January 8

Jackie – “I didn’t want to be famous, but then I married a Kennedy”

This is a film about grief – raw, directionless, sudden grief.  The film focuses on Mrs. Kennedy’s three days after the death of her husband, President John Kennedy, and how she does her best to cope with such a powerful, public murder.  From the opening sounds of strings being tuned down on a black screen (which become the signature musical motif), to long shots of Mrs. Kennedy (played by an excellent Natalie Portman – it would be a crime if she doesn’t get at least a nomination, she should win her 2nd Oscar for this role) wandering through the White House alone, switching outfits, searching for meaning and mooring like an unanchored boat.  You get an inside look into Mrs. Kennedy’s personality, her strength, her anger, and her love for her husband (despite the troubles that are only alluded to).  The film shows you as she begins packing up the White House for its new occupant and preparing her children for the inevitable loss that they cannot understand at such a young age.  Mrs. Kennedy is also shown obsessing over the legacy of her husband, a good man as she has said, whom she loves as he sits in his rocking chair with Caroline and John, Jr. at his feet.  This is the image that she leaves us with, one which some people who know about JFK’s philandering might ask why she still stays with him.  Her confidante and aide, Nancy Tuckerman (played by Greta Gerwig) is Jackie’s sounding board, her friend, and giver of best advice.  Peter Sarsgaard plays Attorney General Robert Kennedy, a grief stricken man who appears to have buried a brother before with the death of his older brother, Joe Jr., during World War II.

Jackie tells an unnamed reporter (who is probably Theodore White, journalist extraordinaire who has covered many presidential elections – article written 2 weeks after JFK’s death here) the inside scoop about what went on but is so meticulous and private that she edits what he is allowed to say.  This, according to the NYT film review, is where the Camelot imagery and myth surrounding the Kennedy presidency is begun.   But the larger question that comes through in this interview is how does Jackie separate herself from this very public tragedy.  She needs to be a mother to her two young children (and to two dead ones interred next to their father in Arlington National Cemetery) but she also has to be a grieving widow to the rest of the nation.  As the reporter put it, JFK, the nation’s father, had been killed, and Jackie, the nation’s mother, had to carry on with steel in her spine.  Try to imagine something that traumatic has happened to you, and you are one of the most famous people in the country.  How do you cope?  How do you grieve?  How do you move on? 

  1. How does the film portray Mrs. Kennedy during her 1962 tour of the White House (original here – https://youtu.be/CbFt4h3Dkkw)?  How does she seem different / similar to First Ladies that you might know best – Laura Bush and Michelle Obama?  Why?
  2. Did the film use the right amount of reference to JFK’s woman troubles, should it have explored these issues in depth more, or should they have been mentioned at all in a film about the man’s wife?  Why?
  3. Why do you think Mrs. Kennedy asked the ambulance driver and the nurse who James Garfield and William McKinley were, and then Abraham Lincoln?  How did their answers transfer Mrs. Kennedy’s obsession with her husband’s funeral?  (Also, is this a fair comparison between Lincoln and Garfield and McKinley?  Why or why not?)
  4. The movie seems obsessed with legacy and myth-making.  Jackie is one of the first to try and preserve her husband’s legacy, one time comparing him to Jesus and temptations in the desert, and at other times, to Lincoln and preserving the Union and freeing the slaves (though he technically didn’t).  Do you think President Kennedy deserved this kind of mythos surrounding him?  Why or why not? 
  5. How did the film’s non-linear (jumping from time period to time period) story telling distract or add to the overall narrative, in your opinion?

Pick 4 of these questions (including #4) and answer them in a minimum of 300 words to get full credit for this extra credit assignment.  Due by February 17 before class. 

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Posted January 8, 2017 by geoffwickersham in category Blogs

25 thoughts on “Jackie – “I didn’t want to be famous, but then I married a Kennedy”

  1. Riley Montgomery

    1) Mrs. Kennedy was determined to preserve history in the White House, whereas Michelle Obama focused her efforts on improving health in school cafeterias and Laura Bush advocated for historic education reform and the well-being of women and families worldwide. Mrs. Kennedy was one of the first first ladies in the presence of television and such widespread media (her husband’s presidential debate was the first to be televised). SO, she was very careful about her image. I think she cared more about how she presented herself and the social events she organized more than more modern First Ladies. Michelle Obama and Laura Bush still cared about their image though because all First Ladies are part of a representation of America.
    3) I think Mrs. Kennedy asked the ambulance driver and the nurse who James Garfield and William McKinley were, and then Abraham Lincoln to emphasize the contrast between one assassinated president against two others. She recognized that her husband’s legacy could be similar to Lincoln’s, or it could be almost non-existent, like Garfield’s or McKinley’s. She thought it was up to her to make sure her husband was remembered. Mrs. Kennedy sacrificed her safety for her husband’s legacy. I think this is a fair comparison between Lincoln and Garfield and McKinley because Lincoln accomplished a lot more than Garfield and McKinley.
    4) I don’t think Kennedy deserved these kinds of myths surrounding him because he did not accomplish as nearly as much as Lincoln did. He is known more for being assassinated than what he did as a president, unlike Lincoln. Although he had great dreams for America, he never actually accomplished most of them. His economic programs launched the country on its longest sustained expansion since World War II, which is a big accomplishment, but President Lincoln is credited with ending the civil war and freeing slaves. He put together a separated nation. I think we should acknowledge though that Kennedy was elected president in much better times than Lincoln and had many less things to fix. Kennedy laid plans for a massive assault on persisting pockets of privation and poverty before his death and also much wanted a bigger civil rights movement, but was assassinated before he could fulfill his vision. Maybe if he was president as long as Lincoln was before he was assassinated, he would be remembered just as much as Lincoln.
    5) I think the film’s non-linear story telling added to the narrative because Jackie’s interview (the one after her husband died) correlated with the events directly following her husband’s death. The events directly following the assassination let us see how Jackie was handling matters and then, in her interview, she was able to explain how she was feeling and give us deeper insight. The flashbacks to her tour of the Whitehouse showed viewers her character and how she held herself under normal circumstances. The flashbacks to the assassination shared with viewers the trauma of the real events with the commentary of Mrs. Kennedy later interview. I think it’s important these time periods were interspersed because not only would the film have been boring without the jumping around, but the story would not have been told from all the different perspectives it needed.

  2. Joey Shapero

    1.) The film portrays Kennedy during her tour of the White House as very shy and uptight. She is directed by someone during the whole tour telling her how to act. She talks in a very soft and quiet voice and is always forcing a smile. She is different than other first ladies we see today, in that she is much more shy and private. The movie talks about how until her husband’s death her private life was very kept in and not many people knew about it. Where now Michelle Obama is much more open and confident when speaking to the people of the US.

    3.) Jackie wants her husband to be known and remembered for years to come, everyone knows who Lincoln was and she wants the same for her husband. The driver had no idea who Garfield or McKinley were, but when Lincoln was brought up the nurse as well as the cab driver knew of him very well. These answers made Kennedy want John’s funeral to be one that is remembered and seen throughout all of America. She wanted it to be huge with all of the bells and whistles, and do everything it takes to make the funeral one to remember and one in memorial for John. This is a fair comparison between Garfield and McKinley and Lincoln, because unless you are huge into history odds are you do not know who the first two men were, but almost everyone knows Lincoln and remembers his legacy.

    4.) I do not think Kennedy truly deserved this kind of fame around him, he really didn’t do much except for get America into more issues, (as his brother Bobby said). If it were not for him being assassinated, he would just be looked at as any other president fulfilling his duties in office. Jackie even said that her husband had many flaws, but when we lose someone we try to forget the bad and just remember the good.

