Power and Beauty (2002) (TV)

Director:

Susan Seidelman

Writers (WGA):

William Bast (story) &
Paul Huson (story) ...

Release Date:

21 July 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A woman claims she had an affair with John F. Kennedy. |

Plot Keywords:

Female To Male Footsie Playing | Footsie Under The Table

Cast

Natasha Henstridge	...	Judy Exner
Kevin Anderson	...	John F. Kennedy
Peter Friedman	...	Sam Giancana
John Ralston	...	Frank Sinatra
Chris Owens	...	Weston
Katie Griffin	...	Jacqueline
Tony Nappo	...	Roselli
Cedric Smith	...	Thompson
Grant Nickalls	...	Billy Campbell
Ronn Sarosiak	...	Hendricks
Bill Lake	...	Fred
Nancy Beatty	...	Katherine
Paul Thomas Gordon	...	Peter
Kaya McGregor	...	Pat
Martin Doyle	...	Stivers

Also Known As:

The Judith Exner Story (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some language and sexuality.

Runtime:

Canada:96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Adelson Entertainment

Goofs:

Anachronisms: A pack of cigarettes is seen on the table in the nightclub scene near the first of the film. It shows "Lucky Strikes" on the package and the cigarettes are filters. There were no Lucky Strike Filters in 1960.

Soundtrack:

Tag - Sinatra

Maybe its history and not just bad entertainment

If you read Variety's review of this made for TV film you would think it's a real stinker but if you look at it as if the producer was honestly trying to recreate an historical drama it comes off as something much more satisfying. Most liberals will hate this film because it's almost sacrilegious to explore the inter workings of John F. Kennedy's personal life. Look how they felt about Dr. Martin Luther King when they accused him of plagiarism. Kennedy is still every liberal's most favorite modern president since before Roosevelt. But to think his Camelot image could be tarnished with these allegations of extramarital relations is just too much for some. These stories have never gone away and stories like this one are possibly more factual than fiction. What Variety magazine and others don't like is the fact the producer didn't fictionalize the story to such a degree that it could be dismissed as pure fiction. No, this story might just be true. I notice IMDb doesn't risk calling it an historical drama.

Yes, Kevin Anderson is miscast as John F. Kennedy but who could ever recreate the persona of JFK? And I think it was effective not to try too hard to do this but suggest there was another man behind the public figure of JFK. If nothing else, Natasha Henstridge is a delight to watch and John Ralson as Sinatra does an excellent impersonation of his Las Vegas act.

I am convinced the producer was trying to get to the truth and be damned with entertainment content. Also, having this film produced outside of the United States confirms my inclinations that this film was a sincere attempt at producing an historical drama.