The film opens with some home footage of the Kennedys,
and narration about the appeal of the man. The narrator then tells us, “What
most people don’t know is that JFK’s health has been frail for most of his life,”
and we see footage of John F. Kennedy using hand rails to get from the car to a
building. Robert Dallek (Kennedy biographer) says, “If the public knew how
many medical problems he had, I think it would have destroyed his presidential
ambitions.”
A brief history of the Kennedy family is provided,
including some information on how Joseph Kennedy made his fortune, as well as
his marriage to Rose Fitzgerald and his affair with Gloria Swanson. But what we
really focus on in relation to Joseph is the influence he had on his children
regarding their drive and ambition to succeed.
There is some footage of John F. Kennedy and his siblings
when they were young, and some information on JFK’s service during World War
II. But some of the most interesting footage here is that with Jacqueline
Kennedy, especially the interview she gave after their honeymoon in which, when
asked if she’s in love with John, she responds, “Oh no” without
realizing it. After a moment, she is asked the question again and responds, “I
suppose so.” Also interesting is the footage from At Home With The
Kennedys, in which Jacqueline talks of the joys of campaigning and John
encourages people to phone in with questions.
Two of Robert Kennedy’s children are interviewed in the
film. Matthew Maxwell Kennedy talks about the family gatherings at Hyannis Port
in the summers, and there is footage of JFK playing with children there during
his presidency. Robert Kennedy, Jr. talks about those atomic attack drills in
the 1950s. And the film includes footage from one of those ridiculous
“educational” films in which children are taught to “duck and cover” in
case of an atomic bomb exploding nearby.
Also interviewed is Harry Belafonte, who says he wasn’t
actually in favor of JFK at the beginning. He talks about being asked to join
his presidential campaign, and says, “I discovered how little he knew about
black people.” We see footage of Harry Belafonte with the Kennedys as part
of the campaign. There are interviews with Ted Sorensen (JFK’s counselor and
speechwriter) and Sergei Khrushchev (Nikita Khrushchev’s son), the latter of
whom talks about his father’s strategy and fears. But this film doesn’t get too
much into the politics of the time.
There is some information on JFK’s extramarital affairs,
including that with Judith Campbell and the possible affair with Marilyn
Monroe. And the narrator tells us: “According to his medical files, JFK had
contracted gonorrhea, or the clap, as the sexually transmitted disease is
commonly known, and had probably infected his wife with chlamydia bacteria that
can bring about premature births and cause infertility.”
This film doesn’t delve into the circumstances or
theories regarding his death. It’s not really an investigative piece at all. No
documents are provided, for example, on Kennedy’s health issues and the
medications he took for his back pains. Also, I’m not sure the promise
contained in its title, The Private President, is actually met by this
film. Sure, there is home footage, but not a lot of new information about his
private life is revealed. But it does include the last-known private footage of
John F. Kennedy alive (from November 10, 1963), which features a shot of
Jacqueline teaching John-John how to salute.
JFK: The Private President was written and
directed by Kathrin Seelmann-Eggebert, and is scheduled to be released on DVD
on November 18, 2014 through First Run Features.
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