Exclusive: Review of ‘The Kennedys’ miniseries

The Daily Caller ^ | 29 Mar 2011 | John Ziegler

[mandaladon]

Last night, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Greg Kinnear and over one thousand other movie-industry types attended the Hollywood premiere of the “controversial” Kennedy miniseries that will start airing this Sunday on the ReelzChannel. I was also there, though, oddly, Tom and Katie never said hello.

“The Kennedys” has been and will be the subject of much debate because it was scheduled to air on the History Channel before the History Channel caved to backchannel political pressure exerted by the Kennedy family (specifically Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver) and claimed that the epic, eight-part miniseries didn’t “fit the History brand.” Keep in mind that topics that regularly “fit the History brand” include Big Foot, UFOs, Nostradamus, and 9/11 conspiracy theories (not to mention Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories).

But the two hours I saw (depicting the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban missile crisis) were among the most historically accurate and pro-Kennedy examples of historical docudrama that I have ever seen.

Before I delve into my actual “review” of what I witnessed, let me first disclose that the executive producer of the film is Joel Surnow (whose “conservative” leanings were used as a weapon against the project even though it was written by a liberal), who is a golfing buddy of mine, and that I produced a feature documentary called “Blocking the Path to 9/11” that told the incredibly similar story of how many of the same studio executives who bailed here also censored the magnificent 2006 ABC docudrama “The Path to 9/11.” But just to be clear, I obviously I had nothing to do with the making of “The Kennedys” and had never even seen any of the film until last night.

What I saw shocked and angered me.

[mandaladon]

The controversy began when a liberal “filmmaker” (to call him a “hack” would be an insult to hacks) of no talent, integrity or achievement found out that a “conservative” (Surnow) was behind the show and that the historically-based program depicted known adulterer JFK as an adulterer. The fact that Surnow was one of dozens of decision-makers on the film and did not write it was irrelevant. Liberals are so threatened by the notion of anyone right-of-center being allowed to even visit their monopoly on Hollywood production that they literally go into some sort of derangement syndrome whenever that even comes close to happening (even though, in effect, such an actual “take over,” even on a temporary basis, is utterly impossible)....Paranoid liberals!

[fightinJAG]

Didn’t fit the History Channel brand?

I guess that means it’s not all about UFOs all the time.

[yldstrk]

I thought itsaid the Kennedy’s Mistresses............hahahahaha

[Daisyjane69]

Reelz is on Directv channel 238. I just checked.

:)

[apillar]

Didn’t fit the History Channel brand? I guess that means it’s not all about UFOs all the time.

Back in the early days of the History Channel, I called it the "Hitler Channel" because it seemed like just about every show was about Hitler or World War II. They must have defined "history" as anything that happened between 1939 and 1945. Then, as you mentioned, they've "evolved" from the "Hitler" network into the "Alternative Paranormal History" network, where most of the shows are about some kook theory about how Aliens influenced the past or haunted historical locations. I guess this miniseries must have had the audacity to actually stick too history. If they would have included Kennedy being kidnapped by Aliens or his ghost haunting the grassy knoll, History channel would have been all over it.

[octex]

Caroline was probably afraid that the mini-series would disclose all of the dirty dealings of Papa Joe, JFK, RFK and Teddy.

It probably doesn’t even mention the matter of JFK’s, RFK’s and Peter Lawford’s likely involvement in the death of Marilyn Monroe and their relationships.

Never could stand the Kennedy clan!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks mandaladon.

the History Channel caved to backchannel political pressure exerted by the Kennedy family (specifically Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver) and claimed that the epic, eight-part miniseries didn’t "fit the History brand." ...[unlike] 9/11 conspiracy theories...

[rmlew]

If they would have included Kennedy being kidnapped by Aliens or his ghost haunting the grassy knoll, History channel would have been all over it.
No, it would be a "Reality Show" about a group of researchers trying to find said aliens, using Babylonian Manuscripts, Masonic tools, and the Mayan Code/Nostradamus as inspiration

"Making History Every Day" my a$$.

I used to like the Military Channel, but now they are running recycled conspiracy garbage too! Of course it could be worse. The "Color of War" and "WWII in HD" were nice to watch, but got major facts wrong. I mean really wrong.

[BigSkyFreeper]

History Channel dumped it and played Ax Men and Swamp People instead. LOL

[Impy]

Jeez, too many commercials on Reelz channel.

Never heard the story of Joe putting a second “Joseph Russo” on the ballot in Jack’s 1946 rat house primary (in a district Jack never set foot in before). Wasn’t necessary as the “real” Russo came in a poor 4th.

