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Murder of a President: American Experience


Wade

FeralNormal master
I don't know which of you guys are big fans of American Experience but last nights "Murder of a President" about the assassination of James Garfield absolutely blew me away.

First of all I had no idea that Garfield was the man he was, he was more Lincoln than Lincoln and seeing what we are dealt with today makes him more special. Although I was aware that there were all kinds of political machinations back then I didn't realize the extent that Chester Arthur (who was Vice President and took the position of President after Garfield's passing) was unfairly blamed at the time because he was basically a lackey of power hungry NY senator Roscoe Conkling. Garfield's assassin, Charles Guiteau was quite possibly a schizophrenic who felt slighted because he was not given a political appointment he felt he deserved.

What made this AE episode different was that for the most part it was acted out instead of just using archival footage and the acting was exemplary. I was absolutely riveted (and I'm not exaggerating) to the point where I put off my usual multi tasking and gave my full attention to the show.

Catch it in Netflix if it is available by all means.
 
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Wade, I've not heard of 'American Experience' (although I've had quite a few haha!) and while I can google it, do you mind telling me how you would describe it/sell it? Sounds good..
 
Wade, I've not heard of 'American Experience' (although I've had quite a few haha!) and while I can google it, do you mind telling me how you would describe it/sell it? Sounds good..
It's a history show on our public television. It's a slick well produced hour show that goes deeply into one facet of US history. PBS rocks!!
 
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperiencefilms/garfield/

Goggs, it's One of my favorite shows and as the title hints at its about historical events in the US from such broad subjects as Presidents to Annie Oakley to Al Capone to the Grand Cooley Dam.

Usually it's just historical archives pictures film etc. with voice over narration albeit with very compelling storytelling but this episode was to a great extent acted out and all the major subjects from Dr. Doctor ( no typo)Willard Bliss, James Garfield, Charles Guiteau and power hungry Roscoe Conklin were all well played. Also this took place soon after the beginning of The Gilded Age...one of my favorite subjects... when there was a huge gap between the haves and have nots that according to the narrative threatened the democracy.

What i never appreciated was that in a way this wasn’t a true assassination, Garfield hung on for 17 weeks after the shooting and as the documentry...and the book it was based on...made clear it was his doctor's (Bliss, who pretty much appointed himself) negligence that killed him. Even Alexander Graham Bell who offered his assistance was rebuffed by the doctor, who seemed as obsessed as the would be assassin.

It's actually streaming free on the website at least temporarily, I don't usually rave on about movies but this one really was compelling and reading the reviews I am not the only person to think so.
 
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