Edward-Herrmann Movie Reviews

It is truly a shame that this movie is largely unknown, because it is one of the finer movies I have ever watched. The acting is amazing, and the characters play off of each other brilliantly. I have told others about the movie, and have to warn them that if they are looking for lots of explosions, blood, and guts, that this is not the movie for them. Unfortunately, we have come to expect and even crave that in a war movie. What makes A Foreign Field so great is the fact that the noise and bloodshed are long over, and the movie focuses instead on the memories and core emotions that veterans and their loved ones feel when reflecting on a different time. It is a great movie to watch on Veteran's Day or Memorial Day every year.

A sleeper. I fortunately saw Foreign Field on TV several years ago and remembered it. With the current interest in WW II Europe, this movie provides a different viewpoint than the tremendous violence of combat. No mud, no blood and the sun is shining. Wryly humorous at the start, it segues into an emotional end. Not a dry eye in the house.

The thing that impressed me the most was the crafting of the film to build to the touching climax at the grave of Lauren Bacall's brother. The movie begins with the Brit and the American at odds and moves forward as they realize they shared a common experience on D-Day with both contributing to the Allied victory. At the film's end they come to know that that experience was also shared by the enemy, who were also just soldiers doing their duty and likewise deserve respect. After 50 years, a common ground is reached and all are reconciled to the past.

"Eleanor and Franklin - The Early Years" is one of the most interesting movies I've ever seen. The story told from Eleanor's view is very well written. I've loved this movie for years, and enjoy seeing it each and every time. Quite a master piece.

This 1976 two-part biopic, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Special-Drama or Comedy, provided one of those perfect marriages of actors and roles for Jane Alexander and Edward Herrmann as Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt. Amazing, neither performer won an Emmy, losing out of Sally Field in "Sybill" and Christopher Plummer in "The Moneychangers," respectively. The script, written by James Costigan, is based on the book by Joseph P. Lash. "Eleanor and Franklin" is told primarily in flashbacks as Eleanor travels from Washington, D.C. to Warm Springs, Georgia and back to retrieve Franklin's body after his sudden death in 1945. The first part covers their courtship and marriage; she accepts his proposal on behalf of her luggage, since she will not have to change her last name. They move to Washington when Franklin serves as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration during World War I. In addition to the ambitions of Franklin and her overbearing mother-in-law (Rosemary Murphy), Eleanor has to deal with her husband's relationship with Lucy Mercer (Linda Kelsey) and then the crucible of his battle with polio. From the woman who had to hide in the bathroom with the water running so no one would know she was crying when one of her baby's died, Eleanor becomes a tireless campaigner for Franklin in his quest for the White House and ultimately a passionate public figure in her own right. Clearly our sympathies are with Eleanor throughout this story as we come to an even greater appreciation for her role in history. Alexander is positively exquisite as the painfully shy and awkward Eleanor, who is compelled into the public spotlight by forces beyond her control and yet proves herself more than equal to the challenge (Mackenzie Phillips plays the character at age 14). Herrmann became so identified with the role of FDR that he has reprised his performance several times over the years, most notably in "Annie." Director Daniel Petrie also received an Emmy for "Eleanor and Franklin," which met with such critical acclaim that a sequel, "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years" was put together for the next year. However, it just could not match this first effort, which was renamed "Eleanor and Franklin: The Early Years" to distinguish it from the 1977 series. This is as fine a television biopic as you will ever see, a combination of rich historical material turned into an excellent script and featuring superb acting performances. No matter what you think of Franklin Roosevelt, it will be pretty much impossible not to think better of Eleanor Roosevelt by the time you finish watching this movie.

I've seen this movie on television many years ago and I've loved it ever since. I had a copy on tape, but somehow it got taped over it. Then I brought one last year and it claimed that it was closed-caption for the hearing-impaired. To my disappointment, the captions was so bad, not even showing up on my TV. It was my absolute favorite, it was very upset to the fact that I was not able to watch and understand. How can the captions get corrected so many of us can watch it! It is history after all. Any solutions would be very much appreciated! Will this become available on DVD soon?? Thanks!