    5.) I think the jumping around in the story telling of the film really helped show the impact of many events. Flashing from Jackie crying to John being killed, and the different scenes of her on the tour gave a full effect on the events leading up to, and following his assassination. When the film showed Jackie with the priest and then her at the precession, it showed her true feeling of sorrow, in how she wanted to die to be with her husband in heaven. The many points showing her smoking a cigar, showed how stressed out she was and especially how she chose to deal with the stresses of everything going on.

  3. Jordan Shefman

    1.) The film portrays Jackie Kennedy as slightly shy during her tour of the White House. She had to be directed by her assistant, and her smile was always forced. Compared to more well-known first ladies nowadays, she is different in that she is not as outgoing. Michelle Obama, for instance, gave many speeches during Barack’s time in office; however, the film does not portray Jackie Kennedy in this manner. She is also different because she smokes. Back then, smoking wasn’t found upon as it is today.

    3.) Jackie asked the ambulance driver and nurse if they know who James Garfield, William McKinley, and Abraham Lincoln were to confirm that Lincoln was the only one they were familiar with. Once she realized McKinley and Garfield weren’t remembered, she wanted to make sure her husband was one of the assassinated presidents people would remember forever. I don’t think the comparison of Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley is fair for the same reason Jackie doesn’t. Lincoln is remembered for winning the Civil War and ending slavery, while Garfield and McKinley aren’t remembered for anything they did.

    4.) I don’t think JFK deserves the type of fame that Jackie thinks he deserves. While he was a great president, which is no easy feat, he didn’t do anything that compared to winning the Civil War or ending slavery like Lincoln did. Even Jackie herself admits he wasn’t perfect while talking to the priest.

    5.) I think the film’s nonlinear plot both helped and distracted the viewer. In some cases it helped provide some insight into what Jackie was feeling, that you wouldn’t have gotten if it went in order (when she was wiping the blood from her face in the plane). Other times, I thought it took away from the story by making the viewer a little confused (the many story lines of her talking to the reporter, her talking to the priest, and her grieving after her husband’s death).

  4. Ian Rosenwasser

    1. The film portrays Jackie as a nervous and careful on her tour of the white house. She’s worried about her appearance more than the actual tour of the white house. Jackie was also being directed, step-by-step, by her assistant. Jackie is different than today’s first lady’s because she was interested in the glamour of being a first lady, while Michelle Obama and Laura Bush worked to improve education and health. Also, Jackie didn’t give any speeches, but Michelle and Laura presented many speeches as first ladies. However, Jackie is similar to current first ladies because all supported their husbands in campaigning and as presidents.

    3. Jackie asked the ambulance driver who Garfield, McKinley, and Lincoln were to display the gap between Lincoln’s influence on the US and McKinley and Garfield’s influences. Jackie knew all 3 presidents had been assassinated, but only Lincoln was remembered by everyone. This lead to Jackie’s obsession with JFK’s funeral because she didn’t want Kennedy to not be remembered like Garfield and McKinley. The only comparison between Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley is that they were all presidents who were assassinated. Other than that, Lincoln is regarded as one of the greatest leaders for ending the civil war, while Garfield and McKinley didn’t accomplish much as presidents.

    4. I don’t think that JFK deserves the comparison to Jesus or Lincoln because he didn’t accomplish much as president. Lincoln was able to end a civil war, emancipate the slaves, and put together a divided country. JFK had high hopes for his presidency, but he didn’t pass the act to eliminate Jim Crow laws, or accomplish anything to the scale of Lincoln’s presidency. Also Lincoln came into power when the north and south were strictly divided, while JFK came into power after the Ike age, a pretty easy-going time for the US. Although JFK wasn’t as great as Lincoln or Jesus, he got the US ahead of the Soviets in the space race and boosted the economy.

    5. I was distracted by the jumping around scenes in the movie, but it also created a more powerful display of Jackie’s grief and emotions. At first I was distracted because their wasn’t initial context to the movie, and I was confused by the flashbacks. Later, I liked the jumping scenes because it helped me connect Jackie’s emotions during the assassination to her grief after with the reporter and the priest. The scenes with the reporter displayed that Jackie didn’t want her true feelings about the assassination to be released because she edited everything the reporter wrote. Lastly, I liked how the movie portrayed the priest helping Jackie overcome her grief about JFK, and told her to keep moving on.

  5. Gabe Liss

    1. The film portrays Jackie Kennedy during her 1962 tour of the white house as very shy and innocent. She is always having to be told by the director on how to act, and when to smile. It is clear in the film that Jackie is not very excited to be performing this task. Jackie seems very different from the more recent First Ladies such as Michelle Obama and Laura Bush. First of all, Obama and Bush seemed much more outgoing and involved with the public. I do not know much about Laura Bush, but I know that Michelle Obama worked very hard as her time as First Lady trying to improve overall nutrition especially in school cafeterias. She wanted children to have healthier options to eat, which would help fight the obesity problem. However, Jackie did not involve herself in any of this, and she spent most of her time redesigning and decorating the White House.

    3. I think Mrs Kennedy asked the ambulance driver and nurse if they knew who James Garfield, William McKinley, and then Abraham Lincoln was because Jackie wanted to know if Garfield and McKinley (who were obviously less well known) were remembered. Once she found out that they only knew Abraham Lincoln, Jackie wanted her husband to be remembered like Lincoln. She thought John was a great man, and she did not want him to be forgotten in twenty years. This caused Jackie to work extra hard to build his legacy. I do not think it is a fair comparison between Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley, because Lincolns accomplishments as presidency far outweighed the other two, as he won the Civil War, and ended slavery.

    4. I do not think President Kennedy deserves the myth around him that Lincoln has. Kennedy should be remembered for his becoming of presidency, great ideas, and his assassination. However, he was not in Lincoln’s situation, so he did not execute the greatness that Lincoln displayed. Kennedy should be remembered forever, but no matter how much Jackie loved her husband, she should not expect him to be comparable to Abraham Lincoln.

    5. The film’s non-linear jumping was distracting to the viewer as I struggled to always understand what was happening. However, this strategy does a great job showing the emotional trauma that Jackie went through, and the flashbacks help the reader understand more about Jackie’s personality. I feel that this technique was appropriate for this film, and I think that it helped me understand what was going on inside of Jackie’s head.

