User Reviews

This brilliant two-part TV movie deals mainly with the life of Eleanor Roosevelt from her days as a young heiress through finding out that she's going to be in the most powerful position any woman can have in America. Prior to "One Day at a Time", Mackenzie Phillips plays teenage Eleanor, and Jane Alexander takes over the part when she becomes a young adult, meeting again distant cousin Franklin (who had been a childhood playmate), their surprise courtship, followed by a tumultuous marriage that included infidelity, sudden illness and ultimately the presidency leading into a very lengthy war. The two-part miniseries focuses on the days of the presidency, and it mostly focuses on Eleanor, showing her as a remarkable woman, it's not glamorous and beautiful physically, definitely a beauty where it counts.

Alexander and Hermann are an excellent team, having great chemistry even if the marriage was more a close companionship than a physical one. Ed Flanders is excellent as best friend Louis Howe, and it's remarkable to note that he could have easily have playes FDR had he chose to. Rosemary Murphy is very imperious as FDR's mother, and quite good, nearly stealing her scenes over the commanding Ms. Alexander. Linda Kelsey is charming as Eleanor's secretary who is involved with Franklin off and on over the years. However, it's Eleanor who is there for him through thick and thin, particularly during the early years of his illness. Irene Tedrow as Eleanor's grandmother (equally as imperious as well) and Lilia Skala also offer very good performance. Helen Kleeb of "The Waltons" and daytime TV matriarchs Anna Lee and Peggy McKay also have well done important parts.

The period detail that takes the viewer over 50 years is very good, and the script and direction are superb. A beautiful musical score adds to the mood. Issues surrounding mental illness, infidelity, physical illness and civil and women's rights are strongly presented, with Eleanor determined to be more than just another frivolous socialite. This deservedly won a slew of awards, and at nearly 50 years old seems quite fresh. There have been many actors over the years who have played this awesome team, and between Ralph Bellamy, Greer Garson, Eileen Heckart, Jean Stapleton and Bill Murray, all excellent. I couldn't pick a favorite actor as Eleanor, but nobody transformed themselves completely different for the role as devotedly as Jane did. This was a perfect bicentennial gift to TV viewers, and seen years later is the gift that keeps on giving.