This PBS docudrama,combining acted scenes with vintage photos and articles of the time, focuses on the life and political career of the 20th U.S. President James A. Garfield, ably portrayed by Shuler Heasley, Garfield was only in office 200 days when he was shot by the mentally deranged Charles Guiteau, eventually succumbing to his wounds.
As usual, I found this PBS film, part of its American Experience series, to be meticulously researched and detailed, and much enhanced by the narration of Michael Murphy. Except for perhaps the drawn out scenes of Garfield slowly succumbing to his wounds, I thought this docudrama was highly informative and engrossing.
It's uncanny how many of the same issues of those days are remarkably similar to those of today. For example, how blocs of states (today called Red and Blue) , in the 1880 Presidential Election, would vote a particular way and it would come down to one or a few swing states to determine the result. Also, the dichotomy between Garfield's championing equal opportunities for the masses, black or white,versus the rich so-called "Robber Barons" and power brokers of the Industrial Revolution.
One thing that has changed is the protection afforded the President, and others, by the Secret Service. In Garfield's day, he could walk down the street or anywhere unprotected, with most people feeling, at the time, that in a democracy this was the best way to go. Even after Lincoln's assassination the consensus of thought was that such a horrific act was just an anomaly.
All in all, I found this film, written and directed by Rob Rapley, based on the book "Destiny of the Republic" by Candice Millard, to be a most interesting and informative watch, especially if you like history, like I do.