  6. Griffin Kozlow

    1. The film portrays Jackie Kennedy during her 1962 tour of the White House as a poised, well-spoken First Lady. She was made out to be very smart and her fake transatlantic accent was used to make her sound more “attractive”. It seems very clear that she is putting on a fake persona for the camera, and when she is with Jack, she is obviously very different. This differs from the one first lady I am extremely familiar with, Michelle Obama. When she gives speeches or if she gave a tour of the White House, she would seem much more natural and real. It seems as if her public personality is the same as her private personality, even though that is obviously false. The biggest noticeable difference between Jackie Kennedy and Michelle Obama, in my opinion, is that Jackie Kennedy seems fake and seems as if she’s trying hard in front of a camera, while Michelle Obama seems natural.
    3. I think Mrs. Kennedy asked the ambulance driver and the nurse who James Garfield, William McKinley, and Abraham Lincoln were because she wanted to understand and see the legacy of the 3 presidents who got assassinated and the common man’s perception of them. She wanted to make sure her husband was remembered and his legacy lived on for generations. When the cab driver admitted he only knew Abraham Lincoln, it proved that he had the biggest impact on America and his assassination was remembered the most. In order to make Jack remembered as Lincoln was, she wanted to mimic the funeral train and the whole process after the assassination of her husband. She wanted the funeral to be perfect because in her mind the funeral would make or break his legacy. It is not a fair comparison between Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley because Lincoln was such a monumental figure, arguably the best President of all time. He abolished slavery and served during the Civil War. He was also the first President to be assassinated, so his legacy will obviously live on more than Garfield or McKinley’s will.
    4. The movie is obsessed with legacy and myth-making. Jackie makes large comparisons to her husband and gave him big shoes to fill in generations to come. She once compared him to Lincoln and even went so far as to compare him to Jesus. I think, although JFK was a great man and a great President, he didn’t and doesn’t deserve that kind of myth surrounding him. My reasoning for this is greatly shown in the movie when Bobby is yelling at Jackie. He explains that during the Kennedy Administration nothing got done. They didn’t abolish slavery, they didn’t make any monumental steps in making America the best place it can be. He is a very remembered President with a strong legacy following him, but I don’t think he deserves as much as he got. He did a lot of things with foreign policy and the Soviet Union, but any President at that time would have done the same thing because he served right in the middle of the Cold War. Although he did great things, his legacy is too far above him in my opinion.
    5. The film’s nonlinear jumping distracted me from the storyline. I had a lot of problems with the structure of the movie. For one thing, I would have liked to see more of John and Jackie before the assassination and their happiness, which would make the emotional impact after the assassination much stronger. I also think the movie got boring at times. For example, when they were showing JFK’s assassination scene, it was very intense, but the audience never really got the full effect because of how quickly they transitioned out of it. I understand that the style was supposed to be, for lack of a better word, mysterious, but I believe the jumping around made the movie less emotional and more confusing. It also was distracting. When the plot would jump from one point in time to another, it would take a second to get my mind off of what I just saw and change my mindset to get ready to watch a different point in time. It puts more pressure on the audience and forces the viewer to think harder about what is happening, which in the best movies shouldn’t happen. Although Natalie Portman’s acting was amazing, the jumping from one event to another made the movie slow and the plot confusing, throwing away a genius opportunity for a good movie.

  7. Jackson Blau

    1)The film portrays Kennedy during her tour of the White House as very shy and not out going. She talks in a very stereotypical, soothing and quiet voice and is always forcing a smile. Throughout the entire tour, Jackie is being directed on how to act. Jackie is much different from first ladies today for many reasons, the biggest being that she is much more shy and uptight. The movie explains how Jackie kept her private life extremely confidential until her husbands assasaination and not many people knew about it. Nowadays, First Lady Michelle Obama, is much more confident and open to speaking on her personal life.

    3) In my opinion, Jackie asked the ambulance driver and the nurse who James Garfield, William McKinley, and then Abraham Lincoln to emphasize the contrast between one assassinated president against two others. She recognized that her husband’s legacy could be similar to Lincoln’s, or it could be almost non-existent, like Garfield’s or McKinley’s. Jackie wanted to make sure that her husband had a legacy like Lincoln not an almost non-existient one like Garfield and McKinley. She planned to give him an amazing funeal with everything so people would be sure to remember it. I do not think it is a fair comparison between Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley, because Lincoln’s accomplishments are far superior to any accomplishments of Garfield or MicKinley.

    4) I do not think Kennedy deserved this legacy or myths surrounding him. Kennedy didn’t do much except for get America into more external issues. If it were not for him being assassinated, he would just be looked at as any other president fulfilling his duties in office. Jackie even admitted that her husband was imperfect while talking to the priest.

    5)To me, the film’s non-linear plot was distracting. Personally, I struggled to always understand what was happening. This type of plot added to the narrative by allowing for me to see Jackie’s emotions more clearly. All the flashbacks help the viewer understand more about Jackie’s personality. I feel that this non-linear plot was a good fit for this film, and I think that it helped me understandhow Jackie was feeling throughout the film.

  8. Hank Peters-Wood

    1) The film portrays Jackie Kennedy as tense, shy, and even a bit nervous. She puts on a fake personality when she is on camera and is noticeably concerned about how she sounds and looks. Although she is well spoken, she appears to stand stiff, fake a smile, and does not seem to be comfortable with being on camera. The First Lady follows the instructions she receives from her assistant directly, on how to act, speak, stand, and even smile. Although Jackie is known to be very intelligent and sensible, she chooses to focus more on appearance versus action. I would consider Jackie to be a classic First Lady. Her jobs include being the White House hostess, the manager of White House events, giving personal advice to the president, and to look attractive. Back then this was expected, however modern First Lady’s fulfill their position differently. Both Laura Bush and Michelle Obama were very comfortable with the public / camera and made efforts to connect with the people. Both had special projects or duties that they wanted to achieve. Michelle Obama, for example, exemplified the significance of healthy school lunches for children, and she took healthy lifestyles for children very seriously. The First Lady position differs between Jackie Kennedy (as well as most 20th century First Ladies) and modern First Ladies like Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama. The question now is which category Melanie Trump will fit into (I presume the more classic role).

    3) I believe Jackie Kennedy continuously asked the paramedics and nurses who McKinley, Garfield, and Lincoln were, to get a grasp on how her husband’s legacy would be remembered. When she sees that none of them recognized who James Garfield and William McKinley are, she makes it her goal to ensure that John F. Kennedy is remembered like Abraham Lincoln is. She used this as motivation into her husbands funeral and for years to come. I do not believe that the comparison between the three original assassinated presidents, Garfield, McKinley, and Lincoln is fair, because Lincoln is remembered for his great accomplishments, not his death.

    4) The fame that Jackie tried to create for her husband is truly not fair. JFK does not compare to Lincoln and does not compare to Jesus, that’s a fact. Kennedy did have many successful endeavors as president, sending a man to the moon, sparking civil rights, uniting the country, and trying his best with the Cuban Missile Crisis, however he does not compare, by any means, Honest Abe. He is considered a great person and president but he is nothing compared to the president who sewed the country back together and emancipated the slaves, or the Christian Messiah. I understand Jackie’s desire to ensure that her husband is remembered as a legend, but she may have gone overboard with the company she placed him with.

    5) I believe that jumping from time to time both distracted from and added to the film. It did help show the traumatic mark this event left on both the Kennedy family and the United States, and it helped show how Jackie expressed / handled her emotions, but it also distracted the viewers attention. I was left confused on the time period and what event was occurring from time to time, because of the way time was portrayed. It slightly hurt the movie because it offered confusion and made certain situations less emotional. However, in most situations I felt that it added to an already powerful message, by showing how significant certain events were and by highlighting grief and overcoming emotions. All in all, I liked the idea of jumping around the timeline, but I feel that it could have been accomplished in a better way.

