Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot (2001)

I tried to watch this last night as I had read the book.I don't care for Jill Hennessy but decided to give it a chance.She just doesn't have the looks or class of a Jackie Kennedy.I would rather have seen Jennifer Love Hewitt in the part.The actress that played Marilyn Monroe was unattractive and was nothing like Marilyn and was insulting to her fans.I couldn't finish the film and I don't like to do that...but it was really bad.The scene where they showed JFK in hospital on the slab was long and drawn out and not needed.It was one of the worst book to film adaptions I have ever seen.

'Twas truly a marvelous experience to take in all the familial dynamics of the leading ladies of one of the US's great dynasties. Ethel's character being so brassy & foot-in-mouth outspoken was a personality I hadn't imagined. Jackie being so fond of Grandfather Joe was a surprise. Rose is exactly as I imagined her. Joan is more talented, and according to this show, has been under-credited for the successes of Senator Edward (Teddy) Kennedy.This docudrama is a lengthy one that I could have watched for many more hours. There is so much public knowledge of the Kennedy men so there were few surprises with the exception that I had forgotten two things: Senator Teddy Kennedy had been in a near fatal plane crash and broke his back in numerous places during a campaign; Senator Bobby Kennedy was already deceased at the time of Teddy's Presidential career damaging car accident that took the life of Mary Jo. (In hindsight, since the Kennedy brothers who ran for the US Presidency were both assassinated, I now view that tragic car accident as the blessing that kept Senator Edward Kennedy alive to this day and a senior member of the US Senate).The tensions that were brought forth between the women reveal that Jackie, the in-law, was oft times the glue that held them together and kept them close. It's time to know more about the rest of the Clan Kennedy women--the younger ones. I am left with wanting more. To me, that's the sign of a very well done docudrama.

This film is not as bad as the previous review states. It is very interesting. Jill H. does a great job of letting the audience in on the fact that Jackie O's voice changed from breathy to normal depending on her surroundings. She was shy and egar to please so it showed up in her voice. The other actors did very well in showing the complexity of the real life people they were playing.It is like a soap opera but so was the lives of the Kennedy's. They have endured assassinations, sexual scandals, failed marriages, loss of children and loved ones, and power, wealth, success. That sounds like a soap to me. Like anything though, if you want to get a real perspective on what it was like among the Kennedy women read the book this movie is based on. I read it before I saw the film and it was a little annoying to see how they tweaked some of the incidents. For example the beginning where Ethel pretends to not want to kiss Jackie on the cheek after Jack wins the election. In the book she is very cold to Jackie. Its a very awkward moment in front of the entire family.READ THE BOOK

Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot was mostly historically accurate and not at all boring. Most of the performances shone (though I found the actress portraying Marilyn Monroe poor) especially Jill Hennessy as Jackie O. The important events from Kennedy history were for the most part accurate, except for one. (Slight spoiler). JFK was shot on a cold, rainy, November day but the show portrayed the shooting as happening in summer, on a nice day. The lead actresses were excellent, though the supporting roles were unstable. All in all, I give it a 9/10.Lena