Michael Bacon Movies

This documentary, made for PBS' American Masters series, explores the life and career of the renowned screenwriter and director Preston Sturges (1898-1959), whose few but very influential films managed to change the entire film industry. The documentary features clips from his films, and interviews with those who knew him well, including ex-wives. He was the first screenwriter to make the move to become a film director. He is best known for his unerringly light touch in dealing humorously with difficult topics, and directed one of the first widely successful spoofs of Hollywood, The Great McGinty. The director had a life as eventful and fraught with coincidences as anything in the movies, and this is recounted also. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

This PBS documentary chronicles the highly political and oftentimes tragic dynasty of the Kennedy family, and the profound impact it has made on America throughout the years. Hosted by historian David McCullough, the documentary features several Kennedy experts, including fellow historian Theodore Sorenson, author Doris Kearns Goodwin, the late Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, and a bevy of family friends and colleagues who have served the Kennedy clan in their many political endeavors. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Years of hard work have put Stanley where he is today, with a wife, a mortgage, and a stable (or boring) career in middle-management. He's looking for some way to liven up the tedium of his life and begins perusing the personal ads. One of them, by a lady billing herself as "Olivia," wins his interest. However, once he begins communicating with her, two things happen. The first is that he grows ever more sure that she embodies whatever he is looking for. The second is that she refuses any contact except by letter. As his fantasies grow more all-consuming, he eventually hires a private detective to track her down. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Chase Phillips, a chronically depressed, emotionally exhausted mother finally hires a helper while she attempts to recover in a tiny cottage upon Martha's Vineyard where she stays with her sons. The helper is the much younger Elizabeth. At first, Chase despises her and treats her terribly. Elizabeth refuses to be broken by the barrage of verbal battering as she is intimate with the problems of the mentally ill. Elizabeth's sister is in an asylum and treats her worse than Chase does. Elizabeth takes it for as long as she can, but one night breaks and blows up at Chase, forcing the ailing mother's depression to abate. Eventually Chase gets better and things are fine until she drops a bomb on the family and formally declares her love for Elizabeth. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The Richest Man In the World is a thoughtful portrait of one of history's most complicated men. Andrew Carnegie was a study in contrasts, a walking contradiction. He was a great philanthropist who endowed nearly 3,000 libraries, but he was also a ruthless businessman who dealt savagely with employee and competitor alike. This video deals with all facets of his puzzling personality in probing and careful fashion, relying both on original sources and testimony from historians and Carnegie's leading biographers. The major events of Carnegie's life are given close attention, from the Homestead Strike to his eventual sell-out to J.P. Morgan. A man such as Carnegie is inseparable from his age, and this volume of the American Experience puts the events of Carnegie's life in proper context. Its sober delivery and balanced tone make it appropriate for the college classroom though its length may preclude its use in this context. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

The 19th century saw technological, industrial, and cultural advancements in America beyond the imagination. This four-part program documents America in the year 1900 where a series of tragic events would test the richness and optimism symbolic of its time: a deadly explosion in a coal mine in Utah; a devastating hurricane in Texas; two brutal wars overseas; and all year, assassins would plot to murder the president of the United States. It was a year of dichotomy, where inventions and expansion brought material and industrial richness while at the same time, the struggle for racial justice, worker's rights, and a growing immigrant population created shifts in power structures and change in our cultural landscape. From President William McKinley's fight for reelection and the sensation of his running mate Theodore Roosevelt to social campaigns on the environment and public morality, America struggled with its national identity as well as positioning itself as a world power. It was at the turn of the 20th century that America's prosperity and optimism seemed unstoppable. ~ Brooke Hodess, All Movie Guide

General Douglas MacArthur is considered to be one of the most influential and important military personalities in America's history. American Experience: MacArthur provides a comprehensive biography of the controversial man's life and dramatic role in American military history. The program begins with a glimpse of MacArthur's childhood and education at the U.S. Military Academy, where he graduated with top honors. His graduation and training led to his crucial role in numerous victories during both World War I and World War II. Includes discussion about his involvement in the occupation of postwar Japan and his eventual firing by President Truman for his much publicized criticism of military officials. American Experience presents MacArthur's story with archived news footage and interviews with various historians.


