JFK: One Day in America (2023) User Reviews

Still untold stories to uncover

[justwright-35606 · 8/10 · 8 November 2023]

This documentary is fascinating! All the movies, books, and documentaries about this tragic day, and this one still managed to tell me things I didn't know!

I think what makes this documentary different is that it is told completely by people who were actually there, from investigators to secret service, to the guy who helped them catch Oswald, to the a freaking coworker of Oswald's whose story alone is worth watching this documentary to see. I'd never heard his story before, but it sure is amazing.

There are even accounts of people who closely surrounded Jackie, who tell little details I don't remember hearing before.

With the wealth of info already presented about the assassination, this documentary still had some new information and insights to show! Definitely worth the watch!!

Still a sad day for the world

[glstrom-14260 · 8/10 · 7 November 2023]

This was a unique and compelling view of one of the most pivotal days in history as told by people who are still alive to remember it. From the co worker at the school book depository who noticed Lees "curtain rods" to the couple just feet away from "the place where it happened" and of course Clint Hill who is haunted by being just a bit too slow to protect the president from the head shot that ultimately killed him. These people are all haunted by the events of 60 years ago, and it amazes me to think that witnesses to the event are dying off , soon to be but a memory.

There was no time spent on conspiracy theories and I have finally come full circle and agree with the findings. Lee acted alone. Why no one from FBI was monitoring threats from above we must remember that we were innocent and naive to think someone would have the audacity to kill a president. I have been to Dealey Plaza and the 6th floor of the TSBD to see how very small the space is and look out the window to the street below. I have also stood on the pedestal Abraham Zapruder filmed the murder from only 30 feet away....so very unsettling.

The colorization was done with a light touch but still not necessary for Lees execution at the hands of Jack Ruby. I hadn't realized he was hanging out there with everyone else at police Dept, almost looking for a chance to do it earlier. Also they kept showing yellow roses in back of presidential limo....are you kidding me? Jackie was given yellow rose of Texas in earlier appearances but at Love field she was given red roses. Sadly these were strewn across the back seat along with the presidents blood and brain matter and remain a powerful image to this day. I do hope Clint Hill and the rest find peace in their remaining years and understand their place in history as we all wish we could turn back time and check those curtain rods in back seat, or jump on back of limo a split second earlier. Stephen King certainly tried to imagine (though ending of that story really disastrous) so that is where it leaves us 60 years on.

Well Done

[mchl88 · 7/10 · 22 November 2023]

This was good. Like most documentaries (especially multi-part docs) I felt it was a little slow moving and drawn out, but that pacing also matched the somber tone throughout so perhaps it was intentional.

I learned some things while watching it. I'm sure others were aware that Oswald also shot and killed Dallas cop that day who was trying to apprehend him. If I knew that once, surely I'd forgotten it. I also didn't know that Kennedy was buried on JFK Jrs third birthday That fact makes his iconic salute of the casket all the more painful.

The deceased policemen aside, the Dallas cops don't come off too well in this story. How they ever let Jack Ruby hang around that basement and get so close to Oswald is beyond me. I understand why some people are convinced there was a conspiracy (I don't know nearly enough about it to even venture an opinion) because the only other explanation is complete and utter incompetency).

Whether you lived through that day or not, if you have interest in US history, especially told through eye witnesses, I'd recommend this documentary production by Nat Geo.

As Emotional Of A Docuseries As You'll Ever See

[zkonedog · 10/10 · 30 November 2023]

For such a well-documented, critically examined moment in history, it is remarkable that anything new can be uncovered about 11/22/63. But that is exactly what director Ella Wright accomplishes in "JFK: One Day in America" on the 60th anniversary of those tragic events.

What is remarkable about this National Geographic series is that it combines a straightforward documentary approach with little nuggets of eyewitness stories (tougher and tougher to find as the years roll by).

On one hand, the three episodes here are a fairly chronological retelling (albeit one of the highest production value) of the entire ordeal, such as President Kennedy's arrival in Texas, the assassination itself, Lee Harvey Oswald's involvement (and own subsequent fate), and Jackie Kennedy's journey through it all up to the funeral in Washington DC.

On the other hand, the hallmark of "One Day in America" might be the personal remembrances of those directly involved. For example, a worker at the Texas School Book Depository who actually carpooled with Oswald to work that fateful morning is heard from. On another occasion, the Secret Service agent in charge of Mrs. Kennedy recounts lifting the lid of JFK's casket for the First Lady to take one last look at her slain husband.

This is also one of the most most rawly emotional nonfiction series you'll ever find. Though not one ounce manipulative, it expertly portrays the personal grief of those directly involved and the mourning of the nation as a whole over the seemingly unthinkable loss of a young, full-of-promise leader.

This was one of the easiest 10/10 ratings I've ever given a documentary series. There is not a person alive I wouldn't recommend it to.

yet another...

[ops-52535 · 7/10 · 9 November 2023]

One in the row of commemorative documentary salutes to the young president who came in a cabriolet and left in a casket outta dallas texas on the same day, 23 of november 1963.

I feel the sorrow and pain still, and its becoming worse of a feeling , because theyve made so many of the film shoots so colourfilled and dandy, just like it happened yesterday.

I shall not dwell too much over the nescessety of this merry go around moment in many an americans citizens memory, there cant be much more news to extract from this murder now, other that the big and roaring ...WHY???

A recommend though from the grumpy old man.

Well made

[Kingslaay · 7/10 · 21 April 2024]

I was impressed with how this documentary was put together. The interviews with secret service men, journalists and actual hours of footage gave an in depth look at the events of the day that changed America and the political landscape. I appreciate that the feature did not try to push Lee Harvey Oswald as the only shooter as this version is simply not true. Facts and commonsense show he was not a lone gunman who acted alone. But putting that aside, this feature moves away from this and shows the footage, events and reactions of the event. It lives up to its title and description which is to capture the day and events unfolded. I feel we should not get too hung up or fixated on the conspiracy because it was covered up and they want to keep it that way because they got away it. I am skeptical a little with how Jack Ruby was portrayed as someone who loved the Kennedy's and conveniently was able to access the police station which held Oswald. But again it could have been sloppy police work, the day was full of sloppy protection and police work. Too many questions that did not get answered. Overall a well put together feature that captured the shocking events of the day.

For the first time ever, I'm not giving the ratings by my heart but rather herd mentality.

[pradeepism · 7/10 · 18 November 2023]

So I've stated my reasoning for the rating this docu-series.

Being someone from India and who's more into history, I was intrigued to catch up with this series on Disney+ Hotstar. Like a layman history aficionado, I watched this series with the pre-requisite knowledge that JFK was assassinated in 1963 and all (not remembering the guy who killed him who himself got killed in the next few days).

It does give a good look into JFK's life. It was heart-warming to see the then toddler JFK Jr.'s moments at the White House. It was great to get a view about the life of JFK but also shocking to see people from the 60s who were either in their 20s or 30s still alive and being ablle to give their opinions about the fateful day as well as the days after that event.

Since, this is the first time that I watched about JFK, it felt decent enough but not very engaging. Maybe nowadays, I'm not that much of hooked to constantly watching the screen in front of me, so I didn't engage much but kept my ears open to gather information and learning as well as the narrative. For a first timer who's into JFK tragedy, it's a decent watch. But for someone and especially Americans, it would be the nth time that they're coming across stuff about JFK and 22.11.1963.

I think the media as well as content creators should move on from this topic and come up with something on every 10th anniversary of JFK's death because it has the same story for over 60 years now. Sometimes, it felt that highlighting the Democrats vs Republican stuff.

The only line that I'll remember from this entire series is "America lost its innocence that day". Yeah from a first timer's perspective (about JFK), JFK was a man ahead of his time and couldve taken the US to a different imagery. But didn't happen, so let it be as it is. It's sad to pull back those aging people from that decade to narrate the proceedings from that day. It's been 60 years, the story hasn't changed or there haven't been any new revelations. The guilt, the sorrow, the pain, it will be there to all those who were affected on that day and by the events.

