Posted by David Von Pein on 11/10/06 02:56

"CRISIS" (1963 Documentary Film)
Subtitled: "Behind A Presidential Commitment"
Directed by: Robert Drew
DVD Released on November 11, 2003 (New Video Group)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000C5RQB

http://imdb.com/title/tt0263238/

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Famed pioneering filmmaker Robert Drew produced and directed "CRISIS:
BEHIND A PRESIDENTIAL COMMITMENT" in June 1963, his second project
working with John F. Kennedy, following his outstanding 1960
documentary, "Primary", which was a first-of-its-kind "Live"
as-it's-happening type of film that followed two candidates for the
U.S. Presidency (JFK and Hubert Humphrey) around the streets of
Wisconsin during the 1960 Presidential Primary there.

In this 53-minute documentary film, made three years after "Primary",
Drew and associates spent two days filming footage inside JFK's White
House during the tense days when Jack Kennedy and brother Bobby, the
U.S. Attorney General, were struggling against Alabama Governor George
Wallace over the integration of the University Of Alabama.

Ultimately, despite Wallace's famous "door-blocking standoff" with
authorities, the college was finally desegregated, and two young black
students were allowed to become the first African-Americans ever to
enroll for classes at the University Of Alabama.

Drew's camera puts the viewer squarely in the middle of the debate, as
we see the President in the Oval Office trying to decide on a course of
action that will cause the least amount of disruption and violence.

Utilizing multiple camera crews, Robert Drew also follows Bobby Kennedy
and George Wallace during the course of "Crisis". In fact, RFK is on
screen more here than the President, because he was given the
responsibility for coming up with a plan on how to most effectively
deal with the Alabama crisis at hand. We see both Robert Kennedy and
Wallace at their homes, and we get a candid look at Bobby having
breakfast with some of his huge and ever-growing clan of offspring at
his McLean, Virginia, residence. Several scenes also show RFK dealing
with the crisis in his office at the Justice Department. Interesting
stuff.

There's one especially candid and charming moment that takes place in
Bobby Kennedy's office, when one of Bob's big brood of children,
3-year-old Kerry, moves into view as RFK is on the telephone talking
with his Deputy Attorney General, Nicholas Katzenbach. Kerry takes the
phone from her father and speaks to Katzenbach for a moment, easing the
growing tensions of the impending crisis a tad bit it seemed. Bobby's
attempts to re-acquire the phone from his young daughter, who doesn't
seem to want to relinquish the receiver, provides an additional cute,
light-hearted moment during the film. Kerry, 29 years later, married
New York Governor Mario Cuomo's son.

During the documentary, we also see and hear from the two college
students, Vivian Malone and James Hood, who are firmly anchored in the
middle of the racial struggle.

This film coincides exactly with one of President Kennedy's most famous
speeches to the nation. For it was right after this crisis in Alabama
had been resolved, and just hours after Mr. Drew's cameras had filmed
the confrontation at the University's doorway, that JFK gave his
powerful and stirring 13-minute "Civil Rights Address" that very same
evening of Tuesday, June 11, 1963. A portion of that dramatic speech is
presented in this film.

This DVD, part of a series of films under the "Docurama" label, has
some good Special Features in addition to the main feature. ....
Included among the bonuses is an Audio Commentary Track with filmmaker
Robert Drew (who was 79 years of age at the time) and cameraman Richard
Leacock.

There's also a text biography on Director/Producer Bob Drew, plus
informational notes by Drew on his conversations with President
Kennedy, revealing how the idea for "Crisis" was born, and ultimately
filmed.

Information on the extensive catalog of other "Docurama" titles is also
included on this disc, along with some pretty good Trailers for many of
the various films.

And saving the best Bonus Feature for last --- there's the inclusion of
another Robert Drew film on this DVD, "Faces Of November", which was
shot by Drew just days after President Kennedy was assassinated. The
majority of this brief 12-minute film depicts up-close shots of
people's faces in Washington, D.C., on November 24 and 25, 1963. We can
see and feel the grief that is being displayed in the faces of these
mourners, whose popular President had been taken from them by an insane
act of violence just days before.

"Faces Of November" contains no music score, and likewise no narration.
The film's "soundtrack" is filled not with an orchestra's musical
notes, but rather with the real-life sounds as recorded by Mr. Drew's
microphone -- the muffled drums, the bagpipes, the sound of flags at
half-mast being whipped by the November wind, the 21-gun salute, and
the wrenching "one-note-askew" version of "taps" at JFK's gravesite.

Some of the more recognizable faces we see in this moving film are that
of Jacqueline Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, Edward
Kennedy, and Peter Lawford. The rest of the faces are just ordinary
folk, who came to Washington, D.C., to pay their respects to their
fallen leader. Some waited in line for many hours for their chance to
pass by the President's flag-draped casket in the Rotunda of the
Capitol Building. As many of them slowly paraded by the casket, the
emotions began to flow. And Robert Drew captured some of that
heart-felt emotion through his camera's lens. This rare and
hard-to-find short film is truly a touching tribute to the memory of
President John F. Kennedy; and I'm grateful to the makers of this DVD
that they saw fit to include it on this disc. In my opinion, it's worth
the price of the DVD all by itself.

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Additional information about this DVD:

Video -- Full Frame (1.33:1 aspect ratio).

Audio -- Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (Re-mixed from original Mono).
English only.

Running Times --
Main Feature ("Crisis") = 52:41.
Bonus Film ("Faces Of November") = 11:55.

Color or B&W? -- B&W.

Subtitles? -- No.

Menus -- Static (non-animated).

Scene Selections For Main Feature? -- Yes (12 total chapters/scenes).

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"Crisis", like its predecessor "Primary", is a documentary film that
was quite unique for its day. A film that throws us, the viewer, right
into the center of the action as the situation is unfolding LIVE. Very
few, if any, filmmakers had tried this "as-it-is-happening" approach to
movie-making prior to Mr. Robert Drew. His roster of films gives
viewers a fascinating, and fresh, perspective on many different topics
-- and his two major films featuring John F. Kennedy are certainly two
of the best, IMO.

So if you want to watch a variation of "The West Wing" -- only for REAL
-- pick up this first-rate DVD of "Crisis: Behind A Presidential
Commitment". And don't forget about the bonus film, "Faces Of
November". Its added presence here elevates this DVD to "Must Have"
status.

David Von Pein
November 2004

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