A movie that changes the way I see the world is, to me, a great movie. And this is a great movie. I will never think of FDR the same. What he went through is almost beyond comprehension. The movie conveys this, without getting mawkish.
I have met many politicians. While there are some who are in it out of self-interest, there are some who truly care about others and who are great human beings, not perfect, but great nevertheless. That is what we see of FDR in Warm Springs. We see a person of privilege getting to see and know the common man, and caring so much that he is willing to lay his entire fortune on the line in the risky proposition of buying this decrepit spa, against family opposition, and serving people who often cannot pay so that they may regain some small degree of their health.
While the movie does not spell it out, it does not take much imagination to see how this affected FDR's understanding of what people were going through in the Depression; he had lived among them.
And while the American public may not have known the details of this story, Winston Churchill likely would have. And it is interesting to ponder the parallels between their lives. For Churchill also was consigned to the political backwaters after WWI, with no realistic hope of a return to power. So this likely led to even greater sympathy between the two leaders.
This is a movie that needs to be seen widely, perhaps even in secondary school history classes. It brings history alive.
The acting is fine, all around. I don't know how much is the script, and how much the acting, but the movie succeeds in making us care about even the minor characters, which is an extraordinary accomplishment in any film. And there is character development successfully depicted in numerous secondary characters in the film. Everyone involved deserves credit for a job well done.
Spoiler ahead:
I don't want to spoil the plot, but did you know that Roosevelt got elected president five times - four after getting polio??
If you get a chance, watch it!
I have met many politicians. While there are some who are in it out of self-interest, there are some who truly care about others and who are great human beings, not perfect, but great nevertheless. That is what we see of FDR in Warm Springs. We see a person of privilege getting to see and know the common man, and caring so much that he is willing to lay his entire fortune on the line in the risky proposition of buying this decrepit spa, against family opposition, and serving people who often cannot pay so that they may regain some small degree of their health.
While the movie does not spell it out, it does not take much imagination to see how this affected FDR's understanding of what people were going through in the Depression; he had lived among them.
And while the American public may not have known the details of this story, Winston Churchill likely would have. And it is interesting to ponder the parallels between their lives. For Churchill also was consigned to the political backwaters after WWI, with no realistic hope of a return to power. So this likely led to even greater sympathy between the two leaders.
This is a movie that needs to be seen widely, perhaps even in secondary school history classes. It brings history alive.
The acting is fine, all around. I don't know how much is the script, and how much the acting, but the movie succeeds in making us care about even the minor characters, which is an extraordinary accomplishment in any film. And there is character development successfully depicted in numerous secondary characters in the film. Everyone involved deserves credit for a job well done.
Spoiler ahead:
I don't want to spoil the plot, but did you know that Roosevelt got elected president five times - four after getting polio??
If you get a chance, watch it!