Joe Kennedy sure was an a-hole. As portrayed he forced his sons into politics.

I know you’re posted about Joe Kennedy before DJ but I’ve forgotten. Why didn’t he ever run for office himself?

Bobby (Barry Pepper with big fake incisors, too much realism) is portrayed as faithful to his wife, at least in the first episode. Huh? Didn’t he bang Marilyn Monroe too? (and countless others?)

And there was some stuff about them thinking they were gonna carry Virginia in 1960 which they did not.

[GOPsterinMA]

Reelz = “A real lot of ads”.

Yes, Joe the father (and Nazi sympathizer amongst many, many things) planted candidate(s). He was a complete and total a$$hole...must be genetic.

Joe the son who got KIA in WW2 was the original “pick” to run for POTUS. He had the “Do you know who I am!?!?” reputation even back then I've been told.

JFK was plan B for the POTUS, but he got moved up because the older brother got killed.

[Sans-Culotte]

I recorded last night's show (episodes 1 & 2) to watch later. I watched episode 1 through JFK going missing on PT 109.

I've gotta say, it has not been compelling TV so far. I also watched "The Making of The Kennedys" earlier in the day, and the little clips they showed looked pretty good. Apparently Marilyn does make an appearance, and the actress who played the part mentioned doing scenes with both brothers.

Looks like the series is only going to cover Joe, Sr., Jack & Bobby. Guess they thought Teddy too repulsive to finish the story with him.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I wasn’t feeling well last night, so didn’t see it, but will watch it tonight when it’s rerun. I have no doubt Joe, Sr. harbored ambitions for himself, but had he run for anything, he would’ve gone for was President (given his ego). It was his tenure as Ambassador to the Court of St. James at the start of WW2 that effectively killed any chances of that happening.

As it was, he seemed to prefer the role of kingmaker, grooming his sons for high office (Joe, Jr. initially, for which he would get to the WH by 1948 or 1952 via the MA Governorship). Whatever karmic debt the guy incurred in his lifetime, he sure was forced to pay back by the time of his death in watching 4 of his grown children die (2 in plane crashes, 2 by assassination) and then another being responsible for the death of Mary Jo Kopechne (nevermind Rosemary’s incapacity). He outlived RFK by a year and a half and the Chappaquiddick incident by 4 months, and that must’ve been hell on earth for him in those last years, including his loss of speech after the stroke, effectively getting to watch silently as his family empire and dreams were destroyed.

[dfwgator]

Hate to spoil the ending, but John gets shot.

[Rebelbase]

The way the title read scanning the headline:

Exclusive: Review of ‘The Kennedys’ mistresses

[GOPsterinMA]

Well put.

[Impy]

They touched on the Ambassadorship in the first half hour which I missed last night and just watched. Allegedly he was so pissed at getting sacked that he wanted to see FDR lose in 1940.

Tom Wilkinson is easily the best acting in this. Greg Kinnear seems a little wooden. Pepper is okay but I don’t know if his earnest Bobby is being accurately portrayed.

Katie looks tasty, so does Joe’s secretary that his wife caught him kissing. And I’m liking the actress playing Ethel as well. I totally buy her having 7 kids.

[Impy]

They didn’t even show Teddy so far that I’ve noticed. They should at least show him being given a seat in US Senate like it was a birthday present.

[GOPsterinMA]

I went BM twice today, so no Kennedy bilge needed.

[Impy]

Well I watched the whole thing. I really like Katie Holmes with the Jackie hair.

The best scene was Joe yelling at Frank Sinatra. Don’t know if it’s based in reality but it was funny.

Another good scene is when mama Kennedy fires invalid Joe’s mistress/secretary turned nursemaid and he scrawls out “REVENGE” on a little chalkboard. Actually made me feel bad for him, lol.

Questions of accuracy,

They implied that Joe grew up poor in the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown but wasn’t his dad already a successful bar owner by the time he was born and didn’t they live in East Boston, not Charlestown?

And Bobby was portrayed as a saint who resisted Marilyn Monroe. Eh......

They actually showed Rosemary which surprised me, they firmly suggested she was retarded. Some modern options are that she wasn’t retarded and merely had below-average intelligence and emotional problems from being unable to compete with her siblings and probably being treated like crap for it by her father.

They showed Oswald but not Sirhan Sirhan.

Do you think RFK would have won the rat nod in ‘68 if he hadn’t been killed? Some say HHH had the nomination in the bag. I think Kennedy might have made some deals with people like Daley and pulled it off. Half the delegates at the ‘68 convo would have probably sold their vote for a couple hits of acid.