  9. Megan Darby

    2)I think that they should have maybe mentioned it a little more because without it being mentioned it left me with a few questions about Mrs. Kennedy; weather she knew and was in denial, or didn’t know, or ignored the fact after his death, or had accepted it. I feel like if I had known her reaction more clearly to his “troubles” then it could add another dimension to her character and possible answer more questions about her demeanor after his death. I don’t think that it should be the main focus or mentioned too much because this wasn’t about him or their marriage but about her and mentioning too much about his “troubles” could have undermined the meaning behind the movie.
    3)I think that she asked about the former Presidents because she knew what their responses would be. She knew that those were the presidents who had been assassinated and what they had done and their legacies. Lincoln is one of the most famous Presidents for ending slavery and being assassinated but very few people know about Garfield or McKinley. She didn’t want her husband to end up like Garfield or McKinley; forgotten. She wanted to prove a point that just because you are assassinated, it doesn’t mean you will be remembered. She felt that she needed to preserve her husband’s legacy as a President and the only way she could do that was through his funeral. She tried to mimic Lincoln’s funeral since he was the one that was remembered. In the end I think she accomplished her goal since if you ask anyone with a brain in the United States who JFK is, they will immediately know who you are talking about, just as the nurse and the driver knew about Lincoln.
    4)I don’t think that he deserves the myths surrounding him because he didn’t do all that much. He was only in office for two years, which isn’t a lot of time to do things. If he had lived through his presidency it is possible that he could have been extremely influential, but he didn’t. He had the potential, as all presidents do to become an American Icon, but due to his assassination, he couldn’t do very much and therefore he doesn’t deserve the praise he gets when we really don’t have enough evidence to tell us whether he was a good or bad president.
    5)In my opinion I liked how the timeline wasn’t linear. I think it added to the film in how it seemed to reflect my interpretation of Mrs. Kennedy’s mind at the time, specifically during her interview. I felt as if her mind was jumping all over the place during that interview to her memories. When someone asks me about something that has happened, I often times skip around in the order of events because it is hard to remember every detail and depending on what people ask during the story, my mind can flip to a certain memory in response to that question. For example, when the reporter asked about “camelot”, she thought of what seemed like a grand ball, with her dancing happily with JFK and beautiful music in the background, whereas when he asked about “the sound of the gunshot” she thought of when her husband was shot. I think that this way of approaching the story and timeline of the film was genius because it gave insight to her mind and memories and not just the traditional storyline. It provided a different and somewhat abstract view of the story.

  10. Michael Wainer

    2) I think that the movie explored JFK’s women troubles just the right amount. I feel that in a movie in about Jackie and her strength, her husband’s cheating does not need to be a constant talking point. However without even mentioning it we would not able to see some of Jackie’s strongest qualities. It shows that she is very forgiving and that she looked for the best in her husband. This is shown when she is talking to the priest about how she remembers him. She first says that he was loyal and a good person, but just got caught up with some people that weren’t throughout his career. She then goes on to say how he was a great father; she can still picture him playing with the kids. She ends this piece of dialogue by asking, “How could I hate him?”, this was powerful to me because it showed that even after all he put her through she was able to still see good in him.
    3) I think that Jackie asks the driver and the nurse about McKinley and Garfield before Abraham Lincoln because she was worried about how her husband would be remembered. Due to JFK’s short time in office and lack of a big happening such as Abraham Lincoln and the civil war she was worried that her husband would be swallowed by history and eventually forgotten. She later in the movie confides to Bobby that she is nervous that history will remember them as the pretty family and nothing more. The lack of knowledge about McKinley and Garfield by both the ambulance driver and the nurse lead to her obsession with the funeral. Jackie now feels that in order for him to be remembered they will have to have a big funeral and march through the streets such as they did for Abraham Lincoln. She says that this is all for Jack, but near the end she admits that it was less for his legacy and more for hers.
    4) Although I think he deserves to be remembered he does not need the mythos surrounding him. He deserves to be remembered because he died as president, literally giving his life for the country. Even though this is true he was not president long enough to have the opportunity to make any massive changes such as Abraham Lincoln did with the abolition of slavery. We cannot be certain, but I believe that if he would have lived longer he would have been a great president. However, with the limited opportunity he had before his assassination, I believe it is unfair to both Kennedy and Lincoln for the two to be compared.
    5) I think that going back and forth through time did in some ways enhance the movie, but also made it more confusing. It enhanced the movie by showing her emotions and perspective. Through her telling the story we get to see this is completely her view of what happened and how difficult it was for her to get through. However it also makes it more difficult to follow than it would have been if the story was told straight through. One scene that was confusing featured Jackie talking with the priest. Until the very end of the movie I was uncertain of when this took place. I believed it to be after the funeral was over and everything had been taken care of. However At the conclusion of the film I learned that it actually happened right before the funeral took place. This scene is an example of the overall uncertainty of time throughout the movie.

  11. Emma Marszalek

    2. I think that the film used the right amount of reference to JFK’s women troubles. It didn’t need to be a big moment because it was a movie about Jackie. It was a part of their marriage. The troubles were shown through Jackie’s view and was briefly mentioned. The film wasn’t about JFK and his troubles, it was about how Jackie grieved and came to terms with everything. Jackie mentioned the troubles when talking to the priest, and said he always chose me.

    3. Mrs. Kennedy asks about the former presidents that were assassinated, Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. The people she asks don’t know who Garfield and McKinley are, but they know what Lincoln stood for. Jackie asks because she doesn’t want her husband to be a president that is forgotten. She wants to uphold his legacy. Jackie wants to make sure that Kennedy is not a name you forget. People remember Lincoln, and Lincoln had a procession. Jackie was obsessed with the funeral of her husband because it would be the last time the American people would be able to see Kennedy, and it may be how they remember him. It is not fair to compare the three other presidents that were assassinated. Lincoln lived when there was a major crisis, and found a way to fix the problem. Garfield and McKinley didn’t live through a major crisis. Therefore, it is not fair compare Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. Jackie did everything in her power to protect the image of JFK.

    4. Jackie Kennedy did a lot to try and preserve the legacy of her husband. Jackie protected his image to the American people. I think that President Kennedy deserves the legacy that Jackie worked to give him. Kennedy was the right man for the job in the time period. He did have flaws, but who doesn’t. His accomplishments overshadowed his mistakes. The tragedy surrounding his death adds to the importance of his presidency, and the lost of potential. President Kennedy has his wife to thank for the way he is remembered today.

    5. The movie jumped between scenes of a tour of the White House with Jackie, Jackie with her family before and after the assassination of Kennedy, and Jackie doing an interview with a reporter after the death of her husband. I think that this nonlinear pattern added to the overall narrative. It showed the contrast of how everything can change in the matter of minutes. The jumping of scenes demonstrated the chaos and shock of the American people. Until the last scene of the movie, it is unclear the context of her conversation of the priest. The final burial scene at Arlington, it becomes clear that this is the beginning of Jackie Kennedy and the Country moving on.

  12. Stav D

    1.) The film portrays Mrs. Kennedy during her 1962 tour of the White House as very shy and reserved. Mrs. Kennedy is directed by her assistant the entire time and keeps to herself. This is different then First Lady Michelle Obama who seemed loud, secure, and proud in her position in office. However, similarities are shown throughout the Kennedy Presidency between the First Ladies in the common theme of the First Ladies taking on big projects to help make America better.
    2.) I think the movie needed to explore JFK’s women problems a little more to help further develop Jackie’s character. I was still curious and some questions about Jackie and how she dealt with it. For one, I was curious if she dealt with it similarly to Clinton and just had accepted it or if she had been left thinking about it for a long time. Another plausible option would be that after he died, she had moved on with herself. One point that does need to be made though is that I appreciated the low amount of times that JFK was referenced in the movie because after all the movie was supposed to be about Jackie and her strength.
    3.) Jackie asked about former presidents Garfield and McKinley because when her husband had been assassinated she was worried that his legacy wouldn’t last. Although we still know Abraham Lincoln today, Garfield and McKinley seem to have been forgotten. Jackie didn’t want this to happen to JFK though. Jackie understood that even though you’re assassinated doesn’t mean you will be remembered as a president and because of this she was determined to preserve her husband’s legacy.
    4.) JFK, although a beast, didn’t deserve the comparisons to religious figures or the great emancipator. He did not accomplish anything so ground breaking that a common person today can point to. Also, Abraham Lincoln emancipated slavery and ended the civil war. So, I think it’s a stretch to compare him to someone of this level because he didn’t accomplish anything astounding.