~ Laura Mahnken, All Movie Guide

Something about the millennium makes documentarians wax nostalgic. ABC is no exception. With the rollover of the year, decade, and century, summations are in order. The Century: America's Time is one such wrap-up, albeit a mighty ambitious one. Peter Jennings narrates this look back at the last 100 years. From a strictly American point of view, the video starts at the turn of the century, with the birth of the common man, and moves all the way to present-day technology, with the computer leading the way. The presentation is divided onto six tapes. Each program tramples through a dense history with Jennings providing the transitions. Beginning with the great melting pot, a timeline of occurrences highlights each video: the invention of the automobile, the suffrage movement, both world wars, and Vietnam. The video covers the "hippie" movement, the Red Scare, and the undeniable AIDS epidemic. At times, the stories are told by American icons, including Oliver Stone and Eudora Welty. Other moments are described by photographs alone. This collection is an exercise in textbook description with little analysis assigned to the events. However, for the history buff, The Century: America's Time is a gold mine. Century: America's Time, Vol. 2 focuses on the Great Depression. Prosperity is almost unattainable for a quarter of the population. Next, the build-up to World War II captivates America's attention; as the nation struggles to remain uninvolved, Europe falls into greater strife. Episodes included are: Century: America's Time - 1929-1936 Stormy Weather and Century: AMerica's Time -1936-1941 Over the Edge. ~ Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide

Something about the millennium makes documentarians wax nostalgic. ABC is no exception. With the rollover of the year, decade, and century, summations are in order. The Century: America's Time is one such wrap-up, albeit a mighty ambitious one. Peter Jennings narrates this look back at the last 100 years. From a strictly American point of view, the video starts at the turn of the century, with the birth of the common man, and moves all the way to present-day technology, with the computer leading the way. The presentation is divided onto six tapes. Each program tramples through a dense history with Jennings providing the transitions. Beginning with the great melting pot, a timeline of occurrences highlights each video: the invention of the automobile, the suffrage movement, both world wars, and Vietnam. The video covers the "hippie" movement, the Red Scare, and the undeniable AIDS epidemic. At times, the stories are told by American icons, including Oliver Stone and Eudora Welty. Other moments are described by photographs alone. This collection is an exercise in textbook description with little analysis assigned to the events. However, for the history buff, The Century: America's Time is a gold mine. In Century: America's Time, Vol. 4, the focus is on the "Happy Daze." On the surface, most Americans seemed content. But the nation teemed with anger. McCarthy riled up the public, while civil rights leaders were jailed. This period stands as one of the most tension-filled in history. Later, with John F. Kennedy at the helm, America's potential was never so great. This program traces the fall of Camelot and the rise of communist resentments. At home, a race war heats up as America enters a perilous time with the unending Vietnam War and the end of segregation. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy are killed and the future seems bleak. Episodes included are: Century: America's Time - 1953-1960: Happy Daze, Century: America's Time - 1960-1964: Poisoned Dreams, and Century: America's Time -1965-1970: Unpinned .



~ Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide

Something about the millennium makes documentarians wax nostalgic. ABC is no exception. With the rollover of the year, decade, and century, summations are in order. The Century: America's Time is one such wrap-up, albeit a mighty ambitious one. Peter Jennings narrates this look back at the last 100 years. From a strictly American point of view, the video starts at the turn of the century, with the birth of the common man, and moves all the way to present-day technology, with the computer leading the way. The presentation is divided onto six tapes. Each program tramples through a dense history with Jennings providing the transitions. Beginning with the great melting pot, a timeline of occurrences highlights each video: the invention of the automobile, the suffrage movement, both world wars, and Vietnam. The video covers the "hippie" movement, the Red Scare, and the undeniable AIDS epidemic. At times, the stories are told by American icons, including Oliver Stone and Eudora Welty. Other moments are described by photographs alone. This collection is an exercise in textbook description with little analysis assigned to the events. However, for the history buff, The Century: America's Time is a gold mine. In Century: America's Time, Vol. 6, unexpected changes dot the landscape of the Reagan era. The end of the Cold War and the emergence of the nouveau riche dominate the '80s. This wrap-up focuses on the pivotal moments of the '90s -- from the Oklahoma Bombing to the Persian Gulf War. The creation of a media-hungry culture is apparent. The program ends with a look to the future. Episodes included are: Century: America's Time - 1981-1989: A New World and Century: America's Time - The '90s and Beyond: Then and Now.


~ Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide

This is the first part of a three-video, six-hour program that originally aired February 19-21, 2001, as part of the acclaimed PBS series The American Experience. The program focuses on the marriage of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln, and is one of the first documentaries to do so. This documentary postulates that Mary was indeed a key to Lincoln's success. The first part deals with Abraham's and Mary's early years and with their vastly different backgrounds. Lincoln was born to poverty and had less than a year of formal schooling, while Mary Todd grew up in luxury and got more schooling than most girls in that time. Narrated by David McCullough, the program also features interviews with scholars and readings by actors David Morse and Holly Hunter. Highlights include period photographs. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide