Atlantic Crossing

The historical accuracy of Atlantic Crossing is debatable but comments that there was no TV in the U. S. in 1939 and 1940 are dead wrong. During the 1939 World's Fair David Sarnoff, president of RCA, unveiled the first commercial publicly accessible television broadcast. I know because I was there. During the opening ceremonies of the Fair on April 30th, FDR became the first president to be televised. TV sets went on sale to the public the next day and were featured in NYC store windows.

From May through December 1939, NYC NBC station (W2XBS) of RCA broadcast twenty to fifty-eight hours of programming per month, Wednesday through Sunday of each week. The programming was 33% news, 29% drama, and 17% educational programming, with an estimated 2,000 receiving sets by the end of the year. The coverage area for reliable reception was a radius of 40 to 50 miles (80 km) from the Empire State Building. In June 1940, W2XBS covered the Republican National Convention for 33 hours during a five-day period. W2XBS also began transmitting NBC News with Lowell Thomas on February 21, 1940.

This may strike other viewers as trivial nitpicking...but it made me wonder how careful the series makers were about other matters. Episode 3 has Norway's U. S. Ambassador greeting the Princess after her transoceanic voyage, to lead her to the press briefing he's set up. He's quite proud to tell that representatives were present from all the press, radio broadcasters, AND TV!! In 1940, what's 'TV'?!

There has been a lot of controversy with this series about whether the events are historically correct. What was said between the princess and Roosevelt is not known. Most of the series is based on rumors and speculation. The Norwegian royal family was related to the English royal family when Haakon's wife was an English royal. It was therefore natural that they would support England, but the Norwegian people were more divided on whether they should support Germany or England. Most chose to be indifferent. As a historical series, I think it is exciting and emotionally engaging. Much better than others Norwegian series that have described the war, which are mostly heroic epics. We could need more World War II series about those who sided wrong, and why they acted as they did?

So much of this story is genuinely interesting, especially to an American audience that most likely is not aware of Norway's history during WW II. Or knowledgeable about the friendship that developed between the Crown Princess and FDR. The sets and locations are great (except the production team seems to think it snows a lot in WDC, which it doesn't), the costumes have been done well and, as I mentioned in the title, the acting is superb. However, if someone were to watch this and not know much US history they would think all FDR needed to run the country was one advisor, one girlfriend, his wife and the Princess who got together at cocktail hour for a laugh. The way he is depicted borders on the ridiculous (and I'm not referring to his roving eye). Our country was in the middle of a depression and, eventually, at war and all we see FDR do is eat, drink and be merry as if he had no responsibilities or a care in the world. I've just finished E.6 and we've seen FDR in exactly one Cabinet meeting (that lasted a nano-second). I think the moment that really strained credulity was FDR being driven 30 minutes out of WDC to see the Princess on the evening of Dec. 7, 1941. Really?! The US is attacked by the Japanese that day and FDR is having drinks with his lady friend instead of being in a cabinet meeting?! I realize the focus of this limited series is more human than political (although we're seeing an awful lot of political meetings in Norway and London) but the 'lighter' side of FDR should have been balanced with at least some gravitas. He didn't win four elections because he knew how to flirt and drink Scotch. Where are the producers at Masterpiece?! Am I the only one seeing how this one-dimensional depiction of our wartime President diminishes the whole series.

As many have noticed, this story takes the "inspired by true events" a bit too far on occasions. But still I recommend watching it as it gives another side of the grim events more than 70 years ago. I find the acting credible and good but as said.. the historical correctness is highly questionable.