There have been a few wonderful movies released recently that revolve around the stories of two well-known Presidents. These period pieces are set in the eras of great turmoil. In Hyde Park on Hudson we are placed in 1939 New York before World War II breaks out in Europe as Hitler rolled out his war machine. The other film is Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, set during the last months of the American Civil War and during the political struggles to pass the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Both films are new releases on DirecTV’s on demand network. If you haven’t signed up yet for DirecTV some websites such as saveontvdirect.com offer unique deals.
While both works have had critics raise issues about the historical accuracy of the films, it is important to note that these are fictional renditions and not intended to be documentaries in the traditional sense.
While both works have had critics raise issues about the historical accuracy of the films, it is important to note that these are fictional renditions and not intended to be documentaries in the traditional sense.
- 4/24/2013
- by Guest Writer
- Obsessed with Film
My Week with Marilyn
Written by Adrian Hodges, based on the books My Week with Marilyn and The Prince, the Showgirl and Me by Colin Clark
Directed by Simon Curtis
2011, imdb, Josh Slater-Williams’ review, William Bitterman’s review
Hitchcock
Written by John J. McLaughlin, based on the book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello
Directed by Sacha Gervasi
2012, imdb, Josh Spiegel’s review
Hyde Park on Hudson
Written by Richard Nelson
Directed by Roger Michell
2012, imdb, Josh Spiegel’s review, Kenneth Broadway’s Nyff review, Lane Scarberry’s Telluride review
Lincoln
Written by Tony Kushner, based in part on the book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Directed by Steven Spielberg
2012, imdb, Josh Spiegel’s review, The Mousterpiece Cinema Podcast on Lincoln, The Almost Arthouse/Sound on Sight podcast on Lincoln, Jeremy Caesar’s article on Lincoln‘s score,...
Written by Adrian Hodges, based on the books My Week with Marilyn and The Prince, the Showgirl and Me by Colin Clark
Directed by Simon Curtis
2011, imdb, Josh Slater-Williams’ review, William Bitterman’s review
Hitchcock
Written by John J. McLaughlin, based on the book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello
Directed by Sacha Gervasi
2012, imdb, Josh Spiegel’s review
Hyde Park on Hudson
Written by Richard Nelson
Directed by Roger Michell
2012, imdb, Josh Spiegel’s review, Kenneth Broadway’s Nyff review, Lane Scarberry’s Telluride review
Lincoln
Written by Tony Kushner, based in part on the book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Directed by Steven Spielberg
2012, imdb, Josh Spiegel’s review, The Mousterpiece Cinema Podcast on Lincoln, The Almost Arthouse/Sound on Sight podcast on Lincoln, Jeremy Caesar’s article on Lincoln‘s score,...
- 12/27/2012
- by Michael Ryan
- SoundOnSight
"Hyde Park on Hudson," the drama starring Bill Murray and Laura Linney as President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his distant cousin Margaret Suckley, opened to $83,280 on four theaters. The critics were lukewarm to "Hyde Park," but that didn't stop art house audiences. The movie rang up an impressive $20,820 per-screen average – the best of any film in release -- according to distributor Focus Features. Sony Pictures Classics expanded Jacques Audiard's "Rust and Bone," starring Marion Cotillard, from two to four theaters and got a big bump. Its per-screen average of...
- 12/9/2012
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Roger Michell’s latest film Hyde Park on Hudson is inspired by Margaret Suckley’s (Laura Linney) quasi-incestuous, semi-affair with President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Bill Murray), during the 1939 summer, when King George VI and the Queen Consort Elizabeth visited the Roosevelts’ New York, country, estate. Certainly an interesting and unique subject, especially when the exact degree of intimacy between Suckley and Roosevelt is of some debate. Michell and screenwriter Richard Nelson explore the spectrum’s more scandalous side, creating a livelier film, which is fortunate for both audiences and Mr. Roosevelt. However, the execution is disappointing, the story is neither clean nor thorough, and the 94-minute running time leaves much to be desired.
Read more...
Read more...
