Ethel (2012)

This is an amazing documentary, based on an interview with Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Robert Kennedy. It has extensive film footage of the public and private lives of the Kennedy family, particularly Robert and Ethel's; however, there are many views of the extended family. The interviewer is Ethel and Robert's youngest child, Rory. She does an excellent job of letting the viewer see her mother as a woman who has lived a full life with all its pain and joy. I never really knew Ethel Kennedy, although she was always a fixture in the Kennedy clan. After seeing this movie, I was moved by her honesty, her lack of pretense and her love for Bobby. She laughed at her hijinks, throwing a party for President Kennedy where the entire Cabinet ended up in the pool, or taking off on a scooter and crashing it during a trip to Rome. She talked about their two families and how they got along very well, despite being totally different. After Bobby's death, Ethel raised her children to be acutely aware of the poverty and hardship in the country and how important it is to work to overcome this divide. Her frankness was disarming. When asked about Bobby's climb of Mount Kennedy, named after his brother President Kennedy, she said, "He hated it". But he felt it was a challenge he had to take on. It was also clear that Ethel's faith is very deep and that she sees the tragic events as moments that all must encounter. In the meantime, we do what we can because we never know how long we have. Ethel Kennedy has had a long run and has done very well coping with her roller coaster life. After watching this documentary, I felt great admiration for her. I learned much about Ethel and her late husband, who I have always admired. I would gladly see this film again.

The first half of this film is a very in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the Kennedys...great if you're related to them by blood or friendship, or if you're a Kennedyphile...I am not. I felt like I could not relate to these rich, privileged white people, and I was flat-out bored. However, the second half focused heavily on RFK's accomplishments and sacrifices, and what made him tick. Certain anecdotes about lessons he taught his kids and his reasons for running for office made me wish more of our leaders were like him. Ethel's strength and contribution to the family were also striking, but this documentary is really much more compelling as an insider's view of RFK. I concluded that this film was worth watching because I don't think you'll be able to find this perspective and unique knowledge about RFK and his family in any other film. If you can suffer through the first half, the second half will be worth it.For more reviews and a kickass podcast, check out www.livemancave.com

Despite that this film is an excellent documentary, at times, Mrs. Kennedy came across as being quite gruff. This ran contrary to her usual demeanor when posing for pictures with her late husband Sen. Robert Kennedy. (D-N.Y.)That being said, Ethel Kennedy is an amazing woman. Her deep faith has allowed her to continue her life despite the numerous tragedies that befell her.Made by her youngest daughter, Rory, the film goes through the careers of President Kennedy and his brother Robert. Ethel was quite active in both campaigns.Surprisingly, we learn that her parents were staunch Conservative Republicans who died in a tragic plane crash.She gave her children an excellent upbringing with structure emphasized.The documentary is a tribute to her perseverance and commitment to social justice as she attempted to carry on that tradition of her late husband, while not letting the tragedies of her life overcome her.She is certainly a stalwart among women.

An amazing documentary, intimate, legendary and inspirational. The Kennedy family's history is truly without comparison: the hope, the tragedies, the passion, the idealism, the hard clashes with reality, the bonds of tragedy and love, I dare say that it is impossible to experience life more intensely than this family has. And then Ethel stands tall through it all, an amazing woman, wife and (grand- )mother, with her unfaltering smile. If it wasn't for their passion for politics and the family fortune, the Kennedies could have made a fortune in toothpaste commercials. Apparently Ethel sat behind Obama in 2008 at a funeral, whispering in his ear: "the torch has been passed to you". How about them goose bumps?