  13. Emily Brown

    1. Jackie Kennedy had a major goal. The goal was to preserve history the best she could. Michelle Obama decided her goal was to help stop childhood obesity by improving school lunches and to help get kids up and active. Jackie Kennedy’s tour of the white house was for most people their first glance into the white house. It was a very historic moment. During her tour she is reminded to smile and be personable. She is nervous to be on camera so she is very reserved and shy. She wanted to protect her image. She speaks in a meek voice and is very private as she tours the white house. She was very private with the murder of her husband and was selective on what she said. Michelle Obama, on the other hand, is open and outgoing. They have different personalities. They all still care about their image because they are an example for women worldwide to follow
    3. I believe that Mrs. Kennedy asked the ambulance driver and the nurse who James Garfield, William McKinley, and Abraham Lincoln were to see if they could remember/differentiate between former assassinated presidents. She wants her husband and his legacy to be remembered. The driver did not know who Garfield or McKinley were. This discouraged Jackie. They knew Lincoln because he ended the civil war and slavery. This conversation made Jackie want JFK’s funeral to be like Lincoln’s funeral and also for it to be one no one would regret. She wanted everyone to remember JFK forever. She wanted this funeral to be one that would respect who he was as a man and as president of the United States. I understand how this is a fair comparison between her husband, Lincoln, McKinley, and Garfield because she wants to know who remembers assassinated presidents. She does not want JFK to not be remembered like Garfield or McKinley. Although JFK did not have a lot of time in office to achieve what he planned to, Jackie wants him to be remembered like Lincoln. She doesn’t want him to fade away and be forgotten like other presidents who didn’t accomplish all they planned to.
    4. I don’t think JFK deserved these comparisons/myths surrounding him. He did not have enough time to defeat communism or anything of that caliber. He got the U.S. into the Cuban missile crisis and had the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. If he had not been assassinated, I believe he would have fulfilled some of his plans but not defeat communism. I also believe he would have been remembered just as any other president would have been. Jackie wanted to preserve her husband’s legacy at all costs. She stated at the end of the movie that there will never be another Camelot. She meant that there would never be another time period like that of when the Kennedy’s were in the white house. Jackie also stated that her husband was not perfect and had many flaws. He did not do something as great as Lincoln ending the civil war.
    5. I believe that the jumping around in the film helped the viewer see into the grieving mind of Jackie. It would have been harder to see this if the plot just went in order. It made the film more emotional and provoked feelings of sadness. Seeing Jackie in the car huddling over her dead husband and then with the blood all over her outfit was heartbreaking. Seeing her wipe all of Jack’s blood off her face provoked the same feelings. I liked that it jumped around from the assassination to the scene with the priest and then back to the interview with the reporter made the story flow better even though it jumped around. I liked that it would share one scene and then have the next few scenes add on with information and emotions. The jumping around showed how overwhelmed with grief Jackie was and how much she wanted to die to be with her husband. The viewer saw the raw emotions of Mrs. Kennedy. I believe that the movie would not have had the same impact if it went straight through instead of jumping around.

  14. Camille West

    1. In the original tour of the White House, Jackie Kennedy was nervous and it seemed to me like she was not completely confident in herself. Although it’s normal to be nervous, I would think that a public figure and First Lady such as Jackie would be more self-assured and better on camera, but on the other hand, a lot of that might have been because as a First Lady of the time she was expected to be reserved and not really attention grabbing, so she probably had to make herself a malleable person and take directions from a lot of other people to appear agreeable. I think that the film did really well with this during the recreation of the tour because it would show Jackie making reassuring eye contact with her friend who was off camera because Jackie was nervous and needed that. The position of the Jackie in the White House was way different from what I am used to with Michelle Obama because from the film I only saw Jackie have one main task, redecorating the White House, and it was more superficial than Michelle Obama’s many tasks, which were centered around health and getting kids outside and eating healthier. Although Jackie did a really good job bringing meaning to her task in the way that she made it historical and relevant to Americans, it seemed like there wasn’t a whole lot else for her to do, because it looked like that was really only what was expected of a First Lady.

    2. I think that if the movie had talked any more about JFK’s infidelity it would have taken away from the strong relationship between Jackie and JFK that was portrayed in the movie, and the undying love that Jackie felt for him. The slight reference to it was tasteful and added subtle depth to Jackie’s strength and character in dealing with the overwhelming emotions she was feeling after the loss of her husband. It was also and important part of the relationship between Jackie and her husband, and I think it would have been disrespectful to completely ignore it.

    4. I think that if Kennedy were not assassinated then he would not have had the attention and idolization that he does. If he had lived out his presidency, he would likely still be well remembered today, but only because he was the first celebrity president, and was adored for his charisma and charming personality. Although he did squeak by in the election, he enjoyed some of the highest and most constant approval ratings of a president during his shortened term, averaging 70%. He could alone be remembered for his remarkable popularity throughout his presidency, but also how he handled the delicate Cuban Missile Crisis, fought internal organized crime, and helped land men on the moon. Although he did have downsides, such as the Bay of Pigs situation and his reluctance to involve himself in civil rights matters, and also the fact that his politics weren’t terribly remarkable, I do believe that he would still be largely recognized today, and therefore I do think that he is deserving of the attention that he gets.

    5. I really like the timeline of the movie, and how it flashed from one period to another. Although I don’t remember it that much anymore, it was interesting to see the very immediate effects of JFK’s death on Jackie, and the slightly more long term effects days later during her interview. It also heightened emotion, because it cut from one emotional scene to another in quick succession and the quick and constant movement because it was symbolic of the nonstop pressure and emotion that Jackie was dealing with, the pain that fresh and new every time she thought of her late husband, which she constantly had to do in planning his funeral and speaking of his death to the reporter.

  15. Lily Meinel

    1. Jackie sounded very shy when she was talking to the reporter. She was also off camera was being shown to smile more and when to move spots. Jackie would stumble over words or hesitate a little which I think made her look human. But I feel like she was trying so hard to be perfect because she was the president’s wife. I feel like she was acting like that (shy and perfect) because she wanted to make JFK look good as well. She is different to the first ladies I know is that Michelle is not afraid if she messes up. While it seemed like that Jackie really did not want to say something wrong. Jackie was more worried about how the white house looks that I think the other First Ladies (that I know) did. Most of Michelle’s addresses were about physical fitness or education. Jackie is similar in the way that she is a big deal and everyone likes her. She cares about America and her image she puts on the country.

    3. She asked the ambulance driver to prove a point to herself. She was worried that American people were just going to forget about JFK because he was not in office long enough to do anything life changing. The driver did not know who Garfield and MCKinley were but, he did know who Lincoln was. Lincoln ended slavery which was life altering to every person in America. Because the driver did not know who Garfield and McKinley were I think that lead her obsession of JFK’s funeral. She was not going to let JFK become “forgotten” in the American people’s eyes. So she made JFK’s funeral just like Lincoln’s. I do not think that it is fair to compare Lincoln to Garfield and McKinley because Lincoln ended slavery. Slavery ending impacted everyone in America of course Garfield and McKinley would not be remembered like him.

    4. I think that JFK should get credit for handling the missile crisis and pushing for the civil rights amendment. But I do not think that he should be compared to Jesus or Lincoln. JFK did not have enough time in office to make a big impression on Americans (at least I do not think). JFK did not do anything like Lincoln did or Jesus. I think it was a way for Jackie to justify what she was doing with his funeral and preserving his legacy. I do not look and JFK and see what he did is comparable to Jesus or Lincoln.

    5. I think that non-linear filming of the film created more feeling. It should the audience what Jackie was feeling after it happened and who she could still picture it as if it happened yesterday. It also added a depth to the story that normal stories do not have. Because people get to see what is happening when Jackie was taking to the ambulance driver or planing JFK’s funeral to be exactly like Lincoln’s funeral; what is going through her head. But then the film jumps back to the interview and then the audience gets to see more of what she was thinking. There is a full circle view on what was happening which I think created suspense and added more emotion/look on an already emotional subject.

