Backstairs at the White House (1979)

the audience applauded

Simply Perfect

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Blistering performances.

WONDERFUL MOVIE FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. I remember watching this movie on TV, when it originally aired on TV in 1979 when I was a little girl. It had such a great impact on me that I never forgot it years later as a grown woman. I had searched everywhere for this movie. I finally came across it at a public library. Our entire family have enjoyed this movie thoroughly. It is very accurate to history. The actors for the roles were superb. Mr.Gosset and Ms. Uggams and Cole were great. Enjoyed watching all these actors in Roots and enjoyed their performances just as much if not more in this movie. I used this as an educational movie for my children. Kids do not get a lot of US history in schools today like we used to get in the 70's. The only part of the movie that I recall has bad language is in the last disc, which depicts President Truman and as I understand was true to history. However, these few words are mild today compared to other movies with inappropriate language. By the way, did you know that the producer of this movie was also associated with the Little House on the Prairie TV series? Please make more movies like these.

Please bring this wonderful 1979 TV Mini-Series back to TV, or put on DVD. It's both entertaining & loaded with historical facts. I only saw this movie when it was originally on TV, but I'll never forget it. It had great impact on me!

This mini-series made me want to learn more about the history of time covered. This film brought history to life; it gave characteristics and characters to what had only been Presidential names to me before. I would recommend this film to everyone; all ages, all people. I would love to be able to purchase it for my at home collection.

Spanning fifty years and eight administrations, -Backstairs at the White House- is the story of the servants, mainly Americans of African descent, who work behind the scenes in the most famous household in the land. The story centers around two maids, mother Maggie and daughter Lillian, who literally spend their lives cleaning, polishing, and mending for the ever-changing employers. Their stories, intermingled with those of the other permanent staff as well as the first family, run the gamut from warmth, high comedy, to deep tragedy, with surprising moments of humanity glimpsed even through those who are most aloof. Like -Roots-, this miniseries is a glimpse at a long span of Americana rarely shown and mostly forgotten, rendered with intelligence, warmth, dignity, and a sense of character that are all too rare on television these days. If you can't see the miniseries, get Bagni/Dubov tie-in novel. It is well worth it.