Wonderful character development!

Simply A Masterpiece

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

From my favorite movies..

Ken Burns wants you to know the Roosevelts were really awesome. Noble hardworking, intelligent people who devoted their lives to public service. And yes, they were. But they also had some serious flaws, and the only way you'll know that after watching this documentary series is if you knew it before watching it.FDR gets more time than anyone else, and while the series spends endless amounts of time on political minutia and his love life, it spends about two minutes on the greatest stain of his presidency; the Japanese internment camps. When it is mentioned it's cheated by focusing on Eleanor's rather mild early objections to the program.I have read elsewhere that, like most white people of the time FDR told racist jokes and seemed put off by other peoples, such as Asians and Jews, but there's not a hint of that here. The approach to Teddy is similar, obsessed with stories of his strong will and good deeds, but TR was a decidedly problematic character and we see little of that.This doesn't mean there's not a lot of interesting information, nor that the series doesn't make it's narrative compelling, but simply that I don't trust that narrative. To me there's something problematic about spending hours on a World War II president without looking at American antisemitism and those times when America rejected refugees just as we are today. The world is a complex place full of complex people, and I don't see the point in turning politicians into Prince Charmings.As Ken Burns documentaries go, I didn't find this one as engaging as my favorites, like Jazz and The Dust Bowl, but overall it's worth watching, even if it loses momentum towards the end.

Another exemplary documentary from the fine American documentary maker Ken Burns. This one has a smaller scope than the other documentary series I've seen from Burns, which typically explore wars the like; this one examines the Roosevelt family, which gave America two presidents alongside many other interesting historical figures. The film has an intimate, personal tone and I'm not ashamed to say I was involved enough to shed tears in the final instalment. This is because the series is so good that it makes you feel like you know the characters involved. I had my suspicions that there wouldn't be enough material to sustain a lengthy running time, but I needn't have worried; this is endlessly engaging, fascinating in fact.

This is indeed my favorite documentary. It's an intimate look at the life of the best president ever Teddy Roosevelt, his niece Eleanor Roosevelt, and her husband Franklin Roosevelt. I am biased, you see, so I will admit that my favorite bits are about teddy, and his war hero sons. Although Eleanor's accomplishments are incredible and I'm more impressed with her than I am with her husband Frank.If you only see one documentary this year, make it this one. For I can only describe it with one word: BULLY!And remember, speak softly and carry a big stick!

This 14 hour mini-series by documentary icon Ken Burns, gives an in- depth look into the lives of this famous family. This documentary can make a person who does not know anything about The Roosevelt Dynasty into an expert in an entertaining and educational way. This film has a fine feel of history supported by a very clear narration. The documentary covers facts that take place between 1858 and 1962. The subjects are mainly Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt and their entire lives from birth to death and everything in between. The Roosevelts: An Intimate History is a wonderful look at the history of one of the greatest American Dynasties. I love the way they make some parts narrated as if a person from that era is talking. The only thing I have a small problem is the length. The entire thing is 14 hours long. This may be a bit challenging if you try to keep attention of younger audience but, if you stay with it, the film teaches you a lot about history. If you have the time, it is a great film to watch and learn from. My favorite scene is when they talk about the birth of Theodore. He is sickly and is not expected to live long. However, he lives a very good and successful life even though every time he sees a doctor they say he has very little time left. He refuses to live with those limitations and to avoid stairs, hard hikes or anything challenging and he lives life to its fullest despite his sickness.This film is very mature and talks about some touchy topics so I would recommend it for ages 12 to18. Younger kids may get confused of some things. I give this film 5 out of 5 stars for fantastic narration, wonderful layout and a fantastic educational background. After all Ken Burns wrote the book on documentaries! If you like learning about history – this is the way to go.Reviewed by KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O.