- 12/7/2012
- by Steven M. Paquin
- JustPressPlay.net
Focus Features has done a swell job promoting Joe Wright's "Anna Karenina," but two of their small-scale year-end features aren't getting the kind of response any awards-contender needs, "Promised Land," and "Hyde Park on Hudson." Which leads me to ask what benefit these films get from being scrutinized inside the awards window. Why not give them a chance in a less competitive frame? "Hyde Park on Hudson," the second presidential portrait of the season, hits theaters today, starring Bill Murray as Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The film, which follows the 32nd president's hosting of Brit royals at his country estate and his affair with Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney), is generally too bland and insipid for the critics -- "terribly underwritten," "tacky" and "nothing tremendously effective." Following after "The King's Speech," which also features King George VI, "Hyde Park"...
- 12/7/2012
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Bill Murray has admitted that he had reservations about portraying late Us President Franklin D Roosevelt's extramarital affair in Hyde Park on Hudson. The movie depicts Roosevelt's relationship with his mistress Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney) against the background of World War II. Discussing the film with The Boston Globe, the actor revealed that he was disappointed that Fdr cheated on his wife Eleanor Roosevelt. "When I first read the script, there was a little bit of, 'Ohhh [sigh]. Really?'" Murray recalled. He added: "I'm pretty sure [adultery is] a mortal sin. I have that in my DNA, painted on the walls of my ribs. "But I've been more influenced by everything else that he did, by everything else he achieved, by the selflessness of the rest of his life." Murray went on to say that it was very difficult (more)...
- 12/6/2012
- by By Justin Harp
- Digital Spy
Bill Murray as Fdr?
The casting might sound weird at first. But Murray's subtly charming presence ends up being one of the stronger elements of the otherwise lightweight romance "Hyde Park on Hudson," which depicts one of the most revered United States presidents with all the substance and insight of a lukewarm cup of tea.
"Notting Hill" director Roger Michell, working from a script by Richard Nelson, focuses on a brief period in the secret affair between President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his fifth cousin, Margaret Suckley – or "Daisy" as she was known. Unflaggingly loyal, earnest and supportive, she's also mousy, quiet and a total bore – a huge waste of the versatile and vibrant talents of Laura Linney.
The fact that Linney provides wall-to-wall voiceover doesn't add much, as she's stuck spelling out what should be pretty obvious on screen ("He said I helped him forget the weight of the world,...
The casting might sound weird at first. But Murray's subtly charming presence ends up being one of the stronger elements of the otherwise lightweight romance "Hyde Park on Hudson," which depicts one of the most revered United States presidents with all the substance and insight of a lukewarm cup of tea.
"Notting Hill" director Roger Michell, working from a script by Richard Nelson, focuses on a brief period in the secret affair between President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his fifth cousin, Margaret Suckley – or "Daisy" as she was known. Unflaggingly loyal, earnest and supportive, she's also mousy, quiet and a total bore – a huge waste of the versatile and vibrant talents of Laura Linney.
The fact that Linney provides wall-to-wall voiceover doesn't add much, as she's stuck spelling out what should be pretty obvious on screen ("He said I helped him forget the weight of the world,...
- 12/6/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
This film was initially published/reviewed as part of our Tiff 2012 coverage Plot: The meeting of Franklin D. Roosevelt (Bill Murray) and King George VI (Samuel West) on the eve of WW2- as seen through the eyes of Fdr's cousin/mistress, Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney). Review: Bill Murray as Fdr? I know, I know- sounds like a stretch, right? Certainly, Murray's a pro, but being such an iconic presence, I had my doubts that Murray would be able to be convincing in the part, as he's so...
- 12/5/2012
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Oscar season is upon us, which means lots of prestigious biographies of powerful or famous people. After this weekend, there will be three such movies vying for your ticket-buying dollar: Daniel Day-Lewis in Steven Spielberg's surprising smash "Lincoln," Anthony Hopkins as the master of suspense in "Hitchcock" and, starting on Friday, Bill Murray (of all people), playing Franklin D. Roosevelt in "Hyde Park on Hudson." True to form, Roosevelt ain't 'fraid of no ghost. "Hyde Park on Hudson" dramatizes the President's activity right before the United States entered World War II, focusing largely on the time he spent at his country estate -- which he called Hyde Park on Hudson -- as well as the intimate relationship he forged with a distant cousin named Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney). Should you be interested in this dewy historical recreation or are you better served by one of the other biographies currently playing?...
