LBJ: The Early Years (1987)

Truly Dreadful Film

Fantastic!

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Solid recap of LBJ's climb obviously told in shorthand-a necessary evil due to the constraints of its TV format. Still you do get a feeling for the hard charging bull from Texas who confounded many when he emerged as a great advocate for civil rights. Quaid is excellent in the lead, a very good actor whose reputation has now been sullied by bizarre off screen behavior. He and Lupone who are seemingly an odd match work well together as Lyndon and Lady Bird, who even though they forged a strong bond themselves were an unusual match as is shown here. Patti Lupone in her limited screen time tries to show the grit under Lady Bird's soft demeanor. For history buffs and biography fans a worthy entry.

As with other political biographical films, the strength of the film is the actor playing the protagonist. Randy Quaid makes a perfect Lyndon Baines Johnson in a fine, nuanced, and modulated performance. He seems to mature as Johnson as the narrative develops in sequence. This is one of the best portrays of a historical figure I have seen in any film. He even looks and sounds like the late president. I particularly like the temper tantrums for which President Johnson was famous.Patti LuPone is as fine as Claudia Taylor, Lady Bird Johnson, whom I admired. Pat Hingle does the same with Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn. Kevin McCarthy does a fine Joseph Kennedy. Not every actor does as well, but they make an effort. Peter Werner directed this excellent exposition of one of the most powerful and tragic American presidents.Rich detail, careful nuances, well made. I very much enjoyed this excellent film. I liked it even more with a second viewing. I hope this group does a film of Mr. Johnson during his presidency.

Oscar-nominated star Randy Quaid (The Last Detail) won a Golden Globe for this performance, and it was an easy one to hand out. Quaid WAS LBJ. There was no doubt about it. He had the character nailed and gave such a good performance that you almost felt you were watching a documentary.Before Barack Obama was born, and before he ever thought about giving a speech on the Two Americas, LBJ was fighting for legislation (1960 Civil Rights Act) to help end the fact that there were two Americas -- and he actually used those words. Four years later (after this movie) he passed the historic Civil Rights acts of 1964 and 1965, while he was President. Lincoln may have freed the slaves to end a war, but LBJ was responsible for truly giving the Black Americans their full rights, and moving us toward the end of the Two Americas.For those that do not know the story of LB and how he was the most powerful and successful Congressman ever in the history of the US, and how he was the person who made Kennedy's dreams a reality, this is an excellent film to find out.Patti LuPone was the best of a lot of stars that contributed to this movie. She played Lady Bird to a T. I just hope I will one day see her performance of Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert.

Many actors have played, or attempted to play, LBJ. Some have done quite well. But NONE will ever be better at playing LBJ during his early years than Randy Quaid, for several reasons. - No. 1: he does not have to fake a Texas accent. Many performers overdo it or try to use a generic southern accent. Quaid has it nailed - maybe because he is a Texas native himself. - No. 2: He has the look of a real rake. (Yes, LBJ was one. Let's face it.) When he is commenting to one of the Kennedys (JFK or RFK, I can't remember which one) he says, with a leer, "She'll take dictation any time!" He puts an unmistakable emphasis on the first syllable of the word 'dictation'. - No. 3: He displays convincing temper fits. LBJ was not known for being patient or suffering fools gladly...