The Roosevelts: An Intimate History

While The Civil War will probably always be my favorite documentary from Ken Burns and company this is really great storytelling.

The documentary focus is on both Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt two of the most highly ranked President(s) of the United States of America and also Eleanor the wife of Franklin and niece of Theodore (she was a fifth cousin of Franklin).

While Theodore and Franklin represented different parties they were both progressive in their own way. Both men also had various human character flaws.

The arc of Eleanor's life is also fascinating and she played an important role as an advisor to her husband and campaigned for many social causes she believed in.

The narration by Peter Coyote is compelling and there is a cast of great actors who read the various writings of these historical figures.

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!

Greetings again from the darkness. Ken Burns is renowned for his documentaries - two of my favorites are Baseball (1994) and Jazz (2001). The power he wields is measured by his ability to get 14 hours of documentary not just researched and filmed, but also broadcast via PBS. Think how many Hollywood producers can't get the green light for a 90 minute pet project. Mr. Burns is a national treasure who creates national treasures, and his latest is some of his finest work yet.

Focusing on an incredibly prominent American family - one that dominated politics and history for years - the stories are presented in chronological order, interconnecting the biographies of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor with the key events in history that they helped shape. But it's not all politics, as we also learn about the families and the individual make-up (flaws and all) of the 3 principals. We learn of the Republican Roosevelts of Oyster Bay and the Democrats of Hyde Park.

Mr. Burns has set the bar very high for his productions, yet somehow we still managed to be struck by the photographs, archival footage and insights of these people and the times. The sheer number of previously unseen photographs and footage is staggering. Add to that the commentary from writers and historians, and it's easy to imagine this being the foundation for a high school or college history course ... one that students would actually enjoy.

There are seven parts to the whole, each presented in chronological order: Pt 1 Get Action 1858-1901, Pt 2 In The Arena 1901-1910, Pt 3 The Fire of Life 1910-1919, Pt 4 The Storm 1920-1933, Pt 5 The Rising road 1933-39, Pt 6 The Common Cause 1939-44, Pt 7 A Strong and Active Faith 1944-62.

We witness the rise to power and fame for TR, FDR and Eleanor. The deaths of each is also highlighted, as well as their respective impact on politics and history. It's not surprising that some of the character flaws and even questionable political decisions are glossed over, but this is not without it's acknowledgment of such.

The insight into the obstacles all 3 Roosevelts overcame is fascinating. We hear recordings of each, and the voice acting fills the gaps - Meryl Streep as Eleanor, Edward Herrmann as FDR, and Paul Giamatti as TR. Peter Coyote does a nice job throughout as the narrator, and numerous other actors are utilized through the production, including the final screen appearance of Eli Wallach. This is an incredible documentary covering some giants of US politics and some of the most historical events ... each with visual and audio depth that makes this an extraordinary viewing opportunity.

There's no doubt that Ken Burns is one of the best documentary producers of our time and this one maintains the high standards. He chooses the right music at just the right time and seems to have no problems in getting the best reporters and researchers to make their contributions. Whenever you watch one of his series you are guaranteed to be educated with some formerly unknown details on the subject at hand, and Burns always does this with tact and grace.

The Roosevelts' story is typical of past power politics in the USA, where a compliant media ensured that truth was the first casualty. Having said that, the family certainly did more for the lot of the working US citizen than anyone since, and the personal foibles are minor compared to some of the antics of more recent incumbents.

You'd like to think that politics was on a constant path to self improvement but I think that the Roosevelts set as high a standard as you're going to get , the Trumans,Eisenhowers and Carters are the only ones who can compare. Watch this with wistfulness,you're not likely to see such integrity in your leaders again in this lifetime.

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.