Posted on 05/03/2016 7:11:43 AM PDT by Western Phil
On the heels of actor Will Ferrell pulling out of a planned "Alzheimer's comedy" about Ronald Reagan comes news that Hollywood is preparing a feature film about late Senator Ted Kennedy and the drowning of Mary Jo Kopechne at Chappaquiddick.
Australian-born "Zero Dark Thirty" star Jason Clarke will portray Kennedy in "Chappaquiddick" — the film's working title — and John Curran, whose credits include "The Painted Veil," will direct, said the movie's co-producer and Apex Entertainment president and chief executive Mark Ciardi. Production is slated to begin around Labor Day with a tentative release in late 2017.
Ciardi noted that younger generations may not know about the story. "In some parts it will be educational, that, wow, in 1969 this happened, with the moon landing in the backdrop, this event happened and how everything kind of played out after that," he said.
But the film will not be a "political" movie. "I certainly wouldn't characterize it as just a political movie at all," said Ciardi.
Producers are scouting locations for the film, but Ciardi would not say if Chappaquiddick would be one of those locations. Local officials said no request was made to film on the island as of yet.
Kennedy went to Martha's Vineyard to race in the Edgartown Regatta and that evening attended a party at a rented house on serene and picturesque Chappaquiddick, which is separated from the Vineyard by a narrow strait and accessed by a small, barge-like ferry. Guests included Kennedy friends and several women, including Kopechne, who had worked on the presidential campaign of his brother Robert F. Kennedy, assassinated a year earlier.
Kennedy and Kopechne, 28, left the party together and a short time later the car plunged into Poucha Pond. Kennedy escaped from the submerged vehicle and said he made several futile attempts to rescue Kopechne, who was trapped inside.
Kennedy said in his memoir True Compass about the event: "I've had to live with that guilt for forty years. But my burden is nothing compared to her [Mary Jo Kopechne] loss and the suffering her family had to endure."
For once we agree with Ted Kennedy.
They will blame Mary Jo Kopechne for causing the crash...
In the film Mary Jo will abandon Ted in the car
"Save yourself Ted! The country needs you! It was an honor to serve....um...under you."
And valiant drunkard trying to bust out the windows trying to save her right?
Another attempt to rewrite history. Don’t quite think they’ll get away with it like they did in the “Good Ole Days”
Movies and TV shows all incorporate an agenda. This will paint kennedy as innocent. Its purpose is to clear up his image so no one will think of him as a drunken, unfaithful partygoer whose drunken driving led to the death of the woman he was cheating with, and as someone who evaded responsibility for his actions, and as someone who got a free pass on prosecution because he was a rich, powerful democrat politician.
the car plunged into Poucha Pond
It’s the car’s fault.
DWI, Involuntary manslaughter - should have been prosecuted.
Likely the plot will be where Mary Jo has selfish designs on being a Kennedy, none of the family like her, Ted is torn, she feels the conflict, pulls the pregnancy ploy. And there’s poor lil Teddy, a victim of family aristocracy and its inherent arrogance, loving dear MJ as dearly as Aniken loved Padmay. The conflict. He drinks to escape the tension. He tells MJ that he’ll do anything for her and resolves to break away from the clan that night when instead, pure fate intervenes and the car accidentally careens off that bridge. He fights with all he has to save her but in his weakened, drunken state he is feeble and unable to perform the simplest task to save his beloved, the woman who would alter the course of his life. Ooooh Teddy! You poor, confused, overly influenced, victimized yet honorable man. /s /puke
Ted was given a date rape drug by Mary Jo. This will render him incoherent as she tries to drown him. He escapes but still dives back in to save her. He fails but he tried.
Just then a school bus full of children nose dives into the water right next to Ted. Ted saves all 57 children and buys them ice cream as they await limos Ted called in to take them to the hospital to be sure they’re all ok. Ted turns down the Congressional Medal of Honor and says, “Aw shucks. You would’ve done the same”. The End.
Ted was given a date rape drug by Mary Jo. This will render him incoherent as she tries to drown him. He escapes but still dives back in to save her. He fails but he tried.
Just then a school bus full of children nose dives into the water right next to Ted. Ted saves all 57 children and buys them ice cream as they await limos Ted called in to take them to the hospital to be sure they’re all ok. Ted turns down the Congressional Medal of Honor and says, “Aw shucks. You would’ve done the same”. The End.
And Ted almost drowned saving her. He spent a month in the ICU because of his near drowning.
...After slipping a mickey in the senator’s root beer float, Miss Kopechne asked Ted to drive her home. But on the way, she suddenly grabbed the wheel in a fit of evil laughter and the car flew into the river. She was probably a Republican. Vote for Hillary.
He's going to have to put on a lot of weight and spend hours with the make-up artist every day turning his face bright red.
As a victim.
This guy is a really good actor. I suspect he won’t look much like Teddy, but will be completely believable in the role. Just want to say, this article reminded me of Teddy and Chris Dodd’s ‘waitress sandwich’. Democrat Good Ole Boys are NEVER held accountable for being pigs.....and/or much worse.
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