Masterful storytelling, unreliable history

Rating: 8/10 (13 October 2006)

The undersigned lived through Jim Garrison's trial against Clay Shaw in New Orleans and blames the prosecutor for irresponsibly having contributed to the failure to establish clear certainty about the conspiracy theory regarding President Kennedy's assassination.
Garrison created unreasonable and unwarranted expectations in regards to blame. For many years following the trial, further inquiries that would have put the matter to rest were discouraged. Understandably, the conspiracy theory remained dormant for decades. Indeed, director Oliver Stone, too young at the time of the assassination - and given his proclivity to denounce government and big business - was much too disinclined to be objective; therefore, it was not unexpected of him to present the story with Garrison as a martyr. In that regard, 'JFK' can be regarded as unreliable and, indeed, dangerous history. The fact is, however, that 'JFK' should be appreciated primarily as a sophisticated, complex and masterful three-hour narrative which few contemporary filmmakers (with the possible exception of Milos Forman and Martin Scorcese) could have accomplished with equal skill. No character is superfluous, the casting, flawless, the pacing and editing, both impeccable. Set aside our shared reservations regarding Stone's political inclinations and, cinematically, 'JFK' will stand alongside 'Triumph of the Will'.