Sunrise at Campobello

Ralph Bellamy gives perhaps his best performance as a very credible FDR. Greer Garson and Hume Cronyn give their usual solid efforts, and the supporting cast is all great. The atmosphere is right. The script is surprisingly crisp, but the length of the piece weighs it down. When it reaches the two-hour mark, the whole movie starts to creak. So if you have an interest in history and politics, it's great. If not, it's tough sledding up this long, steep hill.

"Sunrise at Campobello" enacts early events in the personal life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt with fine production values, including solid performances.

Certainly both Ralph Bellamy and Greer Garson had their work cut out playing, respectively, Franklin and Eleanor. They got their characterizations down pat, and their work is of a high calibre.

The talented supporting cast is headed by Hume Cronyn as Franklin's best friend and Ann Shoemaker as his doting mother. Jean Hagen is seen as a good-natured secretary.

It may be that Dore Schary's script from his play was too lengthy, or that Vincent J. Donahue's direction was too slow. Whatever the case, running at 144 minutes this seems a pretty long haul for the average viewer.

Bellamy's work is consistently exectued, with all of the famous FDR mannerisms--it is also slowly-paced. Garson's Eleanor captures her distinctivly slow, deliberate speech cadence. Likewise, both principals' makeups are subtely effective.

The script begins in 1921 when Franklin was 40 and wisely ends just three years later with his politically important nominating speech for Al Smith. While there may be some dramatic modifications of factual material, the basic flavor of the period and characters are well handled.

Fraklin's overcoming of physical adversity to become a four term US president is a story of great interest, from both a human and professional perspective. "Sunrise at Campolbello" skillfully presents this inspired period of American history.

In 1921, while summering at his Campobello estate, future U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt (Ralph Bellamy) is stricken with "infantile paralysis" (also known as polio). Though the use of his legs is permanently lost, Mr. Roosevelt perseveres, combining inner strength with the support of wife Eleanor (Greer Garson) and political pal Louis Howe (Hume Cronyn). Ex-MGM production chief Dore Schary's "Sunrise at Campobello" began its life as a Broadway hit, and is a little too lengthy and theatrical as a motion picture. Still, it's an important story, about what may well wind up being the most important world leader of the twentieth century.

The film also features what has become regarded, in many circles, as a legendary portrayal of FDR by Mr. Bellamy, reprised in Dan Curtis' mammoth mini-series "The Winds of War" (1983) and follow-up "War and Remembrance" (1989). Bellamy's FDR won a "Tony" award, but was oddly overlooked for an "Oscar" (the five nominees as "Best Actor" were also deserving, however).

Ms. Garson did receive an "Academy Award" nomination as "Best Actress" for her portrayal of Eleanor; at the time, the role was considered a stretch, which Garson pulled off. Her vocal work often sounds too affected; but, so was the real Mrs. Roosevelt's voice, many would argue. Garson outright won the dramatic actress award from both the "Golden Globe" and the "National Board of Review" groups. Other organizations noted Mr. Schary's film was one of the year's best, with Vincent Donohue (Director), Bellamy, Garson, and Mr. Cronyn (Supporting Actor) among the honorably mentioned. The real Mrs. Roosevelt seems to have agreed.

******* Sunrise at Campobello (9/28/60) Dore Schary : Vincent J. Donehue ~ Ralph Bellamy, Greer Garson, Hume Cronyn, Tim Considine

Good old fashioned biography of FDR's struggle against polio and his journey back to the political arena. Good supporting performances and a handsome production add luster to this.

The real strength of this is in the performances of the lead pair. Greer Garson as Eleanor does a terrific approximation of that great lady, people have mentioned that her teeth are distracting but Mrs.Roosevelt did have large teeth and an overbite so kudos to the studio for remaining true to the actual woman. She was still alive when this came out so the audiences of the time were well aware of her appearance. It's only a surface characteristic anyway and Garson portrayal goes much deeper giving a fine account of the future first lady.

However it's Ralph Bellamy in the best role he ever had as FDR that walks away with top acting honors. Having performed the role on stage he has perfected it to a fine point and richly deserved the Oscar nomination he received. He conveys both FDR's weariness as well as the strength required to bounce back from the blow polio dealt him.

Beautifully appointed this is studio film making at its best. Wonderful ending.

For anyone remotely interested in the history of U.S. presidents, SUNRISE AT CAMPOBELLO does an outstanding job of recreating the period of time during which Franklin Deleano Roosevelt coped with his victory over suffering polio in his forties, just as his political ambitions were taking shape.

RALPH BELLAMY repeats his stage role and makes you forget that all he ever played in his earlier movies were the hapless saps who lost the girl in the last reel. He gives a full-bodied portrait of the man and is ably assisted by an actress who seemed a most unlikely choice for her role--GREER GARSON as Eleanor Roosevelt.

With a striking supporting cast headed by HUME CRONYN as Roosevelt's closest friend and adviser, the only weak point of the whole enterprise is the length of time it takes to tell the story. 144 minutes is a long time to sit through a tale such as this, crammed as it is with some static scenes and full of dialog exchanges that go on for some length of time.

But all in all, it's a fascinating history lesson in that all of the events unfold using a lot of historical background as to the politics of the time. Oddly enough, Bellamy himself did not win an Oscar nomination but Greer Garson did. She also won awards from The National Board of Review and the Golden Globes as Best Actress.

Well worth seeing, although it seems to wear out its welcome during the last twenty-five minutes or so.