But the upcoming generations won't feel that way so it's better to avoid revisiting this story. I've immense respect not for JFK be it for his leadership skills and the way he carried himself and let the souls who are still alive, let them live in peace for their remaining days.

Seriously, I won't say that the docu-series is that bad but for the first time in my life, I didn't know what rating should I give for a mini-documentary. It just felt like seeing a series based on a real event and making it appear like a documentary.

RIP JFK and power to all those people who have had been affected.

Tragic History, Dishonestly Presented.

[WesternOne1 · 1/10 · 6 November 2023]

The best part of this series is the interviews with actual participants and witnesses of that fateful day in Dallas, though by this time, so distant from those events, most seem somewhat dispassionate, and their stories, retold probably hundreds of times, sometimes take on the suggestion of a melodramatic script. Completely understandable, of course. How many docs have they been in? The constant, slow, morbid funeral home dirge in the background is laughably heavy handed.

You'd think there's nothing left to say about this subject; no new information to offer, and no new footage to be seen. But what this series has done is reprehensible. They've taken lots of the now-exhausted familiar footage of that day and falsified it with colorization. Yes, even videotape material has been infected with this falsification that has been used to attack any number of black and white films and still photographs that can be seen on the internet and other cable TV offerings.

So if every frame of a scene has been tampered with, how much trust is deserved? They also did an extremely cowardly act; the pivot point of the whole real-life incident; the Zapruder film is shown, everybody's seen it a thousand times, so we know what the fatal shot looks like. BUT HERE, IT'S BEEN REMOVED. I guess with CGI or something, so it runs smooth, but terrible or not, it's vital to show it. The audience is being protected. It's being infantalized. There are many, better documentaries on this event all ready made.

Still Perpetuating

[cantrelayne · 1/10 · 13 November 2023]

Lies That Have Been Proven As Lies First, this was created by National Geographic, so it's no surprise that it's highly sanitised. Second, if you are going to have colour footage, let it ALL be in colour - colourise all of it, not just parts.

Whilst the interviews were interesting, it was very clear they had been rehearsed for 6 decades and obvious the people are not telling the whole story.

What Is surprising is that with all the information that was recently redacted, with Jackie Kennedy's own words, with the Laws of Physics, with all the forensic science and even the three different caskets shown in this series NG would still perpetuate the same story from 22NOV63. Also surprisingly they allowed the footage of people talking about the Xd by amazon and Xd by amazon; and the man that said Congress did it. As Jackie Kennedy said to Mrs. Johnson when asked if she wanted to change her clothes "No. Let THEM see what THEY have done.

Same Lies nothing NEW

[shwtfrnp · 1/10 · 13 November 2023]

This is just your usual run of the mill JFK documentary. Though it has people who are still alive and were either part of the Government at that time, involved in the City of Dallas, or had a connection with Oswald. National Geographic has added color to some of the archival footage, which didn't needed to be done but whatever.

There's not much that is really uncovered here that is new, there is plenty of information left out. Really nothing in it is new. We all know that this year marked the release of the Additional Documents Release starting in April-Aug, which is all available on line through the National Archives website.

It is worth giving it a watch, but don't expect to learn any new information or details. This is still one well kept secret.

No real interview with Paul Landis about his book?

[morganmckinley · 2/10 · 19 November 2023]

Secret Service Agent Paul Landis appears in this documentary yet there is no retelling by him of what he recently revealed in his book about finding a bullet in the Presidential Limousine at Parkland Hospital and what he placed it on President Kennedy's hospital bed, a secret which he kept for 60 years??

This is just another BS example of the dying Legacy Media perpetuated upon the public that the Patsy LHO was a lunatic and mobster Ruby killed him out of grief...

Prayer Man by Bart Kamp is a new book out recently that's also available on YouTube for comparison along with 60 years of Beyond A Reasonable Doubt of unanswered questions, cover ups and lies. The Lone Gunman is a great podcast as well.

I'm not sure what RFK Jr would be like as a President but at least he would reveal whatever he could about this and his father's assassination.

just see youtube documentaries, they are much better.