- 12/4/2012
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
Sneak Peek a trailer and new posters for "Hyde Park on Hudson", the upcoming UK-produced biographical comedy-drama, directed by Roger Michell, starring Bill Murray as 'Franklin D. Roosevelt' and Laura Linney as his mistress 'Margaret Suckley' :
"...June 1939, 'King George VI' and his wife, the 'Queen Consort Elizabeth' , the parents of 'Queen Elizabeth II', made a visit to the country estate of 'President Franklin D. Roosevelt', in Hyde Park, New York.
"At the same time, the President was growing closer to his distant cousin and eventual mistress, 'Margaret Suckley'. No British monarch had ever visited the U.S. before, with Roosevelt hoping to bolster American support for the United Kingdom on the eve of World War II, which broke out less than three months later..."
Also starring is Olivia Williams, Olivia Colman, Samuel West, Elizabeth Wilson and Sam Creed.
The new film...
"...June 1939, 'King George VI' and his wife, the 'Queen Consort Elizabeth' , the parents of 'Queen Elizabeth II', made a visit to the country estate of 'President Franklin D. Roosevelt', in Hyde Park, New York.
"At the same time, the President was growing closer to his distant cousin and eventual mistress, 'Margaret Suckley'. No British monarch had ever visited the U.S. before, with Roosevelt hoping to bolster American support for the United Kingdom on the eve of World War II, which broke out less than three months later..."
Also starring is Olivia Williams, Olivia Colman, Samuel West, Elizabeth Wilson and Sam Creed.
The new film...
- 11/30/2012
- by M. Stevens
- SneakPeek
Bill Murray has made a career playing off-beat characters in comedies. However, for his upcoming film "Hyde Park on Hudson," the 62-year-old actor finds himself portraying a completely new type of person: a former U.S. president. Here, Murray is Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States. Told through the eyes of Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney), Fdr's distant cousin and confidant, the movie follows the head of state as he looks to entertain the King and Queen of England at his home in Hyde Park, New York. Despite the praise that Murray has beeb receiving for his performance, he was initially wary of accepting the part from director Roger Mitchell. "I thought, 'Can this guy be serious?' the actor told the NY Times. "I wouldn't have cast myself. But this guy did, and about halfway through I went, 'Wow, he really was right.'" Granted, Murray...
- 11/28/2012
- by Alex Suskind
- Moviefone
Not every romantic movie match was made in heaven. We submit it's quite the opposite in a lot of cases.
This baker's dozen batch of film titles in particular, boasting some shamelessly twisted pairings, has definitely given our gag reflex an unhealthy workout over the years. From incest to incomprehensible deception to just plain strange, there are a lot of different variations of yuck to be experienced within this group.
Some are worse than others, sure, but none are very well-suited for the faint of heart or imagination.
13. 'What Women Want'
Ah, pre-bigotry-slinging Mel Gibson. Those were some good old days, weren't they? Except, of course, for "What Women Want." Gibson's hyper-successful ad man Nick Marshall knows his way around a bedpost, but every female in his life pretty much loathes him. Lucky for him, an accident bestows upon him the desirable ability to read women's minds. Old...
This baker's dozen batch of film titles in particular, boasting some shamelessly twisted pairings, has definitely given our gag reflex an unhealthy workout over the years. From incest to incomprehensible deception to just plain strange, there are a lot of different variations of yuck to be experienced within this group.
Some are worse than others, sure, but none are very well-suited for the faint of heart or imagination.
13. 'What Women Want'
Ah, pre-bigotry-slinging Mel Gibson. Those were some good old days, weren't they? Except, of course, for "What Women Want." Gibson's hyper-successful ad man Nick Marshall knows his way around a bedpost, but every female in his life pretty much loathes him. Lucky for him, an accident bestows upon him the desirable ability to read women's minds. Old...
- 11/15/2012
- by Amanda Bell
- NextMovie
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Hyde Park on Hudson is a film that requires of its viewers the unwavering ability to ignore the incredulous conceit sitting at its forefront, that Bill Murray bears little-to-no resemblance to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who he gamely but unconvincingly mimics in Roger Michell’s (Notting Hill, Venus) daft comic drama about a state visit from the King and Queen of England to Roosevelt in New York. Just as focal, though, is Roosevelt’s uneasy romance with his distant cousin, Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney).
