Primary is a documentary film about the primary elections between John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey in 1960. Primary is the first documentary to use light equipment in order to follow their subjects in a more intimate filmmaking style. This unconventional way of filming created a new look for documentary films where the camera’s lens was right in the middle of what ever drama was occuring.
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Filmmaker Robert Drew follows Senators Hubert H. Humphrey and John F. Kennedy as they campaign for the Wisconsin Democratic primary in the wintry start of 1960. There is limited narration. It is a cinema verite documentary. It's a lot of glad handing and chicken dinner speeches. It's the grinding daily political theater. As archival footage, this is fascinating for politics history junkies. The sound can vary in quality. There are glimpses of Jacqueline Kennedy and the rest of the Kennedy clan. There is definitely a difference in the two campaigns. While Humphrey talks to reserved farmers, Kennedy is fighting through throngs of excited people. In the end, JFK comes out ahead 2 to 1 on primary night. The last image is a straggling dusty old car with a Humphrey sticker rolling down the road.
I wasn't a huge fan of PRIMARY. Being a JFK and 1960s political buff, I highly anticipated the behind the scenes campaign film. Due to my lack of interest in Hubert Humphrey, unfortunately, I spent most of the viewing time hitting the fast forward button to the Kennedy segments. Regardless, this film does show the overwhelming and taxing manner of campaigning and how it takes a person that does not appear to be mortal to carry out such a function. The camera gets intimately close to JFK when he enters rally halls. There's a few shots that are groundbreaking in this sequence. It almost appears that the cameraman glued his lens to the back of Kennedy's collar. It creates an eye opening feeling of proximity. Therefore, I guess if you eliminated Humphrey from the film or showcased the Presidential Election itself, you'd have a much more interesting piece of work. Ted Ryan www.modesthouseproductions.com
Primary (1960) *** 1/2 (out of 4)Historically important documentary covers the 1960 Wisconsin primary featuring Hubert Humphrey going up against John F. Kennedy. Considering what would happen over the next three years, watching this film today is pretty remarkable because you can easily see why Kennedy would eventually become president. Just watching the two candidates work just shows an old school and new school and it's not hard to see why Kennedy would eventually get in the office. It's pretty interesting watching this today because of the fact that Kennedy would be assassinated three years after all of this was shot. It's hard not to see Kennedy and that smile of his and not feel sad because no one could have known what was to follow. Director Robert Drew does a very good job at really being fair to both men as I think the documentary shows both of them in a very good and positive light. I really liked the way the film was shot as the camera is more often than not right up on the men, the people meeting them and this look really makes you feel as if you're right there by these people. There's no question that the visual style of this film would have a major impact on future films including Bob Dylan's DON'T LOOK BACK. Running just under a hour, the film manages to be highly entertaining from start to finish but even more so because we know what the final result was.
I would jump at the chance to see this one of kind look at AmericanPolitics at the crossroads. Before the media age had turned politicalcampaigns into impersonal commercials, even the stars (in this case,Kennedy and Humphrey) had to go out and press the flesh, hard. While Kennedy is slicker and seems to have the more organizedmachine behind him, he is still a saint of apprachability compared totoday's most folksie candidate. That's just how it was done before T.V.had compleatly eaten us alive. Some of the stuff with the affable, tireless Humphrey isparticuairly memorable. Speaking to a bunch of stone faced WisconsonFarmers, his giddy style takes on a real comic poniency, he's like acomic trying to loosen up Ed Gein. Yet, you get from both candidates, yes, corny as it may sound,they actually give a curse about the people they are talking to. If youthink that has all but vanished, as I do, you may find this film asstriking as I do. Some of the camera crew went on to "Don't Look Back"and "Gimmie Shelter". 8 out of 10.
