Customer Reviews

Biography - Lee Harvey Oswald [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This non-conspiratorial interpretation of the infamous Lee Harvey Oswald is absolutely refreshing and fascinating. What A & E Biography does is attempt to build a psychological profile of Oswald that would explain his actions that place him in a snipers nest on the 6th floor of the Texas Book Depository during that fateful day. If you are one of those devout believers in the JFK conspiracy, I invite you to view this video and perhaps the years of myth and fairy-tales that have been told to you will be put in doubt.

"Lee Harvey Oswald: An American Tragedy" is the full title of this compelling 46-minute installment of A&E's acclaimed TV documentary series, "Biography". Produced in 1995, this program (hosted by Jack Perkins and presented on VHS video in Hi-Fi Stereo sound) paints a vivid picture of the disturbing and very peculiar 24-year existence of Lee Harvey Oswald --> husband, brother, father, school-book warehouse stock man, defector to Russia, and Presidential assassin.

Featured in this documentary are the usual array of film clips and still photographs of Oswald -- passing out those leaflets for his one-man chapter of the "Fair Play For Cuba Committee" in New Orleans, his brief moment in the TV spotlight (and on radio) when he's interviewed about his unusual political beliefs, the pictures of Lee as a baby and as a 17-year-old Marine (where he learned to fire a rifle with relatively-good accuracy), and the video clips of Oswald after his arrest on November 22, 1963 -- the day Lee Harvey committed the two murders in Dallas, Texas, that gained him the fame he seemed to crave so much throughout his life. Gunned down by Oswald that fall afternoon in 1963 were a Dallas police officer named J.D. Tippit and the President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Interviewed for this "Biography" episode are an assortment of authors and Oswald acquaintances, including Lee's older brother (Robert), "Case Closed" author Gerald Posner, and Ruth Paine, a friend who lived with Lee's wife Marina during the weeks leading up to the assassination of JFK in November '63.

Those interviewed for this program paint Lee Oswald as a lonely and bitter young man, friendless, forever searching to find "a place" in life, and often hostile towards those around him (especially wife Marina, whom he abused frequently).

Unfortunately for history's sake, a stocky Dallas nightclub owner by the name of Jack Ruby intervened and shot Oswald dead in the basement of the Dallas Police Department headquarters on November 24, 1963 (just two days after Oswald was arrested for the President's killing), thereby ending any chance the world would have of getting the whole story out of Oswald himself.

A great many people believe that President Kennedy's life was ended as the result of a conspiracy and believe that the true facts surrounding the assassination have not (and never will) come to light. I'm not one of them. From the overwhelming circumstantial evidence against him, I believe Lee Harvey Oswald was NOT the "patsy" he claimed to be, and he was NOT involved with various unsavory co-conspirators who planned the President's murder many, many months in advance.

Oswald was, instead, the lone gunman in Dallas that day, who conceived his plan of action against the 35th U.S. Chief Executive no more than three to six days in advance -- because, in fact, Oswald could not possibly have even known about the President's motorcade driving right in front of his workplace at the Texas School Book Depository on Elm Street until the morning of Tuesday, November 19th, 1963, which was the day the finalized motorcade routing was published in the Dallas newspapers. Three days earlier (on November 16th), Dallas papers revealed the fact that President Kennedy would be visiting that city in six days, and stated that a motorcade drive through Dallas had been approved. However, the final route, with the "Elm Street turn", was not published in the local papers until November 19. Therefore, Oswald's "planning" and preparation could not possibly have been overly extensive.

When watching a documentary like this that delves in some detail into the life of Lee Oswald, it's very difficult NOT to remark to yourself -- "That's just EXACTLY the type of offbeat loner who might take a pot shot at the President!"

Those are, indeed, my thoughts when I see a program that deals with Oswald. The idea that Oswald was merely an innocent "patsy" that knew absolutely nothing about a plot by covert conspirators to murder the President is too silly to even consider. (Again, IMO.)

-----------------------

Other "Oswald Program" Recommendations:

1.) In addition to this excellent A&E biography on the life of Lee Oswald, I'd also recommend an equally-engaging program all about Oswald -- the PBS-TV "Frontline" three-hour documentary, entitled "Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?" (1993).

2.) Another fascinating program that deals with the Oswald subject matter that earns my very highest recommendation is the 1986 "docu-trial" called "On Trial: Lee Harvey Oswald", which aired originally on the Showtime cable TV network on November 21 and 22, 1986.

That 5.5-hour, two-part broadcast, hosted by Edwin Newman, was culled from 21 hours of footage that comprised the complete length of the trial. This unscripted "mock trial" featured a real judge, twelve jurors, and sworn-in actual witnesses to the events of 11/22/1963 (such as: Ruth Paine, Charles Brehm, Wesley Frazier, Harold Norman, and many others). In all, 21 witnesses were called to the stand to testify.

Famed former Los Angeles attorney Vincent T. Bugliosi served as prosecuting attorney in the case against Oswald during that simulated trial, while the flamboyant Gerry Spence acted as defense counsel for Lee Oswald. Mr. Bugliosi's case was compelling in favor of Oswald's lone guilt; while Mr. Spence spun his wheels a lot and came across as ineffectual during the trial, IMO. The jury ultimately found Oswald "Guilty" of killing President Kennedy.

NOTE: Regarding the above mentioned "1986 mock trial" Showtime program --- This program is not to be confused with a 1977 TV-Movie with a very similar title (starring Lorne Greene and John Pleshette). That film is titled "The Trial Of Lee Harvey Oswald", and is a wholly-fictional account of what might have taken place if Oswald had lived to stand trial for the murder of President Kennedy. That movie, too, has several redeeming qualities in its own right. But it has no relationship at all to the non-fiction Showtime presentation "On Trial: Lee Harvey Oswald".

-----------------------

Closing Thoughts:

I'm sure Lee Harvey would have loved seeing his name presented in the grandiose fashion in which the A&E television network displays it at the beginning of this "Biography" episode --- "LEE HARVEY OSWALD" shown on screen in huge, bold, impressive lettering, accompanied by a dramatic music score. Lee would have relished seeing that for sure -- his name in lights, bigger than life. He seemingly lived a good deal of his short life seeking a certain amount of "fame" and "attention". And there can be little doubt about the final results of his quest "to be somebody" -- he succeeded (unfortunately for our country) with flying colors.

I just finished reading the rewiew that David R. Von Pein wrote and was wondering where he got the information on, "On Trial: Lee Harvey Oswald"? I am looking for a copy of this and cannot find it any place. His help would be greatly appreciated.
Jack