Bill Murray’s Fdr doesn’t convince, but it’s not for a lack of trying on his part; a welcome screen presence in just about anything he makes, Murray may have a poor likeness to Roosevelt, but he’s still the most entertaining component of the film, milking the eccentricity – true or not – of his subject to fine comic effect. Hudson...
Hyde Park on Hudson is a film that requires of its viewers the unwavering ability to ignore the incredulous conceit sitting at its forefront, that Bill Murray bears little-to-no resemblance to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who he gamely but unconvincingly mimics in Roger Michell’s (Notting Hill, Venus) daft comic drama about a state visit from the King and Queen of England to Roosevelt in New York. Just as focal, though, is Roosevelt’s uneasy romance with his distant cousin, Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney).
Bill Murray’s Fdr doesn’t convince, but it’s not for a lack of trying on his part; a welcome screen presence in just about anything he makes, Murray may have a poor likeness to Roosevelt, but he’s still the most entertaining component of the film, milking the eccentricity – true or not – of his subject to fine comic effect. Hudson...
- 10/21/2012
- by Shaun Munro
- Obsessed with Film
Believe it or not, Bill Murray -- who's right up there with Tom Hanks and Alec Baldwin as one of America's Most Loved Movie Stars -- says it was a challenge to play an icon as revered as President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The actor departs from his deadpan, understated demeanor in films ranging from Groundhog Day to Lost in Translation to take on the role of the larger-than-life Fdr in Roger Michell's Hyde Park on Hudson, which screened at the New York Film Festival this weekend. Laura Linney co-stars as Margaret Suckley, the distant cousin and rumored mistress of
read more...
read more...
- 10/15/2012
- by Erin Carlson
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If you have viewed all eight seasons of Foyle's War on Netflix, as any responsible TV aficionado should have done by now, you'll know how peeved the Brits were about America's late entry into World War II.
Well, Hyde Park on Hudson chronicles how King George VI (Samuel West) and Queen Elizabeth (Olivia Colman) of England traipsed across the Atlantic to convince Fdr and the American public to set aside their beloved isolationist stances and come to the aid of the free world and help beat up the Nazis. This, as you will learn, was accomplished with the aid of hot dogs and mustard.
But before everyone gets down to munching on America's favorite sausage, screenwriter Richard Nelson recounts what led up to this pivotal historic moment by focusing upon the "romance" Fdr (a first-rate Bill Murray) had with his sixth cousin and neighbor Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney), better known as Daisy.
Well, Hyde Park on Hudson chronicles how King George VI (Samuel West) and Queen Elizabeth (Olivia Colman) of England traipsed across the Atlantic to convince Fdr and the American public to set aside their beloved isolationist stances and come to the aid of the free world and help beat up the Nazis. This, as you will learn, was accomplished with the aid of hot dogs and mustard.
But before everyone gets down to munching on America's favorite sausage, screenwriter Richard Nelson recounts what led up to this pivotal historic moment by focusing upon the "romance" Fdr (a first-rate Bill Murray) had with his sixth cousin and neighbor Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney), better known as Daisy.
- 10/5/2012
- by Brandon Judell
- www.culturecatch.com
I was checking the slate for this fall/winter's movie releases, and I'll be damned: I can't wait for a lot of it. I rarely ever feel that way. This year's schedule is chock full of experimental spectacles and flashy historical epics, and we're planning ahead now so we can sustain some excitement throughout the season. Here are the nine films we're already talking about.
Holy Motors: Kylie Minogue vrooms into insanity (Oct. 17, limited release)
Director Leos Carax breathed new life into Cannes this year with his essentially indescribable film that is, as one reviewer called it, both "kaleidoscopic" and "barking mad." The goddess Minogue redeems her modest filmography in a crazy role here, and I personally can't wait to see her pretend to be mortal. I spent all summer jamming to her hypnotic, slyly addictive single "Timebomb," and I'm willing to follow that trance to the multiplex.
Hitchcock...
Holy Motors: Kylie Minogue vrooms into insanity (Oct. 17, limited release)
Director Leos Carax breathed new life into Cannes this year with his essentially indescribable film that is, as one reviewer called it, both "kaleidoscopic" and "barking mad." The goddess Minogue redeems her modest filmography in a crazy role here, and I personally can't wait to see her pretend to be mortal. I spent all summer jamming to her hypnotic, slyly addictive single "Timebomb," and I'm willing to follow that trance to the multiplex.
Hitchcock...
