jakecorgi

I just obtained this movie via making a donation to the Robert Kennedy Memorial Fund. My wife and I watched it this evening, and we were so touched that we immediately watched it again. Although it is only 30 minutes in length, director Charles Googenheim captures the essence of the man. Particularly striking are the scenes that show RFK interacting with crowds while campaigning. Younger viewers who have known only pre-packaged presidential campaigns that are driven primarily by carefully orchestrated photo ops will be shocked by the unbounded, joyous and spontaneous nature of RFK's interaction with the crowds that flocked to see, hear and touch him. The movie--and the man who is the subject of the movie--are both true gems.

I just watched this movie, and I would recommend it primarily for those viewers who previously have not been exposed to some of the key unresolved issues in the RFK assassination case. Those who are "buffs" of RFK will not find much new ground here, primarily because the movie is now over 30 years old. However, considering the year of its release (1973) and the general consensus at that point that Sirhan was solely responsible for the shooting, the film was ground breaking for its time. The most puzzling part of the case has always been how to reconcile the fact that the coroner found that the fatal wound entered Bobby Kennedy's right mastoid from behind and at very close range (from less than an inch to three inches) with the fact that all the witnesses place Sirhan to the front and never closer than a couple of feet or so to Kennedy. The producers identify a likely suspect as a second shooter (I won't give the game away, although those of you familiar with the case will readily guess the identity of that suspect). The most powerful impression left by this movie is the utter incompetence of the LAPD in handling this big case (remind you of a famous case in the 1990s?).