"Eleanor and Franklin - The Early Years" is one of the most interesting movies I've ever seen. The story told from Eleanor's view is very well written. I've loved this movie for years, and enjoy seeing it each and every time. Quite a master piece.

This 1976 two-part biopic, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Special-Drama or Comedy, provided one of those perfect marriages of actors and roles for Jane Alexander and Edward Herrmann as Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt. Amazing, neither performer won an Emmy, losing out of Sally Field in "Sybill" and Christopher Plummer in "The Moneychangers," respectively. The script, written by James Costigan, is based on the book by Joseph P. Lash. "Eleanor and Franklin" is told primarily in flashbacks as Eleanor travels from Washington, D.C. to Warm Springs, Georgia and back to retrieve Franklin's body after his sudden death in 1945. The first part covers their courtship and marriage; she accepts his proposal on behalf of her luggage, since she will not have to change her last name. They move to Washington when Franklin serves as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration during World War I. In addition to the ambitions of Franklin and her overbearing mother-in-law (Rosemary Murphy), Eleanor has to deal with her husband's relationship with Lucy Mercer (Linda Kelsey) and then the crucible of his battle with polio. From the woman who had to hide in the bathroom with the water running so no one would know she was crying when one of her baby's died, Eleanor becomes a tireless campaigner for Franklin in his quest for the White House and ultimately a passionate public figure in her own right. Clearly our sympathies are with Eleanor throughout this story as we come to an even greater appreciation for her role in history. Alexander is positively exquisite as the painfully shy and awkward Eleanor, who is compelled into the public spotlight by forces beyond her control and yet proves herself more than equal to the challenge (Mackenzie Phillips plays the character at age 14). Herrmann became so identified with the role of FDR that he has reprised his performance several times over the years, most notably in "Annie." Director Daniel Petrie also received an Emmy for "Eleanor and Franklin," which met with such critical acclaim that a sequel, "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years" was put together for the next year. However, it just could not match this first effort, which was renamed "Eleanor and Franklin: The Early Years" to distinguish it from the 1977 series. This is as fine a television biopic as you will ever see, a combination of rich historical material turned into an excellent script and featuring superb acting performances. No matter what you think of Franklin Roosevelt, it will be pretty much impossible not to think better of Eleanor Roosevelt by the time you finish watching this movie.

I've seen this movie on television many years ago and I've loved it ever since. I had a copy on tape, but somehow it got taped over it. Then I brought one last year and it claimed that it was closed-caption for the hearing-impaired. To my disappointment, the captions was so bad, not even showing up on my TV. It was my absolute favorite, it was very upset to the fact that I was not able to watch and understand. How can the captions get corrected so many of us can watch it! It is history after all. Any solutions would be very much appreciated! Will this become available on DVD soon?? Thanks!

"Eleanor and Franklin - The Early Years" is one of the most interesting movies I've ever seen. The story told from Eleanor's view is very well written. I've loved this movie for years, and enjoy seeing it each and every time. Quite a master piece.

This 1976 two-part biopic, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Special-Drama or Comedy, provided one of those perfect marriages of actors and roles for Jane Alexander and Edward Herrmann as Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt. Amazing, neither performer won an Emmy, losing out of Sally Field in "Sybill" and Christopher Plummer in "The Moneychangers," respectively. The script, written by James Costigan, is based on the book by Joseph P. Lash. "Eleanor and Franklin" is told primarily in flashbacks as Eleanor travels from Washington, D.C. to Warm Springs, Georgia and back to retrieve Franklin's body after his sudden death in 1945. The first part covers their courtship and marriage; she accepts his proposal on behalf of her luggage, since she will not have to change her last name. They move to Washington when Franklin serves as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration during World War I. In addition to the ambitions of Franklin and her overbearing mother-in-law (Rosemary Murphy), Eleanor has to deal with her husband's relationship with Lucy Mercer (Linda Kelsey) and then the crucible of his battle with polio. From the woman who had to hide in the bathroom with the water running so no one would know she was crying when one of her baby's died, Eleanor becomes a tireless campaigner for Franklin in his quest for the White House and ultimately a passionate public figure in her own right. Clearly our sympathies are with Eleanor throughout this story as we come to an even greater appreciation for her role in history. Alexander is positively exquisite as the painfully shy and awkward Eleanor, who is compelled into the public spotlight by forces beyond her control and yet proves herself more than equal to the challenge (Mackenzie Phillips plays the character at age 14). Herrmann became so identified with the role of FDR that he has reprised his performance several times over the years, most notably in "Annie." Director Daniel Petrie also received an Emmy for "Eleanor and Franklin," which met with such critical acclaim that a sequel, "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years" was put together for the next year. However, it just could not match this first effort, which was renamed "Eleanor and Franklin: The Early Years" to distinguish it from the 1977 series. This is as fine a television biopic as you will ever see, a combination of rich historical material turned into an excellent script and featuring superb acting performances. No matter what you think of Franklin Roosevelt, it will be pretty much impossible not to think better of Eleanor Roosevelt by the time you finish watching this movie.