[dvdandre · 1/10 · 10 November 2023]

This is just run-of-the-mill story of the day leading up to the event, the event and the manhunt. Nothing new.

No mention of the umbrella man even though he's in the clips or the man with the walkie talkie next to him merely metres from JFK. No mention of how everyone turns to the grassy nole, or that behind the grassy nole there's a train station carpark that was never secured. No mention that the carcano rifle is different to the one lee holds in the photos. Nothing...

my recommendation is to take your time on youtube. There are some amazing documentaries that dive deep in the story.. unlike this dribble.

Jfk one day in america brings nothing to the table. You might as well watch a more comprehensive show that looks at all facets of that tragic day.

Such a disappointment

[historyman-70572 · 2/10 · 11 November 2023]

Had way to many commercials me and my best friends dad enjoyed the archive footage but way to many commercials hence the two out of ten. If it had less commercials than maybe it would have been better looking forward to the history channel take on Former President John F. Kennedy. What else could I say about i had high hopes for it and i mean very high hopes for it. I am huge history buff but this hit a cord that didn't do to well I wish it was less commercials but I get why it had so many cause they need to make money somehow. I wouldn't even recommend to a history scholar that's how bad the commercials ruined the experience for me.

JFK: One Day in America - A Lackluster Attempt at Historical Accuracy

[jlobarcelona-335-549779 · 5/10 · 8 December 2023]

JFK: One Day in America attempts to delve into the events surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, but falls woefully short in its execution. While the documentary boasts restored footage from that fateful November day, it relies far too heavily on the outdated and questionable narrative put forth by the Warren Commission.

The lack of critical analysis and exploration of documented and unclassified facts is particularly disappointing. The filmmakers appear to have taken the easy way out by adhering to the official narrative without delving into the numerous contradictions and unanswered questions that surround the assassination. This lazy approach undermines the documentary's credibility and does a disservice to viewers who are seeking a more nuanced understanding of this pivotal moment in history.

For instance, the documentary features individuals like Ruth Paine, whose testimony aligns neatly with the Warren Commission's version of events. Paine's role and her connection to Lee Harvey Oswald have long been a subject of scrutiny and controversy, yet the documentary fails to explore these complexities and instead presents her account without adequate scrutiny.

Additionally, the inclusion of Mercer journalist, whose claim that Jack Ruby, the man who later killed Oswald, had a deep affection for Kennedy is nothing short of laughable. This assertion, lacking substantial evidence, comes across as an attempt to romanticize the motives of Ruby and conveniently fits into the documentary's narrative. By presenting such unverified and questionable statements as fact, the filmmakers undermine the documentary's claim to objectivity and further perpetuate the one-sided view of history.

Moreover, the film's reliance on restored footage, while visually appealing, serves as a mere distraction from its substantive shortcomings. Instead of offering fresh insights or shedding light on lesser-known aspects of the Kennedy assassination, the documentary relies on the visual allure of its remastered clips to compensate for its lack of depth.

In conclusion, JFK: One Day in America is a disappointingly superficial exploration of a crucial moment in American history. By adhering to the Warren Commission version without critically examining alternative viewpoints and documented facts, the documentary fails to meet the standards of a well-researched and objective historical account. Viewers seeking a more comprehensive and critical analysis of the Kennedy assassination would be better served by exploring alternative documentaries that strive for a more nuanced and balanced perspective.

Very much face value....

[kowas_2 · 2/10 · 16 December 2023]

You would be amiss to think this documentary is going to actually tell an unbiased well researched work tbat is deserving of it's 2023 release. I guess the way they getting away from it is by giving first hand account of people that were there on the day. However feels like these people have not questioned anything to do with any real motive behind this day.

It feels a little too propoganda-esque and missing real grit. Not to draw any conclusion but feels like the main parts of this dark chapter of American history is left untouched and we are told that "Oswald was killed cause his shooter was revengjng thr Kennedys" no reason why Oswald did it or real reason a person known that well to the Dallas police and a clear underground persona was just there. Kinda wish I walked away from this knowing something I wasn't forcefully sold for the past 60 years.