- 10/2/2012
- by virtel
- The Backlot
I have no idea where to even begin with Hyde Park on Hudson. I don't even know why it's called Hyde Park on Hudson. It should be called Roosevelt's Love Shack or Fdr's Gettin' Some. I say this because, despite initial appearances, the point of the film seems to be a justification for infidelity as we learn of President Franklin Roosevelt's intimate transgressions over a period of time spent with his sixth generation cousin. Confusion surrounds the film as we're initially led to believe it's going to focus on the visit from the King and Queen of England to Roosevelt's titular, upstate New York getaway in June of 1939. That visit, however, turns into a hot dog-eating sideshow compared to the exploration of Fdr's sexual exploits. All considered, I have no idea what I'm supposed to take away from any of this, and after this review I won't likely ever consider it again.
- 9/10/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
In late 2010, after the film earned rave reviews, I finally caught The King's Speech at its very last screening in Toronto (my review). I was instantly amazed by it, and as we all know it went on to win Best Picture, for good reason. Director Roger Michell's Hyde Park on Hudson, a story about Franklin D. Roosevelt's meeting with the King and Queen of England in 1939, is sort of a sequel to The King's Speech - although I'm sure everyone involved in the production doesn't like that comparison. But it fits, and fits for good measure, because it's just as charming, wonderful, and entertaining as The King's Speech, but in all of its own ways. The very light, charming, delightful story focuses on Margaret Suckley, played by Laura Linney, the "5th cousin" of Fdr, whom he was very fond of. After inviting her over to his mother's residence...
- 9/3/2012
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Plenty of "Saturday Night Live" cast members have adopted the persona of a U.S. president. Not many of them have done so in seriousness, however. "SNL" alum Bill Murray plays former president Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the upcoming historical drama "Hyde Park on Hudson." The film chronicles an affair between Fdr and his distant cousin Margaret Suckley, in the context of a weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of England visited upstate New York. Laura Linney plays Suckley, while Olivia Williams plays Fdr's wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. Dare we hope for a...
- 5/18/2012
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Well here's something a little bit different for Bill Murray -- and by different I mean a movie that's not directed by Wes Anderson or Jim Jarmusch. Hyde Park on Hudson is a historical drama that explores the relationship between former U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt and his distant cousin Margaret Suckley. The story takes place primarily over a weekend in 1939 when Queen Elizabeth and King George VI came to visit Roosevelt's home in upstate New York (which was also the first time a reigning English monarch had ever come to the United States). Clearly there is a bit of a light-hearted tone and Fdr is portrayed as a slightly eccentric character, but based on the trailer I would hesitate to call it a comedy. In fact, the trailer gives off similar vibes to The King's Speech and My Week with Marilyn, and I'm almost wondering if this could...
- 5/18/2012
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
"I now see how important this weekend was..." Focus Features has unveiled the first trailer for Hyde Park on Hudson, a film about the weekend in 1939 when the King of England visited President Franklin D. Roosevelt's upstate New York estate. Bill Murray plays Fdr, along with Olivia Williams as Eleanor Roosevelt, Laura Linney as Margaret Suckley, Samuel West as King George VI (the same one from The King's Speech) and Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth. This has a very light, fun, comical tone similar to The King's Speech in many ways, but with its own quirks, including of course Bill Murray. Looks quite good. Watch the first official trailer for Roger Michell's Hyde Park on Hudson, in high def via Yahoo: The story of the love affair between Fdr (Murray) and his distant cousin Margaret Stuckley (Linney), centered around the weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of...
- 5/18/2012
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Is an Oscar in the cards for Bill Murray? The first trailer for the movie "Hyde Park on Hudson," which stars Murray as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, has just debuted over on Yahoo. The story follows Fdr in the summer of 1939, as he and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams) host the King and Queen of England at their upstate New York home (a.k.a. Hyde Park on Hudson). It was the first time a reigning English monarch came to America. (The occasion was the Royals looking for Fdr's support in the war with Germany.) The story appears to be told through the eyes of Roosevelt's distant cousin, Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney), whom Fdr was rumored to have an affair with. The role is a far cry from the character Murray plays in his next film, "Moonrise Kingdom." You can watch the first clip above. "Hyde Park on Hudson" hits...
- 5/18/2012
- by Alex Suskind
- Moviefone
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.