Movie and TV Presidents: Bill Murray as FDR
In 2012 the movie Hyde Park on Hudson hit theatres. The produces opted for a unique portrayal of the iconic 32nd President of the United States, as they cast Saturday Night Live alum and veteran comedian Bill Murray in the role of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
This film is described as the story of the love affair between FDR and his distant cousin Margaret "Daisy" Suckley, played by actress Laura Linney (who played the part of Abigail Adams in the John Adams HBO miniseries.) The film centers around the weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of England visited the Roosevelts at their home in upstate New York. The Royal Couple are played by Samuel West and Olivia Coleman.
Set in 1939, the movie begins with Sara Delano, FDR's mother, asking Suckley to visit the ill President at their country estate in Hyde Park, New York. Although Daisy and Roosevelt had not seen each other for years, the distant relatives form a romantic relationship, and Roosevelt often asks Daisy to visit Hyde Park when he stays with his mother. Daisy becomes one of the several women close to Roosevelt, including Sara; Missy LeHand - the president's secretary; and Eleanor, the president's wife. Roosevelt takes on Daisy as his confidante.
When King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, visit the United States, they stay with the Roosevelts at Hyde Park. The British hope that the visit will improve the chances of American support during the future war with Germany. George—who is king because his brother Edward VIII has abdicated—is nervous, because of the importance of the visit and because of his stutter. He is taken aback when Roosevelt serves hot dogs at a picnic in his honor. Roosevelt reassures the King by alluding to his own inability to walk, and tells the King that others do not see their handicaps because "it's not what they want to see". The president also tells his guest that he hopes to overcome Americans' reluctance to help Britain.
Missy LeHand informs a shocked Daisy not only about her own special relationships with the president, but also that FDR has other women with whom he has a romantic interest, including Dorothy Schiff and Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd. She tells Daisy that she must accept sharing Roosevelt with other women. At the picnic the next day, when King George eats a hot dog for a photo op, Daisy reflects on how the visit has helped to form "a Special Relationship" between the two nations.
Screenwriter Richard Nelson was said to have drawn his inspiration for his screenplay from reading a posthumously published collection of the letters and diaries of Daisy Suckley and her unique perspective of these important historical events. Nelson had met Daisy Suckley briefly before her death in 1991. He had re-worked the script as a radio play, which was produced by the BBC in 2009, directed by Ned Chaillet. In early March 2011, director Roger Michell started searching for an actor to play Roosevelt and Bill Murray was selected in late March. The entire film was shot in England and not in New York.
The film received mixed reviews. The late film critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times enjoyed the film, giving it 3-and-a-half stars out of 4. He said of Murray's performance: "Murray, who has a wider range than we sometimes realize, finds the human core of this FDR and presents it tenderly." Murray received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of FDR.
The film has been criticized for taking liberties with historical facts. While it is true that Suckley often stayed for long visits at the White House, keeping the president company, and while Roosevelt is known to have had an affair with Lucy Mercer, there is no direct evidence that he had a similar relationship with Suckley. Roosevelt however had instructed Suckley to burn at least some of the letters he wrote to her, which has fueled speculation about the nature of their relationship.
Following is the official trailer for this movie:
This film is described as the story of the love affair between FDR and his distant cousin Margaret "Daisy" Suckley, played by actress Laura Linney (who played the part of Abigail Adams in the John Adams HBO miniseries.) The film centers around the weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of England visited the Roosevelts at their home in upstate New York. The Royal Couple are played by Samuel West and Olivia Coleman.
Set in 1939, the movie begins with Sara Delano, FDR's mother, asking Suckley to visit the ill President at their country estate in Hyde Park, New York. Although Daisy and Roosevelt had not seen each other for years, the distant relatives form a romantic relationship, and Roosevelt often asks Daisy to visit Hyde Park when he stays with his mother. Daisy becomes one of the several women close to Roosevelt, including Sara; Missy LeHand - the president's secretary; and Eleanor, the president's wife. Roosevelt takes on Daisy as his confidante.
When King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, visit the United States, they stay with the Roosevelts at Hyde Park. The British hope that the visit will improve the chances of American support during the future war with Germany. George—who is king because his brother Edward VIII has abdicated—is nervous, because of the importance of the visit and because of his stutter. He is taken aback when Roosevelt serves hot dogs at a picnic in his honor. Roosevelt reassures the King by alluding to his own inability to walk, and tells the King that others do not see their handicaps because "it's not what they want to see". The president also tells his guest that he hopes to overcome Americans' reluctance to help Britain.
Missy LeHand informs a shocked Daisy not only about her own special relationships with the president, but also that FDR has other women with whom he has a romantic interest, including Dorothy Schiff and Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd. She tells Daisy that she must accept sharing Roosevelt with other women. At the picnic the next day, when King George eats a hot dog for a photo op, Daisy reflects on how the visit has helped to form "a Special Relationship" between the two nations.
Screenwriter Richard Nelson was said to have drawn his inspiration for his screenplay from reading a posthumously published collection of the letters and diaries of Daisy Suckley and her unique perspective of these important historical events. Nelson had met Daisy Suckley briefly before her death in 1991. He had re-worked the script as a radio play, which was produced by the BBC in 2009, directed by Ned Chaillet. In early March 2011, director Roger Michell started searching for an actor to play Roosevelt and Bill Murray was selected in late March. The entire film was shot in England and not in New York.
The film received mixed reviews. The late film critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times enjoyed the film, giving it 3-and-a-half stars out of 4. He said of Murray's performance: "Murray, who has a wider range than we sometimes realize, finds the human core of this FDR and presents it tenderly." Murray received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of FDR.
The film has been criticized for taking liberties with historical facts. While it is true that Suckley often stayed for long visits at the White House, keeping the president company, and while Roosevelt is known to have had an affair with Lucy Mercer, there is no direct evidence that he had a similar relationship with Suckley. Roosevelt however had instructed Suckley to burn at least some of the letters he wrote to her, which has fueled speculation about the nature of their relationship.
Following is the official trailer for this movie: