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37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Kennedy Years, Warts and All, November 29, 2002
This 1983 NBC mini-series may well be the best of its kind and remains probably the definitive Kennedy docu-drama. The film is confined to the brief years of the presidential administration, and is refreshingly honest in retelling the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the presidential philandering and, of course, the drama of that fateful final day. Martin Sheen is magnificent, as usual, in the title role, and he plays his presidential role with a believeable human quality that the real man thought of his constituency as the disenfranchised. As the first lady, Blair Brown's portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy is riveting and haunting as impressed throughout with her voiced-over prophecy of her "appointment with death." Beyond the two leads, a stellar supporting cast is headed by the late E.G. Marshall as the Kennedy patriarch, Joe Sr., John Shea as RFK and the late Vincent Gardenia in a sinister turn as FBI head J. Edgar Hoover. But this film belongs to Sheen and Brown, and together they ignite a sense of glamour and vitality that defined the real couple. Brown, especially, however, is mesmerizing, and her accomplishment here is a must-see. There are apparently two versions on the market, the original and an edited time-condensed version. Stay away from the shorter one. The editing is so bad that continunity is sacrificed, and all we get is a jumbled mess. The original is well worth the five or so hours to watch it, and its an impassioned account of the successes and shortcomings of the Camelot administration.
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33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
ONE OF TV'S BEST MINI-SERIES, May 20, 2004
Having already mastered RFK in 1975's THE MISSLES OF OCTOBER, it was only logical that Martin Sheen step up to the role he was seemingly born to play in what has proved to be one of the best mini-series ever produced. KENNEDY is a believable docu-drama that stays true to the 1000 day historical record. What's very commendable is Jim Goddard staying away in mass from the soap opera element of JFK's now much publicized adultery and the blind eye turned (to it) by his wife, staff and family. Vincent Gardinia offers memory burn as J. Edgar Hoover, just as Sheen does with JFK. The final ride through Dealy Plaza is horrific.
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The accents go wrong here and there, October 25, 2009
Being from Massachusetts, I can say that the attempted Kennedy accents in this 1983 miniseries are occassionally almost accurate, never entirely perfect, and sometimes just plain awful. Still, the writing and acting here are pretty good for a TV movie of this vintage. Some parts go on way too long, such as the Bay of Pig and civil rights segments, and J. Edgar Hoover is creepy sometimes, but mostly just over the top. Resemblances are uncanny, though, to the real Hoover and Jackie Kennedy. Martin Sheen as JFK is close, but no cigar. EG Marshall as old man Kennedy does a great job. This is certainly no substitute for history, but as a TV entertainment, it remains impressive. The cutting is pretty contemporary for something of this vintage. This, overall, holds up pretty well.
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