Ethel (2012)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Did you people see the same film I saw?

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

This is an amazing documentary, based on an interview with Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Robert Kennedy. It has extensive film footage of the public and private lives of the Kennedy family, particularly Robert and Ethel's; however, there are many views of the extended family. The interviewer is Ethel and Robert's youngest child, Rory. She does an excellent job of letting the viewer see her mother as a woman who has lived a full life with all its pain and joy. I never really knew Ethel Kennedy, although she was always a fixture in the Kennedy clan. After seeing this movie, I was moved by her honesty, her lack of pretense and her love for Bobby. She laughed at her hijinks, throwing a party for President Kennedy where the entire Cabinet ended up in the pool, or taking off on a scooter and crashing it during a trip to Rome. She talked about their two families and how they got along very well, despite being totally different. After Bobby's death, Ethel raised her children to be acutely aware of the poverty and hardship in the country and how important it is to work to overcome this divide. Her frankness was disarming. When asked about Bobby's climb of Mount Kennedy, named after his brother President Kennedy, she said, "He hated it". But he felt it was a challenge he had to take on. It was also clear that Ethel's faith is very deep and that she sees the tragic events as moments that all must encounter. In the meantime, we do what we can because we never know how long we have. Ethel Kennedy has had a long run and has done very well coping with her roller coaster life. After watching this documentary, I felt great admiration for her. I learned much about Ethel and her late husband, who I have always admired. I would gladly see this film again.

Despite that this film is an excellent documentary, at times, Mrs. Kennedy came across as being quite gruff. This ran contrary to her usual demeanor when posing for pictures with her late husband Sen. Robert Kennedy. (D-N.Y.)That being said, Ethel Kennedy is an amazing woman. Her deep faith has allowed her to continue her life despite the numerous tragedies that befell her.Made by her youngest daughter, Rory, the film goes through the careers of President Kennedy and his brother Robert. Ethel was quite active in both campaigns.Surprisingly, we learn that her parents were staunch Conservative Republicans who died in a tragic plane crash.She gave her children an excellent upbringing with structure emphasized.The documentary is a tribute to her perseverance and commitment to social justice as she attempted to carry on that tradition of her late husband, while not letting the tragedies of her life overcome her.She is certainly a stalwart among women.

A first rate documentary about Ethel Kennedy and her wonderful family. There were so many photos and videos of the family that helped to show the family at home and on the campaign trail besides historical footage of news reports that showed that time period. While I was a student at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ in 1968, I worked on the Bobby Kennedy campaign and had the most wonderful time and was able to attend Bobby's speech in Camden, NJ along with other campaign workers where we were also able to see Ethel. Rory did a wonderful job of showing how loving and supportive her Mom was of her husband and what a wonderful mother she was and continues to be. Thank you for giving us an insider's view of your family.

I just saw this at the Traverse City Film Festival. I am not a Kennedy aficionado, having some reservation about the morals of the family. But what I learned about Ethel made me admire her as possibly one of the great political wives of my time. Directed by her youngest child, Rory, the film primarily consists of an interview of Ethel and input in similar fashion from her remaining children. Ethel is a delight; funny and insightful. Supplemented with a great deal of historical footage, it is obvious how much she loved Robert and how she influenced first him and then, after his assassination, their children. Her life was devoted to her husband, her family, her strong faith and her feeling that she had an obligation to give back to her country for her high-born status. But in addition to this, she could be acerbic, comedic and at times outrageous resulting in several political embarrassments for Robert when he was yet living. She makes few apologies. She is a real national treasure and this film gives a great appreciation for her life of quiet dignity and service. Don't miss it.