Apart fom the utterly ludicrous casting of David Niven as Aaron Burr in the adaptation of Irving Stone's 'The Magnificent Doll', the highly accomplished novelist has been well-served on screen by Kirk Douglas as Vincent van Gogh and Charlton Heston as both Michelangelo and Andrew Jackson.
In keeping with Stone's novel, the film stops short of Jackson's tenure in the White House and focuses on his immensely strong relationship with Rachel Donelson Robards who did not live to see her husband take office, a cruel fate considering their marriage had survived wars, lengthy absences and accusations of adultery and murder. It gives Heston one of his best early roles which he was to reprise in the rather limp remake of 'The Buccaneer' and provides an ideal vehicle for the magnificent Susan Hayward.
Customarily sure-handed direction by Henry Levin and a suitably rousing score by Alfred Newman with strong support from John McIntire and Fay Bainter.
Needless to say Jackson, seventh president of the United States, is a figure who remains both controversial and polarising. Although of great courage and fortitude as a soldier and praised as a champion of the 'common man', his legacy has been overshadowed by land-grabbing, slave-ownersip and participation in the local slave trade whilst his 'Indian Removal Act' is now considered nothing less than 'ethnic cleansing'.
Released over seventy years ago, this well-made film is of course very much of its time and reflects a man of his time whose actions are now judged by the sensibilities of our time.
In keeping with Stone's novel, the film stops short of Jackson's tenure in the White House and focuses on his immensely strong relationship with Rachel Donelson Robards who did not live to see her husband take office, a cruel fate considering their marriage had survived wars, lengthy absences and accusations of adultery and murder. It gives Heston one of his best early roles which he was to reprise in the rather limp remake of 'The Buccaneer' and provides an ideal vehicle for the magnificent Susan Hayward.
Customarily sure-handed direction by Henry Levin and a suitably rousing score by Alfred Newman with strong support from John McIntire and Fay Bainter.
Needless to say Jackson, seventh president of the United States, is a figure who remains both controversial and polarising. Although of great courage and fortitude as a soldier and praised as a champion of the 'common man', his legacy has been overshadowed by land-grabbing, slave-ownersip and participation in the local slave trade whilst his 'Indian Removal Act' is now considered nothing less than 'ethnic cleansing'.
Released over seventy years ago, this well-made film is of course very much of its time and reflects a man of his time whose actions are now judged by the sensibilities of our time.
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