‘JFK’ raises serious questions about John F. Kennedy’s death

JFK (1991)

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

The best American political films make you think, challenge you and present old information in a new light – which is exactly what Oliver Stone’s 1991 movie “JFK” does.

Stone is a sometimes heavy-handed, preachy director who often leaves audiences feeling like they’ve been hit over the head with a ton of bricks. But in “JFK,” Stone found the perfect vehicle to channel his film making style. “JFK” is his finest motion picture and the screen’s best political film.

Kevin Costner stars as New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, the only person to bring criminal charges related to Kennedy’s assassination. Although Garrison failed to win a conviction in his case, his lengthy investigation allows Stone to revisit a pivotal point in U.S. history.

Garrison, a loose cannon in New Orleans politics, was ridiculed by the many people who thought his efforts were an embarrassing waste of time. Stone, though, uses the Garrison investigation to examine any and every conspiracy theory about Kennedy’s death.

Top Five Week continues at Sneak Prevue, and today I look at the Top Five Political films. “JFK” leads the list at No. 1.

Redford, Dunaway headline thrilling ‘3 Days of the Condor’

THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975)

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

Robert Redford was at his best in the 1970s when he used his box-office drawing power to make a series of well-crafted, well-acted films that showcased his talent and on-screen charisma.

Besides “The Sting,” “The Way We Were” and “All the President’s Men,” one of my all-time favorite Redford films from that period is “Three Days of the Condor” – a tightly-wound, paranoia-laced thriller from 1975.

Redford teamed with actress Faye Dunaway a year after her critically-acclaimed performance in “Chinatown.” Under Sydney Pollack’s precise direction, the three turned a so-so novel into a crackling suspense film.

The movie’s timing was perfect. By building a thriller around an man caught in a CIA web of deceit, “Three Days of the Condor” appealed to the cynical beliefs of a nation still recovering from Watergate and Vietnam.