We remember mid-July 1969 because Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. I watched it in the living room with my parents and my brother and sister. We also remember Chappaquiddick, the tragic story of Mary Jo Kopechne.
There is a new film about to be released, and I’m looking forward to it.
This is from Roger Friedman:
“Chappaquiddick” refers to a scandal that in hindsight is stunning that it didn’t end Kennedy’s political career – or put him in jail. Let’s say you’re a fan of Kennedy for everything but this episode. Still, on a boozy summer night – the same weekend that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon – a married but philandering Teddy drove his car off the Chappaquiddick bridge with Mary Jo Kopechne (astute performance by Kate Mara, she’s excellent), a young secretary who’d worked for his late brother Bobby, at his side.Were they screwing, or just driving around, drinking, having a grand time? No one knows. But the car went into the water and turned upside down. Teddy escaped and did not try to save Mary Jo. He returned to the party house where he and friends had been whooping it up, found two of his sycophants (Ed Helms and Jim Gaffigan), brought them back to the scene of the accident. By then, Mary Jo had certainly died. They never reported the accident. Instead, they created massive coverup that presaged Watergate. The car and Mary Jo were discovered the next morning by a passersby. Curran peels the coverup like an orange, and it’s beautiful to watch. Clarke portrays Teddy so ambiguously you almost can’t tell if he’s calculating, stupid, just a lost man child. The result is you can’t take your eyes off of him. Teddy’s scenes with his father – Joe Kennedy after a stroke, wheelchair bound, wordless perfection from Bruce Dern – are riveting.The Kennedys will not be happy. They may try to kill this film. (In 40 years no one has even tried to tell this story accurately.) Allen will have to present quite a PR front and solid distribution. This isn’t a tabloid story. Curran is damn serious. If Mary Jo as #MeToo victim takes off, the movie will click. This really happened. Ted Kennedy – using his brothers’ assassinations for sympathy – convinced the world that he just didn’t know what happened to this beautiful, smart young woman. “Chappaquiddick” is quite stunning.Release date is April 6th. More to come, oh yes, when we get closer…
It will be worth watching.
Recently, we’ve heard about former President Clinton and his behavior with women. It may be time to come to terms with Senator Kennedy’s own behavior and the Democratic women who defended him over the years.
It’s time for the women’s march to remember Mary Jo.
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