  16. Chloe B

    1.In the film, Jackie, Jackie Kennedy is portrayed during the tour of the white house as being shy and slightly nervous. She was however, being directed by her assistant and everything she did seemed very planned out and forced, including her smile. Jackie Kennedy is different than some of the other first ladies I’ve been exposed to; mainly Michelle Obama. This is because Jackie was very distant from the public and kept herself and private life mostly behind the scenes, that is until the assassination of her husband. Whereas Michelle Obama is very open and attended many appearances and even gave out many speeches as First Lady.

    3. In the film, Jackie questions the ambulance driver and the nurse if they are aware of who James Garfield, William McKinley, and Abraham Lincoln are. Jackie does this because all three past presidents were assassinated, however only Lincoln was remembered for his time as president by both the driver and the nurse. They’re responses to this question is what led Jackie to become obsessed with her husband’s funeral because she was devoted to making sure her husband was not forgotten like how Garfield and McKinley had been. I think that the comparison between Garfield, McKinley, and Lincoln is fair because Lincoln accomplished ending the Civil War, and he should be forever remembered for that. However, Garfield and McKinley didn’t achieve anything on a similar level as Lincoln and because of that, they don’t have much to be remembered for.

    4. I do not think that President Kennedy deserved the legacy or myths surrounding him. In the film, Jackie tries to compare her husband to Abraham Lincoln and at one point even Jesus. This comparison Jackie has made just isn’t accurate. Although JFK encountered many successes during his presidency; such as setting a goal to put a man on the moon, establishing the peace corps, laying the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and much more, he didn’t win the Civil War or free slaves. Although JFK was great, I just don’t think he can be compared to Lincoln.

    5. Personally, I feel that the films non-linear time plot was both distracting as well as additional bonus. It was distracting to me because it made it harder to follow along with what was occurring in the movie. I occasionally had to stop and think about what was happening when the film would fast forward or flashback. However, the jumping around also added to the film because it created a more dramatic and emotional scene.

  17. Clare Walton

    1. In the film she seems timid maybe, like she is nervous to do it. She is reassured by her friend who tells her to smile and look pleasant. She goes through each room explaining how she did it and why and she seems like she gets more comfortable one JFK comes to join them. She knows what she is talking about but in doing it she is still nervous with pausing. This is different than the current first ladies. Now I believe they would be more confident when going around showing the White House. They would most likely be more relaxed. They are similar to Jackie because they would be open to sharing the inside of the White House and they would be more confident in showing what they did. Jackie was confident but I think that the personalities of the current first ladies would be different, there would be more laughing and it would be more casual than how Mrs. Kennedy did it.
    2. I think that JFK’s women troubles should be mentioned in the movie. Even though the story was more about Jackie, it was still apart of her life. The whole story was more about JFK and the lead up to and the aftermath of his death. Therefore the mentioning of his women troubles is in no doubt, fully acceptable to use.
    4.I think that JFK’s legend should, at least, be tried to be kept. He did do some great things during the time that he was alive and he should be upheld for those things after his death. Although he didn’t do as many great things like lincoln did, he also only got two years in office so he could have done more things but at that time he was doing what the president should do. Jackie was very concerned about keeping his legend because I think she wanted him to be kept in people’s mind as a great man. When her children grew up I’m sure she also had in her mind that for their sake, he should be remembered as a great man. In addition, his death was sudden and unexpected so i think it would be in the best mind of the people and those affiliated with him to think about the impactful things that he did in his life.
    5. The jumping from time period to time period was distracting in some aspects. I think it was a good idea because i like how the reporter scenes were her talking about it after she had time to reflect on everything that she did. The scenes of everything happening were nice to see how she did things as they were happening and how she handled everything that was thrown at her at such a quick pace. It was good to see how everything played out during the parts where the death just happened. I think it shows the mindset of how jackie was and how rash her decisions were based on everything that was happening. If we didn’t see that then when she was talking to the reporter we wouldn’t know what was said to her or what she was doing when she decided to do things like the parade for his funeral.

  18. Kyle Alkatib

    1. The film shows Jackie Kennedy as very shy and nervous during her first tour of the White House. Jackie always had to force herself to smile because she was so shy. During the tour that she took of the White House, the person showing her the place had to always tell her how to act and what to do. She was a very different First Lady than those of today like Laura Bush and Michelle Obama. Both of these First ladies were outgoing and gave many speeches during their husbands presidency. They also got out more and did things to help the country like when Michelle Obama tried to make school cafeterias healthier. Jackie was much more shy and private so she did not get out that much like them. Jackie Kennedy also smoked which is frowned upon today while it was not when she was the First Lady.

    3. Jackie asked the ambulance driver and the nurse who James Garfield, William McKinley and Abraham Lincoln were so that she could see who the people remember the most. Jackie knew that all three of these presidents were assassinated and she wanted to see who the people recognized the most. Of course, they both said Abraham Lincoln and they didn’t really recognize the other two presidents she mentioned. Jackie wanted her husband to be like Lincoln, a president that everyone remembers. She wanted everyone to remember what her husband did for America and wanted to remember his funeral. She wanted his funeral to be perfect so that everyone can remember it. I do not think that the comparison between these three presidents is fair because Lincoln is remembered for winning the Civil War and ending slavery while McKinley and Garfield aren’t really remembered for anything.

    4. I do not think that JFK should be compared to Jesus or Lincoln because although he was a good president, he did not do great things like they did. Jesus did many miracles and did amazing things. Lincoln won the Civil war and ended slavery which was a huge thing. JFK did good as president but the things he accomplished weren’t nearly as great as what these two people did. JFK fulfilled small things that most presidents do. JFK also had some flaws to his presidency as Jackie said he did. If JFK had not been assassinated, he would probably just be seen as just another president.

    5. Sometimes I like the jumping from different time periods but sometimes I do think it is distracting. I think that sometimes it is distracting because you are at one time period and then you jump to a totally different topic and you do not know what is happening. It could be good at the same time because if you do this correctly the movie could be very good. I think that some of the jumping of time periods was good in this movie because it really helped you understand the life of Jackie and JFK. I also really liked it when they jumped to different time periods at JFK’s assassination. It done very well and I felt like it made me understand what Jackie went through and what America went through.

  19. Donavin Stoops

    1. I believe the film portrays Jackie Kennedy in a very realistic way. After looking at some pictures of what the real Jackie looked like, I realized that the directors and stylists made the actress playing Jackie look very realistic in comparison to the real Jackie. I also looked at the actual interview that Jackie had in the White House. When I watched it, I was astonished on how the movie made that scene so much alike to the real interview. While watching the real interview, I was fortunate enough to find the same scene where Jackie and interviewer went into the East Room, this scene was remade in the movie and the movie had the same lines that both people used. Also the way that Jackie talked in the movie was very alike to the interview. In the interview her voice was very faint, soft, and almost hesitant at times, and in the movie the actress had the exact same traits. This shows that the producers and the actress, Natalie Portman, did their fair share research while making this film. Throughout my life, I only remember Michelle Obama as the First Lady, so it was nice to see a glimpse of what another First Lady was like. It seems that Jackie was more focused on The White House and preserving history rather than Michelle, who focused a lot on children’s health. Jackie also seems very kind and welcoming, this is similar to Michelle Obama because during her time in the White House, she always looked like a very nice and warm person.