I've seen this movie on television many years ago and I've loved it ever since. I had a copy on tape, but somehow it got taped over it. Then I brought one last year and it claimed that it was closed-caption for the hearing-impaired. To my disappointment, the captions was so bad, not even showing up on my TV. It was my absolute favorite, it was very upset to the fact that I was not able to watch and understand. How can the captions get corrected so many of us can watch it! It is history after all. Any solutions would be very much appreciated! Will this become available on DVD soon?? Thanks!

"Eleanor and Franklin - The Early Years" is one of the most interesting movies I've ever seen. The story told from Eleanor's view is very well written. I've loved this movie for years, and enjoy seeing it each and every time. Quite a master piece.

This 1976 two-part biopic, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Special-Drama or Comedy, provided one of those perfect marriages of actors and roles for Jane Alexander and Edward Herrmann as Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt. Amazing, neither performer won an Emmy, losing out of Sally Field in "Sybill" and Christopher Plummer in "The Moneychangers," respectively. The script, written by James Costigan, is based on the book by Joseph P. Lash. "Eleanor and Franklin" is told primarily in flashbacks as Eleanor travels from Washington, D.C. to Warm Springs, Georgia and back to retrieve Franklin's body after his sudden death in 1945. The first part covers their courtship and marriage; she accepts his proposal on behalf of her luggage, since she will not have to change her last name. They move to Washington when Franklin serves as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration during World War I. In addition to the ambitions of Franklin and her overbearing mother-in-law (Rosemary Murphy), Eleanor has to deal with her husband's relationship with Lucy Mercer (Linda Kelsey) and then the crucible of his battle with polio. From the woman who had to hide in the bathroom with the water running so no one would know she was crying when one of her baby's died, Eleanor becomes a tireless campaigner for Franklin in his quest for the White House and ultimately a passionate public figure in her own right. Clearly our sympathies are with Eleanor throughout this story as we come to an even greater appreciation for her role in history. Alexander is positively exquisite as the painfully shy and awkward Eleanor, who is compelled into the public spotlight by forces beyond her control and yet proves herself more than equal to the challenge (Mackenzie Phillips plays the character at age 14). Herrmann became so identified with the role of FDR that he has reprised his performance several times over the years, most notably in "Annie." Director Daniel Petrie also received an Emmy for "Eleanor and Franklin," which met with such critical acclaim that a sequel, "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years" was put together for the next year. However, it just could not match this first effort, which was renamed "Eleanor and Franklin: The Early Years" to distinguish it from the 1977 series. This is as fine a television biopic as you will ever see, a combination of rich historical material turned into an excellent script and featuring superb acting performances. No matter what you think of Franklin Roosevelt, it will be pretty much impossible not to think better of Eleanor Roosevelt by the time you finish watching this movie.

I've seen this movie on television many years ago and I've loved it ever since. I had a copy on tape, but somehow it got taped over it. Then I brought one last year and it claimed that it was closed-caption for the hearing-impaired. To my disappointment, the captions was so bad, not even showing up on my TV. It was my absolute favorite, it was very upset to the fact that I was not able to watch and understand. How can the captions get corrected so many of us can watch it! It is history after all. Any solutions would be very much appreciated! Will this become available on DVD soon?? Thanks!

"Eleanor and Franklin - The Early Years" is one of the most interesting movies I've ever seen. The story told from Eleanor's view is very well written. I've loved this movie for years, and enjoy seeing it each and every time. Quite a master piece.

This 1976 two-part biopic, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Special-Drama or Comedy, provided one of those perfect marriages of actors and roles for Jane Alexander and Edward Herrmann as Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt. Amazing, neither performer won an Emmy, losing out of Sally Field in "Sybill" and Christopher Plummer in "The Moneychangers," respectively. The script, written by James Costigan, is based on the book by Joseph P. Lash. "Eleanor and Franklin" is told primarily in flashbacks as Eleanor travels from Washington, D.C. to Warm Springs, Georgia and back to retrieve Franklin's body after his sudden death in 1945. The first part covers their courtship and marriage; she accepts his proposal on behalf of her luggage, since she will not have to change her last name. They move to Washington when Franklin serves as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration during World War I. In addition to the ambitions of Franklin and her overbearing mother-in-law (Rosemary Murphy), Eleanor has to deal with her husband's relationship with Lucy Mercer (Linda Kelsey) and then the crucible of his battle with polio. From the woman who had to hide in the bathroom with the water running so no one would know she was crying when one of her baby's died, Eleanor becomes a tireless campaigner for Franklin in his quest for the White House and ultimately a passionate public figure in her own right. Clearly our sympathies are with Eleanor throughout this story as we come to an even greater appreciation for her role in history. Alexander is positively exquisite as the painfully shy and awkward Eleanor, who is compelled into the public spotlight by forces beyond her control and yet proves herself more than equal to the challenge (Mackenzie Phillips plays the character at age 14). Herrmann became so identified with the role of FDR that he has reprised his performance several times over the years, most notably in "Annie." Director Daniel Petrie also received an Emmy for "Eleanor and Franklin," which met with such critical acclaim that a sequel, "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years" was put together for the next year. However, it just could not match this first effort, which was renamed "Eleanor and Franklin: The Early Years" to distinguish it from the 1977 series. This is as fine a television biopic as you will ever see, a combination of rich historical material turned into an excellent script and featuring superb acting performances. No matter what you think of Franklin Roosevelt, it will be pretty much impossible not to think better of Eleanor Roosevelt by the time you finish watching this movie.

I've seen this movie on television many years ago and I've loved it ever since. I had a copy on tape, but somehow it got taped over it. Then I brought one last year and it claimed that it was closed-caption for the hearing-impaired. To my disappointment, the captions was so bad, not even showing up on my TV. It was my absolute favorite, it was very upset to the fact that I was not able to watch and understand. How can the captions get corrected so many of us can watch it! It is history after all. Any solutions would be very much appreciated! Will this become available on DVD soon?? Thanks!

the actresses portraying Eleanor in this film were well picked to play the part, Eleanor is portrayed as a real woman not just a political figure with no feelings- it kept my attention the whole 3 hours 22 min of the entire movie VOL1 & 2 included

This is the best movie I've ever bought. I definitely recommend you this movie. Muhammad Ali's best movie and a fine performance by Kris Kristofferson

This film portrays the life of one the most talented and genius actors of the 20th century. After watching the movie, I feel as though I have a better understanding of what made this very mysterious young man tick. I believe that you have to get into the mind of a person to fully appreciate them and Franco's performance may be the closest we ever get to actually "knowing" the late Dean. the events of the movie show Dean's life from childhood and his struggles to the Big Apple and eventually in Hollywood. It also portrays his personal relationships with his family and co-workers. I recommend this film to any Dean fans or to anyone wanting to know about James Dean.

James Franco gives a remarkable performance in this excellent biopic of James Dean. The film beautifully shows James Deans rise to fame as one of Americas Idols. It also showed many things about his life that I had no idea about. His quirkiness, his rage against his father, his love for a 14 yr old, and many others. During this time James Dean was the hottest thing in Hollywood, and it was a shame he only did 3 movies. This was a very heartfelt, touching film filled with amazing performances. I had never seen a James Dean movie, but because of James Franco's remarkable performance, I plan too.

James Franco was superb and awsome in the role of James Dean. Usually television movies provide poor acting and story line. But this was different. It has great acting by James Franco, and so much happens in Deans life that the script can't be that poor. The only bad part is the running time, because a lot of things happen so fast, I guesse it would need to since it only runs for 95min not including commercials, it shouls have been extended by about fifteen minutes, then it would have been a perfect film. The film was awsome although it needed some changes a little, since some parts were educated guesses. But other than that, the film was awsome.

this is a clever work which looks at the evolution (and not much at the history!) of the representation of jesus's face, over a period of time overlapping christendom. not sure how comprehensive it is but it seems so. at the limit, it could be viewed as a good timeline of (christian) iconography.

full rich with spectacular visuals brought about by the use of morphic transformations. when the show is over, the viewer is left definitely thinking.

it appeals well to those interested in the history of religions (especially christian), art historians, and everybody in between.

This is a fabulously beautiful documentary of iconography of Christ through the centuries, and the narration and background music are overall (i.e., in spite of occasional oddities) perfect complements. I sort of wonder why Mel Gibson and Ricardo Montalban were asked to serve as narrators here, but Gibson gets extra points for pronouncing Hagia Sophia so creditably :-) The bit where the computer graphics move from face to face is marvelous. The music for the interior of the cathedral at Chartres is, surprisingly, rather brutal; and (I think I remember this running during a shot of San Giovanni in Laterano) the synthesized "How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place" from the Brahms German Requiem is an odd choice, though it doesn't sound godawful. For me, a composer with an artist wife, the low point was some of the (by turns) hideous and sickly-sweet modern stuff, because it is certainly possible to do new work which is beautiful, and to do beautiful work which is not saccharine - and iconography of Christ ought to be beautiful, and ought not to be sugary. But these moments occupy relatively little space. Occasional weird things in the narration - how, exactly, are Christ's features in Michelangelo's "Final Judgement" in the Sistine Chapel those "of Apollo"? - there is glancing reference to the Sistine Chapel being the "most private chapel in the world," yet considering the flood of tourists which passes through it every day, it is actually, more likely, the most PUBLIC chapel in the world. For the most part, though, the narration is simply informative, and balanced. Our century, with its own morbid preoccupations, holds the grotesque work of Hieronymous Bosch in high regard; and the narration rightly says that it inspires horror; we then move to the Chartres cathedral, and quotations from the age to the effect of the beauty of the architecture and art raising our earthly souls to an awareness of heaven - and here, in this seeming aside, we have the heart of iconography. The depiction of Christ serves a spiritual purpose, it is not a mere exercise for a modern artist to express his personal dissatisfaction with the world around him (like the Belgian artist who self-servingly "equates" public dislike for his "art" with the sufferings of Christ ... puh-leeze ... his beef is with an allegedly "cynical and stupid" public, but perhaps he should have taken a good look in the mirror).

But these (for me) flaws are abundantly compensated for, there are wonders which space does not allow for much more than listing ... the ancient Ethiopian icons, with the peculiarly primitive heads, no less devotional; a peek at Raphael's "Triumph" in the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican (in the same room facing the School of Athens, though generally less famous except to artists and theologians); the incomplete sculpture Michelangelo had intended for his tombstone; Rembrandt's self-portraiture in the Crucifixion (i.e., one of those raising the cross ... nothing like the self-proclaimed martyrdom of the Belgian, above) and the Descent from the Cross; the Veronica icon, and the Pantocrator from the monastery at Mt Sinai.

Some wonderful surprises, too, such as the "three-headed" Latin American depictions of the Trinity which, while they are dubious as iconography, are fascinating cultural and artistic documents; and a Latin American Last Supper, featuring a roast pig at the Passover which must be a visual malopropism for the ages ....

Beautiful, stunning and informative.

This is simply one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. It is visually stunning, and well-researched. This should be required viewing for any introductory art history class, as well as for any person who intends to travel and wants to understand some of the art they will be seeing.