One single event transformed America from the happy-go-lucky quaintness of the 1950s to the revolutionary and chaotic counter-culture of the 1960s. 50+ years have passed since the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and the lore and legacy still captivates Americans with an obsession that rivals the sinking of the Titanic.
A biographical piece brought me to Oliver Stone’s 1991 controversial and award winning historical thriller “JFK.” A true story with so many absurdities you couldn’t script it if you tried, “JFK” attempts to unravel an intricately weaved conspiracy theory that centers around the assassination of the president – and still has ardent defenders these many decades later.
Everyone knows the names involved when it comes to the chilling date of November 22, 1963. Lee Harvey Oswald. The Texas School Book Depository. The Grassy Knoll. The Zapruder film. And of course, John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States.
Nominated for 8 Academy Awards and winner of 2, Oliver Stone cements the viewer into downtown Dallas on that fateful day, juxtaposing an all star cast of actors with actual footage from the time to tell the story.
While the cast assembled is so outrageous in itself, nothing is more powerful than the hodgepodge of news footage, silent color motion film, and radio signals of the era. No actor could capture the raw emotion of CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite struggling for composure on live television as he breaks the horrifying news to America.
“JFK” opens with a brief montage of political events that occurred in the 3 short years that transpired between Senator Kennedy’s election victory on November 8, 1960 and President Kennedy’s untimely death at age 46, just 36 months later. While Stone is setting the backdrop, he is also introducing the viewer to the many enemies Kennedy would make, and with it the possible benefactors of an assassination; Fidel Castro. Communist Russia. International business moguls. Our own CIA.
Kevin Costner plays New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, a dutiful southern husband and father who has initial skepticism about the murder that intensifies after his review of the cryptic Warren Report – the official document that established the facts of the assassination. Joined by his trusted and faithful assistants, Garrison embarks on an uphill quest to uncover the truth – going up against an invincible and well connected machine.
Kevin Costner does a good job in the lead role. “JFK” comes out in his heyday of stardom, the immediate aftermath of lauded films “Dances With Wolves” and “Field of Dreams” and before his renowned flop “Waterworld.” Costner is at home with role of Jim Garrison, a character that travels to prisons and offices, before eventually dazzling in a climactic courtroom showdown.
As Jim Garrison, Costner deals with an assortment of unusual characters, like a flamboyant male prostitute (Kevin Bacon), a seedy New Orleans high strung lowlife (Joe Pesci), and a mysterious government agent (Donald Sutherland).
Wayne Knight of ‘Seinfeld’ fame and an unheralded Michael Rooker play Garrison’s assistants and do an excellent job in the second fiddle roles. Tommy Lee Jones is perfect as always in his portrayal of Clay Shaw, the target of Garrison’s conspiracy.
Rounding out the cast is Gary Oldman as the notorious Lee Harvey Oswald. In a creepy way, Oldman somehow looks exactly like the real life assassin. And if that isn’t enough, legendary composer John Williams does the score.
What’s great about “JFK” is the setting. The era is almost unfathomable to todays generation of social media and mobile phones addicted millennials. Kennedy road through the streets of Dallas in a convertible with no protection from a mass crowd watching as he passed. And with iPhones being 40 years off, the only footage of the event is the chilling and silent home movie captured inadvertently by blue collar worker Abraham Zapruder.
My complaint with the film is Stone’s presentation. It’s obvious the director wants to portray a conspiracy, but he doesn’t allow for the viewer to decide for themselves. History fans will enjoy it, though you will probably get more factual information from any number of books or biographies on the subject. And with a director’s cut of 206 minutes, its epic to say the least. Plan on watching in halves, or even thirds.
It’s a surreal film to watch in contrast with the current presidential elections raging throughout the states. Today would have been President Kennedy’s 99th birthday. I won’t pretend to be a presidential historian, but John F. Kennedy seems like he would have been a terrific and instrumental two term president. Its a shame he didn’t have the opportunity. History still suffers from the loss.
From the Kennedy assassination to 9/11, people have an obsession with conspiracies. When a regal and charismatic young politician is senselessly murdered, its more palatable to accept a massive government cover-up than the reality that a scrawny loser who accomplished nothing of good in his entire life did it for no real reason at all. Which is the truth? We’ll probably never know.
by – Matt Christopher
