking about his children, for instance, almost no visible emotion is ever seen from the man. Perhaps an admirable character trait in life ("keeping an even keel"), but it doesn't "play well" in terms of emotion for a project like this.

I can still consider "41" a decent watch, however, because of the fact that President Bush is such a genuine figure in terms of recounting his life. Basically, he seems like a good guy. Do I share many of his political or even personal views? Certainly not. But I also can't help but admire a guy who has such zest and zeal for life even at such an advanced age. Even though his convictions may differ some from my own, he seems so strong and genuine in those convictions that I have little to no bad things to say about the man.

As such, "41" is not the most exciting (nor certainly the most emotional) documentary you'll ever watch, but for President buffs it will contain some interesting information and recollections. Casual historians will likely get a little bored, but those with a passion for either the man or Presidential politics in general will tune in for the duration.