Customer Reviews

Eleanor and Franklin - The White House Years [VHS]

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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.

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??

WHERE OH WHERE is the White House Years on DVD??? I simply am at a loss to understand why the 1977 follow-up is not as yet
on DVD...slightly Coo-Coo!

I have been waiting for this on DVD for years! I first saw this on the history channel during a re-broadcast in the 90's. I really enjoyed that broadcast because it included an interview with an historian/biographer of Eleanor Roosevelt. I remember that she had confirmed that this mini-series was very good history (in other words, historically accurate and true to known facts).

I appreciated knowing that as I watched the show, because it seems to me to be pointless to put together a production based on actual people if the most fundamental story line is fiction or "fictionalized" (i.e., "A Beautiful Mind", "Pearl Harbor", not to mention practically every World War II movie other than "Tora Tora Tora", which take far too many liberties with the facts).

With that little bit of information tucked away, I was able to enjoy the performances in Eleanor & Franklin even more, for they really took me back into time. Words escape me as I try to express just how much an impact this had on me. It gave me a new appreciation for the humanity of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt (both tragic and triumphant), that just isn't captured in the brief accounts in the history books of our schools.

I highly recommend this mini-series. I just ordered the DVD a few moments ago, so I can not yet speak as to the quality of this particular release. I am not even sure if it is the complete "Early Years" (starting with eleanor's childhood) - I certainly hope that it is.

I would also like to thank the reviewer who mentioned "Backstairs of the White House". I haven't seen that mini-series since it was originally aired. I remember that it was extraordinary. I certainly plan to purchase that on DVD when it is released.

And finally, let me add my voice to those calling for the release of "The White House Years" on DVD ASAP! Although I thought that TWHY was a bit "rushed", loosing some of the attention to detail that was present in TEY, (And although I was disappointed with the casting change of the Louie Howell(sp) character), I still give it my highest ratings!

I've seen this movie on television many years ago and I've loved it ever since. I had a copy on tape, but somehow it got taped over it. Then I brought one last year and it claimed that it was closed-caption for the hearing-impaired. To my disappointment, the captions was so bad, not even showing up on my TV. It was my absolute favorite, it was very upset to the fact that I was not able to watch and understand. How can the captions get corrected so many of us can watch it! It is history after all. Any solutions would be very much appreciated! Will this become available on DVD soon?? Thanks!

This movie draws the viewer in from the beginning to the end with its vintage-view footage and protrayal of emotions that the famous Roosevelt family experienced. The cinematograpy and music adaptation are the perfect element added to this skilled cast! Well done.

I was just a kid when this TV movie originally aired but it made an enormous impression on me. The acting was absolutely first rate, the sets well done and the music unforgettable. For years I looked for it on VHS format and more recently, DVD. I'm overjoyed that this wonderfully underrated film is finally available on DVD. Hip Hip Hooray!

So many made-for-TV historical films are pure garbage in terms of accurate history. This movie does not make that mistake. The main characters are portrayed accurately, warts and all. Edward Herrman makes a great Roosevelt, perhaps the best fictional FDR we've ever experienced, including Ralph Bellamy. And Jane Alexander's Eleanor is flawless. She is cold, insecure and formal, yet possessing a hidden warmth and neediness exemplified by the actual Mrs. Roosevelt.

For anyone interested in Presidential history or the relationship between FDR and Eleanor, this is essential viewing. Thank God it's available again so everyone can see it.

This mini-series is well worth a look. I watched this DVD after reading the Lash biography that formed the basis of the series. I found the book good but slow going: it's densely-documented and scholarly. The video version does an excellent, accurate job of dramatizing the essential events of the story.

Besides being well-told history, the series is also a pleasure to watch. The acting is great, the settings are lush, and the costuming is magnificent. The series is both good history and good entertainment. I highly recommend it.

I saw this film when it first appeared on TV and liked it so much. I was overjoyed to see it available on DVD. I felt like it really touched on the essence of Eleanor. Will watch it again.