Product Details

• Actors: Jane Alexander, Edward Herrmann, Rosemary Murphy, Pamela Franklin, David Huffman
• Directors: Daniel Petrie
• Writers: James Costigan, Joseph P. Lash
• Producers: Audrey Maas, David Susskind, Harry R. Sherman
• Format: Box set, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• VHS Release Date: February 10, 1998
• Run Time: 240 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302648661
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #336,799 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The second and concluding part of the 1976 miniseries focuses on Franklin D. Roosevelt's early career and the major role his wife played in overcoming profound difficulties in their marriage. Told mostly in flashback, the film features Edward Herrmann and Jane Alexander, whose performances in the title roles are uncanny. During World War I, the Roosevelts moved to Washington, D.C., where young Franklin, while serving in the Wilson administration, began having an affair with Lucy Mercer, his wife Eleanor's social secretary. Deeply wounded when she discovers his betrayal, Eleanor nonetheless stays with Franklin. And she would be at his side when, during a summer vacation with their five children, he was stricken with polio and paralyzed. Urged to take a more public role during his recuperation in the early 1920s, Eleanor touchingly admits, "I'll never be any good at public speaking." In a scene in which Eleanor drives a roadster down a country road while rehearsing the speech she's on her way to give in rural New York State, Alexander beautifully captures Eleanor's determination to overcome her own shyness and become a champion of progressive politics. This miniseries, which met critical acclaim when it was first aired, has aged very well. It's a great love story as well as a great political story, an engaging drama made all the better by its historical resonance. --Robert J. McNamara

Product Description

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book - this is the story of one of America's greatest presidents and the First Lady who devoted herself to public service. Winner of 11 Emmy Awards.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally!!!, September 25, 2005

By 

Movie Nut (New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eleanor & Franklin - The Early Years (DVD)

With so much junk produced today on DVD, it is refreshing that this wonderful miniseries was finally put out on DVD. Let me begin by saying that once again Amazon got the description wrong- This is not the concluding part of the miniseries, but the first miniseries from 1976. The description talks about the second half produced in 1977! These types of mistakes can be very misleading to anyone purchasing this DVD. But, beyond that this is one of the great miniseries of the 70's. There were many great and timeless classics made during those years and this has always been at the top of my list. Jane Alexander is the perfect Eleanor and Edward Herrmann playing FDR is only second to Ralph Belamy's portrayal, but also great and very effective. What I really liked about this miniseries is that they didn't gloss over the affair between Lucy Mercer and FDR, but it was handled very honestly. All of the supporting cast makes this a must see!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hope White House Years is Close Behind, August 31, 2005

By 

Buddy's Master "history buff" (Mays Landing, NJ) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Eleanor & Franklin - The Early Years (DVD)

What a pleasure to finally have ELEANOR AND FRANKLIN: The Early Years on DVD. HBO has produced an excellent release by restoring the original color to the film and releasing it in Letterbox (was never seen in this format before). I always enjoyed the film based on the Lash book but was discouraged by TV showings of inferior copies with washed out picture frames and the VHS release not much better. You will not be sorry if you purchase this DVD. The price was reasonable. Don't understand why Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years was not released at the same time. Now I await BACKSTAIRS AT THE WHITE HOUSE on November 1. Hope these DVD's will be as excellent as the Roosevelt DVD's.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Why no DVD??, May 28, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Eleanor and Franklin - The Early Years [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I remeber this miniseries from 25 years ago, and now I would like to see it on DVD.. They can bring back Laurel and Hardy on DVD, why not the good stuff??