Luxurious American-British TV miniseries produced in 1983, written by Reg Gadney, who spent almost twenty years researching the Kennedys, and directed by the veteran English film and TV director, Jim Goddard, "Kennedy" was broadcast in the 20th anniversary year of the assassination of JFK and became one of the most successful miniseries ever aired, being sold to over 50 countries, including my homeland, Portugal.
It covers all the most important parts and decisions of the Kennedys' Administration from the Bay of Pigs' failed invasion, the Civil Rights Movement and their support to Martin Luther King, the Cuba missile crisis, to the early stages of the Vietnam war, and also their own personal lifes, including JFK close relationship with his father, the dominant Joseph P. Kennedy & his younger brother, the incorruptible 'boy scout', Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and his beautiful wife and iconic First Lady, Jacqueline, which became a model to the Modern Woman of the 60's. Some facts were put aside, like the Mob help on the JFK's rise to power, which he abandoned after his election and his several extra-marital affairs, including the legendary blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe, whose name is never mentioned here, but a clever viewer knows it's her.
"Kennedy" is well paced (where the 311 minutes went?) and dramatically well staged, especially during the family gatherings and their relationships and the tension in the cabinet during the crisis. Some sloppy editing here and there and cheaply looking directed exterior scenes (such as the racial brawls which looked a bit flimsy and poorly staged) were redeeming by the power of the narrative and the attention to details, the well written dialogues perfectly delivered by an all-star cast and the haunting sequence of the assassination itself which ressonates into a viewer's mind long time after.
Long life democrat, Martin Sheen as JFK, captured his voice, accent and mannerisms to perfection, even if they weren't exactly look-a-likes. Sheen smiles a lot thoroughly and even his teeth were pristine as Kennedy's. Other curious fact is that Sheen was exactly the same age at the time of filming as Jack Kennedy's was during the events depicted in the film.
Great support from John Shea as Bobby Kennedy (even less look-a-like to his real life counterpart than Sheen, but equally memorable in his acting); Geraldine Fitzgerald & E. G. Marshall as Rose and Joseph P. Kennedy and a special kudos to Blair Brown, whose uncanny resemblance to the real Jackie Bouvier Kennedy was only surpassed by the brilliance of her exuberant performance. Vincent Gardenia is also very good and a scene-stealer as the sinister head of the F.B.I., J. Edgar Hoover. Catch up for early screen appearances from John Glover, Kelsey Grammer and Trey Wilson, among others.
This miniseries makes a perfect raining Sunday afternoon at the movies, followed by the earlier TV movie, "The Missiles of October" ('74), starring William Devane as JFK and also with a younger Martin Sheen playing Bobby Kennedy; Roger Donaldson's "Thirteen Days" ('00), which covered the same missiles' crisis, starring Bruce Greenwood as JFK, Steven Culp as Bobby Kennedy and Kevin Costner as the Administration's consultant, Kenny O'Donnell; Oliver Stone's own conspiracy theory opus, "JFK" ('91) starring Kevin Costner as the District Attorney Jim Garrison, leading a star studded ensemble cast and Emilio Estevez's "Bobby" ('06) about Robert Kennedy's assassination in 1968 in which his father Martin Sheen also had a minor role.
