Killing Kennedy : Oswald seemed too likable here.
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
Almost nobody wanted to see Oswald assassinated.
I assume you say this because the police were never able to grill him extensively, in order to see if there were others involved (???). Because otherwise, I was thinking, "You go, Jack Ruby!!" - though it is frustrating that we'll never know the truth. So I have to respectfully disagree with you, OP on that - except that he was kind of pathetic and probably sick. So it's not like I was 'happy' he died - well, maybe a teeny bit. Though I did feel sorry for his wife, Marina, and, of course, his two daughters, when they got older (I believe that they ALL changed their name from 'Oswald,' though I'm not a 100% sure).
What I found interesting this account was how Oswald was portrayed as so desperate to be noticed/important that he'd do practically anything, it seemed (even assassinate the President). In fact, it was almost creepy to me how it looked as though he was basking in (or even enjoying) the attention, during his 'perp' walk in front of the entire country (on TV) - right up until Jack Ruby shot him. And this was exactly how O'Reilly described Oswald in his the book.
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
There were two scenes where he is sitting in a chair and pretending to be talking to reporters. Yes, he was pathetic and mentally unstable. I wondered if he sensed someone would be trying to kill him? I was shocked that anyone could get into that area. Oswald was grilled at least 12 hours. We really don't know what was said unless those documents are locked.
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
There were two scenes where he is sitting in a chair and pretending to be talking to reporters. Yes, he was pathetic and mentally unstable. I wondered if he sensed someone would be trying to kill him? I was shocked that anyone could get into that area. Oswald was grilled at least 12 hours. We really don't know what was said unless those documents are locked.
It's funny you say that, Kariann, because in the book (which is MUCH better than the movie - they usually are, right??), I'm almost positive that O'Reilly writes at the end of the last chapter, after having done exhaustive research, found out that there ARE sealed documents, being held by the FBI, until the year 2025 (give or take a few years). I'm not sure what exactly is contained in those documents, but it may very well be info that they DID get out of Oswald, before he was murdered
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
Did we watch the same film? I don't recall one scene where he was likeable other than when he first met his wife and danced with her.
He was abusive to her, controllingremember the baby carriage? How about how he was always complaining about how horrible things were where he lived? Or the way he shooed his wife away even when she complained that one weekend he hadn't spent any time with his kid?
I certainly couldn't find any admiration for the man who lost control and yelled at police, FBI, embassy officialsreally anyone who wasn't fully agreeing with whatever nonsense he was saying.
He was abusive to her, controllingremember the baby carriage? How about how he was always complaining about how horrible things were where he lived? Or the way he shooed his wife away even when she complained that one weekend he hadn't spent any time with his kid?
I certainly couldn't find any admiration for the man who lost control and yelled at police, FBI, embassy officialsreally anyone who wasn't fully agreeing with whatever nonsense he was saying.
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
Did we watch the same film? I don't recall one scene where he was likeable other than when he first met his wife and danced with her.
He was abusive to her, controllingremember the baby carriage? How about how he was always complaining about how horrible things were where he lived? Or the way he shooed his wife away even when she complained that one weekend he hadn't spent any time with his kid?
I certainly couldn't find any admiration for the man who lost control and yelled at police, FBI, embassy officialsreally anyone who wasn't fully agreeing with whatever nonsense he was saying.
I don't think the OP meant that he/she found anything admirable about Oswald (or even likeable), but rather that he was an abusive, yet perhaps SICK man, though most of us never really looked at him as a complicated person with feelings. Indeed, his acts were evil, but IMO, I don't think that HE was evil - again, sick (though some have always seen him as an unimportant patsy).
I wrote this above, but again, what I found interesting in this account was just how desperate Oswald was to be seen as someone 'important'/having impact - I think that drove him as much as anything. We didn't see him HATING Kennedy, although he was a Communist Sympathizer. In fact, it was almost creepy to me how it looked as though he was basking in (or even enjoying) the attention, during his 'perp' walk in front of the entire country (on TV) - right up until Jack Ruby shot him. And this was exactly how O'Reilly described Oswald in his the book.
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
We didn't see him HATING Kennedy,
I think James Leavelle was correct in his assessment. It wasn't so much about his assault on the man but the office of POTUS. I believe that is a good explanation of why there were things about Kennedy that he actually liked, yet detested what he represented in his official capacity when it came to the issue of Cuba for instance.
And this was exactly how O'Reilly described Oswald in his the book.
And certainly how he looked in the live footage from the day.
"Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye." 2001: A Space Odyssey
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
I think James Leavelle was correct in his assessment. It wasn't so much about his assault on the man but the office of POTUS. I believe that is a good explanation of why there were things about Kennedy that he actually liked, yet detested what he represented in his official capacity when it came to the issue of Cuba for instance.
Yes, I think that's definitely true (that it was an attack on the Office of POTUS, more than the man who was occupying the Office); but also, I think it went deeper on a personal level of being 'jealous' of a person with SO MUCH POWER, and not just what he represented. I mean, the guy beat his wife - obviously, he felt like a very small and insignificant person.
And certainly how he looked in the live footage from the day (that he was 'basking in the attn').
Yes, absolutely.
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
Thank you. This touches upon my thoughts. Obviously his actions and the way he treated people were vile, but there was also something about his personality that did make me feel a little sorry for him.
I don't think the OP meant that he/she found anything admirable about Oswald (or even likeable), but rather that he was an abusive, yet perhaps SICK man, though most of us never really looked at him as a complicated person with feelings. Indeed, his acts were evil, but IMO, I don't think that HE was evil - again, sick (though some have always seen him as an unimportant patsy).
I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves.
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
I kind of wanted to punch him the whole time, so I guess I disagree.
Re: Oswald seemed too likable here.
Reply |
It's funny, because I am working on a porject about Lee and Marina (JFK doesn't appear in it at all) and based on everything I've read so far, I actually thought they portrayed him very one sided He wasn't a very good man at times, but most people he knew said he was quiet but fairly kind, and that he respected Kennedy a lot.
He was a bad husband, but he loved his children. He had a hard time keeping friends because of his hardcore political views, not because he was bad to them.
Growing up, he moved around a lot and never had the chance to make friends. His mother was absent a lot (father died while she was pregnant) and then when she was around, she was very demanding.
All in all, Oswald was a very complicated man, and I feel like this movie glossed over a lot of his life.
He was a bad husband, but he loved his children. He had a hard time keeping friends because of his hardcore political views, not because he was bad to them.
Growing up, he moved around a lot and never had the chance to make friends. His mother was absent a lot (father died while she was pregnant) and then when she was around, she was very demanding.
All in all, Oswald was a very complicated man, and I feel like this movie glossed over a lot of his life.
Oswald seemed too likable here.
I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves.