When it happened back in 1963, it was all about LBJ and Lee Harvey Oswald and John John’s salute at the funeral. Jackie was just there, looking sad and beautiful, an accessory. The new biopic Jackie with Natalie Portman playing Jacqueline Kennedy is out to fill in the gaps in the story.
If, like me, you are old enough to remember how the whole nation stood paralyzed with shock for days after John Kennedy was assassinated, you probably remember that Jackie was shown herding the children, standing with tear-filled eyes, being stoic and brave. The little woman. I hope this film shows her as a complete woman.
Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, and John Carroll Lynch also star in the film. Here’s the synopsis: “Jackie is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Jackie places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband’s assassination. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a psychological portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband’s legacy and the world of “Camelot” that they created and loved so well.”
Will this be Natalie Portman’s chance at another Oscar? Some pundits are already saying it will. The film was well received at its premier at the Venice Film Festival and at TIFF.
Jackie will be in theaters on December 9.
I lived every moment of those days. My memories of JFK’s death, and the funeral that followed are vivid to this day. I’ll be viewing this film…so looking forward to it!
It was an unforgettable few days. The world just stopped and nothing else mattered.