| The Roosevelts | |
|---|---|
 Blu-ray cover | |
| Also known as | The Roosevelts: An Intimate History |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Based on | The Roosevelts: An Intimate History byGeoffrey Ward andKen Burns |
| Written by | Geoffrey Ward |
| Directed by | Ken Burns |
| Starring | Paul Giamatti Edward Herrmann Meryl Streep |
| Narrated by | Peter Coyote |
| Theme music composer | David Cieri |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Ken Burns Paul Barnes Pam Tubridy Baucom |
| Cinematography | Buddy Squires Allen Moore |
| Editors | Paul Barnes Tricia Reidy Erik Ewers Daniel J. White |
| Running time | 13 hours, 10 minutes |
| Production company | Florentine Films |
| Original release | |
| Network | PBS |
| Release | September 14 (2014-09-14) – September 20, 2014 (2014-09-20) |
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History is a 2014 Americandocumentary televisionminiseries directed and produced byKen Burns. It covers the lives of the three most prominent members of theRoosevelt family –Theodore Roosevelt, aRepublican and the26thPresident of the United States;Franklin D. Roosevelt, aDemocrat, the32ndPresident of the United States, and fifth cousin of Theodore; andEleanor Roosevelt, the longest-servingFirst Lady of the United States, a niece of Theodore, and wife of Franklin.
As a result of the influence of Theodore and Franklin Roosevelts asPresidents, as well as Eleanor asFirst Lady, amodern democratic state ofequal opportunity was begun in theUnited States. The series begins with the birth of Theodore in 1858 and ends with the death of Eleanor in 1962.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
The series isnarrated byPeter Coyote. Actors read lines of various historical figures and a series of noted commentators give background information. They include:
Other voices include:Adam Arkin,Keith Carradine,Kevin Conway,Ed Harris,Josh Lucas,Carl Lumbly,Amy Madigan,Carolyn McCormick,Pamela Reed,Billy Bob Thornton, andEli Wallach.
As themselves:
| No. | Episode[9] | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Get Action" (1858–1901) | September 14, 2014 (2014-09-14)[10] | |
Theodore,Franklin andEleanor Roosevelt all overcame challenging circumstances early in their lives during theGilded Age. As a result of the influence of Theodore and Franklin asPresidents, as well as Eleanor asFirst Lady, amodern democratic state ofequal opportunity was begun in theUnited States. | |||
| 2 | "In The Arena" (1901–1910) | September 15, 2014 (2014-09-15)[11] | |
Theodore becomes the26thPresident of the United States, fightscorporate greed, builds thePanama Canal and helpspreserve wilderness areas. Franklin marries Eleanor and enters politics by running for theNew York state senate. | |||
| 3 | "The Fire of Life" (1910–1919) | September 16, 2014 (2014-09-16)[12] | |
Theodore pursues aprogressive crusade and, as a result, compromises theRepublican Party. Later, he promotes America's entry intoWorld War I and, while considering another presidential run, dies in 1919. Franklin serves asAssistant Secretary of the Navy. He becomes involved with another woman and his relationship with Eleanor becomes a purely political partnership. | |||
| 4 | "The Storm" (1920–1933) | September 17, 2014 (2014-09-17)[13] | |
Franklin runs forVice President of the United States but his party loses the election. The next year, he is stricken with adisabling paralytic illness. Eleanor develops a political life of her own. Franklin becomesGovernor of New York and, later, runs for the office ofPresident of the United States. | |||
| 5 | "The Rising Road" (1933–1939) | September 18, 2014 (2014-09-18)[14] | |
Franklin becomes the32ndPresident of the United States, introduces theNew Deal to help resolve theGreat Depression and undertakes the issue ofAdolf Hitler'srise inGermany. Eleanor provides Franklin with aliberal perspective and becomes, herself, a political force. | |||
| 6 | "The Common Cause" (1939–1944) | September 19, 2014 (2014-09-19)[15] | |
Franklin, after theJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor, promotes America's entry intoWorld War II and eventualAllied victory. During wartime, Eleanor helps to maintain the earlierNew Deal initiatives and comfortswounded troops in the Pacific. | |||
| 7 | "A Strong and Active Faith" (1944–1962) | September 20, 2014 (2014-09-20)[16] | |
Franklin wins a fourth term as president, plans for peacetime but dies while in office on April 12, 1945. Eleanor, after Franklin's death, promotescivil rights,civil liberties and theUnited Nations. She died in 1962 and was mourned asFirst Lady of the World. | |||
The series premiered to positive reviews. According to criticJames Poniewozik ofTime magazine, "The Roosevelts tells the story of theAmerican 20th century intriptych. Teddy (who became president in 1901) isprogressivism,expansionism andreform. FDR is the rise of American power and the rewriting of thesocial contract. (Conservative punditGeorge Will sums up his legacy: the government would not just 'provide the conditions for thepursuit of happiness' but 'deliver happiness, understood as material well-being.') Eleanor looks ahead to postwarglobalism and the move ofwomen andminorities in from the margins."[4] Further, Poniewozik states, "The Roosevelts brings up a kind ofnature-nurture question: did these leaders make the times, or did the times make these leaders? It can't answer this question. But it does manage to tell an educational, emotional story of how these leaders and their times made us."[4]Hank Stuever, critic atThe Washington Post, writes, "Let's start with the end. When it's over — when you make it through the marathon that is Ken Burns's beautiful, seven-part documentaryThe Roosevelts: An Intimate History, ... you may find yourself with a lingering, nebulous grief. You're sorry it's over. You're sorry they're over. You're sorry a certain expression ofAmerican ideals is, or often appears to be, completely over."[17] Timothy Egan ofThe New York Times wrote, "Ambitious and deeply moving."[3]
In September 2014,The Roosevelts became the most streamed documentary on thePBS website to date.[18]
The show was nominated for threePrimetime Emmy Awards, winning one forPeter Coyote forOutstanding Narrator in the first episode.[19]
Quotations related toTheodore Roosevelt at Wikiquote Quotations related toFranklin D. Roosevelt at Wikiquote Quotations related toEleanor Roosevelt at Wikiquote