    3. While in the ambulance car, Jackie asks the ambulance driver and the nurse if they knew who James Garfield, William McKinley, and Abraham Lincoln were. Jackie asked the drivers this because she wants to know if her husband, JFK, would be a remembered or a forgotten President. James Garfield and William McKinley were not very well remembered after their death, I didn’t even recognize either of them while watching the movie. After the driver and nurse both responded with “no”, she asked if they knew who Abraham Lincoln was. They, of course, responded “yes”. Jackie wanted to find out if people would forget her husband like they’ve forgotten Garfield and McKinley. Their responses made Jackie want to make JFK’s funeral very grand, like Lincolns, in hopes that people will remember him. She even has funeral planner tell her how Lincoln’s funeral was like, which she then modeled her husbands after. I do not believe that any President should be forgotten because they all do important stuff for our country. A president who was assassinated should also not be forgotten because it represents how brutal some parts of history could be. However, I do not know if the comparison of JFK and Lincoln was very fair. Even though JFK was a very good person, and did good for the country like, helping the Civil Rights Movement, he didn’t do something huge like Lincoln did (ending slavery and winning the Civil War).

    4. Although Kennedy faced a tragic and sudden death, I do not think he should be compared the way he was by Jackie throughout the movie. Kennedy was portrayed as a hero to the country by Jackie, and often times she compared him Lincoln. Lincoln did so much for the country, for example he helped end slavery and repair the wounds that was made with it. However Kennedy did not do much except for some Civil Rights Movement and the Cuban Missile Crisis. I don’t think Kennedy, or any President for that matter, should be forgotten. I do believe that if Kennedy did have more time on his hands he could have had more time, but I do not think that Kennedy deserved the comparisons he received in the film.

    5. The fact that the film did not go in order of when each event happened was a very good idea. This allowed the viewers to see many different views about what happened. For example, we were able to see when Jackie and her deceased husband leave the shooting on the highway. This was a view from what anyone would see as if someone was in the car next to her. We were then able to see her reactions to her husband getting shot while she was talking to the interviewer. In this we got a glimpse of how she was feeling when it happened, and also how she spoke to other people about this, which is in a shy kind of way. Finally we got to see her talks to the priest. This gave viewers her perspective on a religious side and her internal fight as if she deserved her husband to be taken away or not. Overall, the jumping around made it more interesting and also gave us more information on what happened

  20. Davit Tran

    1. In the movie Jackie, Jackie Kennedy gave a tour of the White House, just like the real Jackie Kennedy did in 1962. The actress Natalie Portman portrays Jackie as timid and out of her comfort zone whilst giving the tour. Jackie was trying to be the perfect first-lady and you could tell she was very nervous. In the film we see that there was an assistant who had to encourage Jackie on with a prep talk and reassuring nods. Jackie Kennedy in my opinion is very different from our first lady today (Michelle Obama). Today when I think about Michelle Obama, I think about her doing pushups with Ellen DeGeneres, or dancing with kids to get them active. I think Michelle Obama is more comfortable in her shoes and accepts mistakes, but that might just be her personality.
    3. James Garfield and William McKinley as well as Abraham Lincoln were all presidents that had been assassinated. While in the ambulance, there was a lot going through Jackie’s head. I think Jackie asked the ambulance driver and the nurse who James Garfield and William McKinley were because she knew that they would have no idea who they were. She then asked them if they knew who Abraham Lincoln was and of course they knew right away. After this I think Jackie wanted her husband to be remembered like Lincoln was (a hero), not how Garfield and McKinley were (not at all). Jackie decided that there would be a huge procession for John Kennedy so he would be remembered. I think only relationship Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley shared were that they got assassinated. We all know Lincolns legacy, we’re even learning about him today. But if you brought up the name James Garfield and William McKinley, I wouldn’t know whom you’re talking about.
    4. In all honesty, I really do not think John Kennedy should be compared to Jesus or Lincoln. First of all, Jesus is a religious figure who many people look up to for his perfectiveness as a human being. John Kennedy is nowhere near perfect. John Kennedy was known as a womanizer and Jesus was known for preaching the gospel. Lincoln was an outstanding president known for “ending” slavery. Kennedy and Lincoln do share being presidents and getting shot in common, but if we were to compare the two, Lincoln was more of an outstanding president compared to Kennedy. Most people when they hear Kennedy think about his assassination, and not his accomplishments.
    5. In my opinion I think the films “non-linear” storyline was less distracting, and more helpful to the storytelling of the movie. With the jumping around from interview to actual scene, it defined and stressed the depressing moments Jackie went through. When Jackie was explaining her husbands death and how she reacted, it jumped to the scene were he actually got shot and showed us how she reacted. This added realness to the film, which made it very depressing, which I think that’s what they were going for. It showed us Jackie’s raw emotions from the scene of the assassination, to her coping with John’s death, to her wanting to commemorate his death.

  21. Bryce Ulep

    1. Jackie Kennedy was a lot less outgoing compared to many of the first ladies that we have today. Michele Obama or Laura Bush always stood up next to their husbands with huge smiles looking like they were having the time of their lives. Now don’t confuse this and think that Jackie was not happy, but she was not a very good public person. Jackie would always have her forced smile and would not really enjoy being the center of attention. Although Jackie was not very outgoing, she did support her husband. Like first ladies today Jackie stuck with her husband and supported him through his campaign and presidency. Jackie overall was not too different from current first ladies aside from just a few personality and habit differences.
    3. While in the ambulance Jackie Kennedy asked the ambulance driver about former presidents for a specific reason. James Garfield and William McKinley are not two of the most well-known presidents throughout history. Abraham Lincoln however is in the top three of most known presidents. I feel that Jackie Kennedy was trying to see if the ambulance drivers knew them and if future generations would know them. She wanted John to be a Lincoln, not a Garfield or McKinley. She believed her husband to be one of the greatest men and history and wanted to build his legacy. I think the comparison between Lincoln and Garfield/ McKinley was fair because of the thing the three presidents accomplished during the times they were in office.
    4. Jackie seems too highly over rate her husband. John F. Kennedy was definitely not a bad president, but not comparable to Lincoln or Jesus. John was a good guy and good president but he did not do anything extraordinary like win a Civil War or free slaves. Kennedy was good but Jackie was over-hyping him. She just gave him too much credit where credit wasn’t fully deserved. Overall, Jackie was a great lady for trying to preserve her husband’s legacy, but was a bit out of line with what she thought he accomplished compared to others.
    5. I personally do not believe that the non-linear jumping of the film added enough to the story line. The jumping between different times was an interesting way of trying to portray before and after of how Jackie felt about all the events. Although this jumping was cool and not done very often, overall it was just too distracting. The constant jump from one time period to another and not knowing exactly what was going on was a bit hard to understand. I believe that the producers could have benefited more from just following a linear path and portraying Jackie’s life in that way. In this way there would be an attachment to the character, and I think people would be more sympathetic with her grieving. Although I think that the jumping was creative and would be interesting to see in movies, I just do not believe it was needed in this film.

  22. Danielle Lutz

    1. In the movie, Jackie seems extremely nervous during her tour of the white house. She walked around the white house explaining each room, what she did, and why. When her husband came into the shot, suddenly Jackie was no longer nervous and became comfortable. The First Ladies I have known chose something to help turn around in the country but Jackie seems to be much more focused on showing the whole country that she is the perfect wife and a proper lady.
    2. They did not mention JFK’s women troubles, but I think that was appropriate. Throughout the movie, they show Jackie’s life turn upside down within a couple of minutes. It is very important to see all the grief that Jackie is racked with. She is so stressed and has so much anxiety built up inside her after dealing with something like this. If she had ever thought about the problem’s the Kennedy’s went through with JFK’s women troubles, she would have been pushed over the edge.
    3. Mrs. Kennedy asked the driver and nurse who those people were because they were all presidents who had been assassinated just like her husband. When they say, they do not know the first two men, but they do know Abraham Lincoln, she becomes obsessed with making her husband’s funeral as important and elaborate as Abraham Lincoln’s. I do not think this is a fair comparison because no matter how Abraham Lincoln died, everybody would forever praise all the things he did for the Americans ending slavery.
    4. I think that President Kennedy deserved that kind of mythos surrounding him. Of course his wife believed he was the most wonderful man but Kennedy really was a great president. He was very popular. He was young, handsome, and changed the idea of what a president was. This was a time when television was booming. Most leaders in the past had been older and although wise, not very charismatic unlike president Kennedy. He pushed American’s to expand. He set the program for NASA to be first to land on the moon and he was there handling the Cuban missile crisis not backing down no matter the threats from other countries. If he was not assassinated, JFK could have done a lot for our country.

