13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent documentary on one man's complex legacy, May 4, 2005
One really is left wondering "what might have been" after watching this splendid documentary of one of the most compelling figures in 20th century US politics. I have my doubts that Huey Long could have wrestled the 1936 presidential nomination away from FDR (a far more adroit politician who knew as well as anyone how to marginalize his foes), but what would have the 1940 elections brought? Huey Long might never have had the national following to get the nomination, but he would have been a force to be reckoned with within the Democratic party.
How he reached this level of power is fascinating. Relatively unschooled but with political instincts second to none in Louisiana, Long could have written the book on the consolidation of power. The Long Machine is not unique --- there have been other statewide machines such as the Cameron Machine in Pennsylvania, for example --- but the swiftness with which Long's organization rose to power is unparalleled. Even more amazing was the fact that he had sizeable opposition within Louisiana who knew exactly what he was trying to do, and yet Long was still able to outmaneuver his foes!
Clearly it is pretty easy to paint Long as an utterly corrupt dictator, and not a few of the talking heads in this documentary do exactly that. I could have done without Arthur Schlesinger Jr. (evidently taking time off from being the official Camelot court historian and Kennedy apologist) self-righteously pronouncing judgement on Huey Long, even though Long deserved it --- but that is neither here nor there. The fact that Long was a thoroughly unsavory autocrat does not explain the popular appeal he had which lasts to this very day. Burns, to his eternal credit, devotes a not inconsequential amount film to interviews with ordinary people who recall all the wonderful things Huey Long did for the have-nots in the state. Look into their eyes --- you can see genuine affection for the man, decades after his death.
All of this leaves the viewer with no easy answers, which is fine with me. History is rarely a black-and-white proposition, and we should not pretend that it is so. Did the good deeds of the man excuse his corruption and hunger for power? What is the benefit of democracy if the have-nots always lose and suffer? Some countries have had the chance to choose tyranny because it least it meant that every citizen would have his or her basic needs met, and to them it was worth sacrificing civil liberties. It hasn't happened often in the US, but it did happen once upon a time in Louisiana. Ken Burns does a splendid job of telling the story.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ken Burns at his best., September 27, 2007
From the interviews to the music and photos, this is a very informative and inspiring piece. Long was a complex man, and, now nearly 3/4 of a century later, we are no closer to sorting him out than when he was shot. There are fascinating interviews and comments by Mrs. Hodding Carter Sr, and other contemporaries, but Robert Penn Warren absolutley steals the show with his readings and comments. It's good if you know a little about either Long or Louisiana going in (If your only frame of refrence is contemporary urban culture, you may have a little trouble understanding why some of these things happened...), but in any case, get it!
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nearly Perfect, May 18, 1999
I saw this wonderful documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1986, so I was prepared when "The Civil War" appeared on PBS. I was already stoked by this splendid film. Anyone who uses Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927" on the soundtrack in on the right track. Getting Robert Penn Warren before he died to talk about Long on film was also a stroke of genius. This is a must-purchase for history buffs or anyone else who loves good filmmaking.
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