Give 'em Hell, Harry!

A filmed version of a one-man stage play (filmed before a live audience), James Whitmore's Oscar-nominated performance is a rare treasure. As Truman, Whitmore gives rapid-fire comments on the highlights of an exceptional politician's career. Truman explains his justification for dropping the atomic bomb at the end of World War II, and his reasons for firing General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War. He talks of his wife, Bess (whom he refers to as "the Boss"), his home in Missouri, and his early days as a soldier in World War I, and a county commissioner in Kansas City. He offers us his views of Truman's contemporaries, both good (Winston Churchill, George C. Marshall) and bad (Joe McCarthy and Richard Nixon). Whitmore is a joy to watch. If you can find this rare film it is well worth seeing.

As a twenty two year old enjoying a blissful summer in 1982, I came home from a day at Zuma Beach and this is what channel 5 was showing. Back then, my hobby was to audio tape(VCRs will rare then)stuff on TV. I recorded about the last twenty minutes of it. His story about McCarthy and his reading of the Tennyson poem were parts I've committed to memory. since my mom had a stroke, I recently began driving her car and it has a cassette player in it. I looked in my dusty old tape box and there it was. I have been playing it over and over again, like I did 26 years ago. Whitemore is priceless as Truman.

A side note: After the Truman show ends on my tape, the next thing you hear is Dan Akroyd as Richard Nixon on a SNL sketch where he turns off the TV in disgust at how Rip Torn is portraying him in a TV movie: Akroyd blurts out on my tape: "Well that was a piece of crap"

This was a great filmed stage presentation of James Whitmore's one-man show about Harry Truman, written by Samuel Gallu. He becomes President Truman right from the beginning. This show, along with the Will Rogers USA and the not-as-well-known Bully or Bully Boy (Theodore Roosevelt) is the complete list of one-man shows this fine actor has done.

I have always loved history especially history regarding US Presidents. I think that next to Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman was our greatest president. This man is the only President of the 20th century who never went to college and yet this common man touched greatness. James Whitmore truly does him justice, I read that Margaret Truman saw his performance and said "my God that is my dad!". I think that Hal Holbrook was the actor who started the great tradition of "one man shows" with his great portrayal of Mark Twain, many have done it since but Whitmore is the best. You get a great history lesson here as Truman talks about his life on the farm, his experiences in WWII, his rise in Missouri politics, his vice presidency and finally becoming President. You think you really are listening to Harry when he talks about dropping the bomb, the 1948 election against Dewey and his firing of MacArthur. This film is a delight from start to finish and I think it should be shown to every child to show him about what a great man Truman was!

My comments concerning "Give Em Hell Harry" need only be short and sweet. This was, bar none, one of the finest movies I have ever seen giving a biography of a presidency and it is done as a one-man show. It is just, well, S-U-P-E-R. If you want to learn a little about a man or a presidency, if you want to see a great actor in action, this is a movie for you. Experience the trauma of an era. Experience the greatness of a man. Experience the fantastic portrayal by a great actor by not missing this movie. I can't imagine anyone being sorry they took time out to live within a period of time for a few short minutes by watching/being a part of this great offering in movie making and stage playing. Don't cheat yourself if you have the opportunity of viewing it. It is a 10 in my eyes without a doubt.