  23. Hassan Dabliz

    1.) The film portrays Kennedy during her tour of the White House as very shy and uptight. She is directed by someone during the whole tour telling her how to act. She talks in a very soft and quiet voice and is always forcing a smile. She is different than other first ladies we see today, in that she is much more shy and private. The movie talks about how until her husband’s death her private life was very kept in and not many people knew about it. Where now Michelle Obama is much more open and confident when speaking to the people of the US.

    3.) Jackie wants her husband to be known and remembered for years to come, everyone knows who Lincoln was and she wants the same for her husband. The driver had no idea who Garfield or McKinley were, but when Lincoln was brought up the nurse as well as the cab driver knew of him very well. These answers made Kennedy want John’s funeral to be one that is remembered and seen throughout all of America. She wanted it to be huge with all of the bells and whistles, and do everything it takes to make the funeral one to remember and one in memorial for John. This is a fair comparison between Garfield and McKinley and Lincoln, because unless you are huge into history odds are you do not know who the first two men were, but almost everyone knows Lincoln and remembers his legacy.

    4.) I do not think Kennedy truly deserved this kind of fame around him, he really didn’t do much except for get America into more issues, (as his brother Bobby said). If it were not for him being assassinated, he would just be looked at as any other president fulfilling his duties in office. Jackie even said that her husband had many flaws, but when we lose someone we try to forget the bad and just remember the good.

    5.) I think the jumping around in the story telling of the film really helped show the impact of many events. Flashing from Jackie crying to John being killed, and the different scenes of her on the tour gave a full effect on the events leading up to, and following his assassination. When the film showed Jackie with the priest and then her at the precession, it showed her true feeling of sorrow, in how she wanted to die to be with her husband in heaven. The many points showing her smoking a cigar, showed how stressed out she was and especially how she chose to deal with the stresses of everything going on.

  24. Andrew Beggs

    1) In this movie I really noticed that Jackie was a very independent and shy woman. In the movie she talked very shy and quiet like she was scared of the world. During her tour, she was directed on what to say, where to go, and what to do. She was shown as a shy woman who is very different from First ladies today such as Michelle Obama who is very open and involved with her husband’s presidency. She was always very nervous and careful. Today, Michelle Obama is very active and was involved in politics such as education, children’s diet, etc. Jackie Kennedy was different and was more focused on the fame of being first lady.
    3) Jackie asked the ambulance driver and the nurse who James Garfield, William McKinley, and Abe Lincoln were because she wanted to contrast the past three presidents who got assassinated and see if they knew who each of them were. The nurse and driver only knew who Lincoln was because he was the most famous of the three. Jackie wanted her husband to be remembered in American History and that is why she asked the question. When Jackie heard their answers she wanted JFK’s funeral to be one to remember. She really wanted her husband to be remembered and not left behind and forgotten so she made the funeral a huge deal. I don’t think that this is a fair comparison because Garfield and McKinley aren’t very famous presidents and are not remembered very much. I think that Lincoln is remembered for being a great president and he is remembered for his success in keeping the United States alive in the Civil War period.
    4) I do not think that JFK deserves the fame that Jesus or Abraham Lincoln got because he really wasn’t that good of president. Lincoln got is fame and respect for being a great president by coming into office when America was falling apart and being able to lead into bringing it back together. He earned his respect and fame through hard work. Lincoln also got rid of slavery, which was a huge thing for the country at this time. JFK didn’t really do many good things for our country. He is only remembered because he was assassinated. If he stayed alive and fulfilled his duties as president, I think that he would be looked over as a president who didn’t change a lot but just was there in office because that was his job. He didn’t earn his fame and respect like Lincoln; he only received it because of his assassination in my opinion.
    5) I think that the non-linear plot made the telling of the story better and worse. For the good part it really looked deep into Jackie’s feelings and gave the watcher a better understanding of how she felt. The times where the movie jumped gave me more understanding of how Jackie felt when John was assassinated, along with the grief with the priest and reporter. I think seeing Jackie’s emotions and personality in her story was the good part about the flashbacks. The bad part was at first I was very confused with the whole plot jumping and it caused me to have to piece the puzzle together to get the whole picture. Towards the end of the movie I could understand it much better but at the beginning it was awkward to jump scenes.

  25. Ny'dea Terrell

    1. As Natalie Portman portrayed Jackie Kennedy in the self entitled film, Jackie, it highlights many of Mrs.Kennedy’s characteristics. To name the prominently exemplified ones during her tour of the White House, it includes, timid and warmhearted. Kennedy often spoke in a light mannered tone, in a nervous frame, but her words offered a passion that she shared from decorating the White House. In comparison to former First Lady’s, I think she shared the quality of warm-hearted with Michelle Obama. I found both to have a strong input into the government, but also contributed to the people as positive role models. Kennedy contributed with respectable attire that many idolized her for, because it was simple, but elegant. Michelle Obama completed many tasks, but to specify one, it would be child obesity solutions. She passed more laws and plans in schools for healthier lunches.

    3. It is my belief that Mrs. Kennedy asked about former presidents, James Garfield and William McKinley, and Abraham Lincoln, to the driver and nurse to see if they remembered the legacy of the listed three. The only president they recognized was Abraham Lincoln, because his reputation as a president. I think she asked specifically about those presidents, because she formulates that people who are remembered in a big procession, often have their reputations forged as an influential part of history. That is what Ms. Jackie wanted for her husband, so in her belief it was only right to have a large procession, so people will remember that despite short, JFK held an effect on the government. However looking back at the comparison between one former president who was well known compared to two others who are not as influential. I do not think it was a just comparison. I feel she needed to add a president who was moderately effective, to balance every portion of the scale.

    4. Mrs. Kennedy compared her husband to Abraham Lincoln and even went farther to say, almost on the same level as Jesus. Although JFK prevailed in some tasks on his presidential agenda, I do not find accomplishments to be nearly as close to Abraham Lincoln, certainly not to a religious figure, as Jesus. Abraham Lincoln freed slaves and encouraged bills that lead to the Transcontinental Railroad. JFK does deserve credit for his contribution to the Civil Rights Movement, but I do not think it goes far enough to compare him to Lincoln and Jesus.

    5. I found that the non-linear storyline of the movie added to my understanding of the movie. It allowed me to view what occurred, but when I didn’t understand the scene, I could rely one Ms. Jackie describing the event with the reporter. It also helped the overall overview, because it shows the process of going through a loss of life publicly. Even within the first few hours on the plane after the assassination, Ms. Jackie was surrounded by media and press. No moment during her mourning was private, it was the concept of presentation. Those were small details I was able to catch after seeing what occurred, but also how Ms. Jackie would describe her motion after experiencing those moments of pressure. The movement also kept it interesting, because in the moment she displayed a behavior, contrary to displayed when talking with the reporter. The way she described herself in the moment hinted me that emotionally she altered within herself. In summary I felt the non-linear storytelling to be beneficial for my understanding.

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