Pluskylang Great Film overall

Micransix Crappy film

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

jmfjbf WONDERFUL MOVIE FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. I remember watching this movie on TV, when it originally aired on TV in 1979 when I was a little girl. It had such a great impact on me that I never forgot it years later as a grown woman. I had searched everywhere for this movie. I finally came across it at a public library. Our entire family have enjoyed this movie thoroughly. It is very accurate to history. The actors for the roles were superb. Mr.Gosset and Ms. Uggams and Cole were great. Enjoyed watching all these actors in Roots and enjoyed their performances just as much if not more in this movie. I used this as an educational movie for my children. Kids do not get a lot of US history in schools today like we used to get in the 70's. The only part of the movie that I recall has bad language is in the last disc, which depicts President Truman and as I understand was true to history. However, these few words are mild today compared to other movies with inappropriate language. By the way, did you know that the producer of this movie was also associated with the Little House on the Prairie TV series? Please make more movies like these.

laholly I think I lost this the first time.I am so delighted that this terrific mini series is finally available.My mother gave the the book that it is based on many years ago. The mini is quite faithful to that book. (By the way),unless i am mistaken, Lillian Rogers Parks lived to be almost 100 years old, and was a consultant on the film.This series has one of the best ensemble cast ever assembled. Leslie Uggams and Olivia Cole as Lillian and Maggie are superb, although Uggams may be too tall...Remember Lillian was crippled by polio at a very young age, and was less than 5 feet tall, but why quibble. Robert Hooks and Louis Gossett are great as Maggie and Lillian's friends, Mays and Mercer. The Presidents and their first ladies represent the best from Television, film and Broadway. One of the best sequences in the film involves Calvin Coolidge(well played by Ed Flanders)taking on the head housekeeper, Mrs Jaffray( A wonderful Cloris Leachman.. shades of Frau Blucher!), when she attempts to tell everyone to stop tracking up "her" floor(They are trying to shore up the roof). President Coolidge says, "Mrs Jaffray, wouldn't you be happier in Buckingham Palace??Julie Harris as Nellie Taft is splendid in this film,especially when Maggie and President Taft(A rotund Victor Buono) help her learn to speak after a stroke. Also effective are Celeste Holm and George Kennedy as the Hardings.(Can we say scandal). Estelle Parsons, Harry Morgan and Nancy Morgan are also in top form. Robert Vaughn and Claire Bloom are very effective as the Wilsons. Because they come along late in the story, Andrew Duggand and Barbara Barrie seem to get short shrift as the Eisenhowers.(In a recent episode of the Food Channel's White House, reference is made to serving hotdogs to the British Royal family. According to Lillian, this really did happen at is a humorous bit when she tells the visiting royalty's staff.... you just try one with all the fixin's.An excellent history lesson very well played out by a brilliant cast!

Barb1951 Please bring this wonderful 1979 TV Mini-Series back to TV, or put on DVD. It's both entertaining & loaded with historical facts. I only saw this movie when it was originally on TV, but I'll never forget it. It had great impact on me!

weejun4man I have seen this complete production and was very fascinated about the presidents and their ladies of the White House. I only wish they bring back this production and put it on video. I'm sure alot people would enjoy watching this again. I guess only the select productions ever make it on video which is ashame.