Yup, Bill Murray's Ted Kennedy was hilarious.
"I was in the cah..."
Posted on 04/10/2018 8:29:03 AM PDT by doug from upland
updated version of DFU SING ALONG: Ted Kennedy, Chappaquiddick Lifeguard
A meticulous docudrama rivetingly recounts the tragic car accident and its aftermath — an event of criminal negligence and cover-up — that defined the life of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.
Over the years, a great many actors have taken a turn at playing one of the Kennedy brothers (in made-for-TV movies, on “Saturday Night Live,” in big-screen historical dramas). The vast majority of these performances have been mediocre, a handful have been quite good, and a few have been memorable — like Bruce Greenwood’s cuttingly terse and commanding JFK in the Cuban Missile Crisis drama “Thirteen Days,” or Peter Sarsgaard’s tender and battle-scarred Robert F. Kennedy in “Jackie.” To that short list of singular and superb Kennedy performances, we can now add the Australian actor Jason Clarke’s portrayal of Edward M. Kennedy in “Chappaquiddick.”
Clarke, with a bit of makeup, looks the part to an astonishing degree: the squint, the hawkish profile, the wedge of hair combed gently over from the left side, the lips that hang slightly open as if pondering a question, giving Kennedy an aura that’s more tentative, less forceful than that of his two legendary older brothers. Clarke also nails the voice — not just the familiar Boston accent but the dry understatement of it. He inhabits Ted Kennedy with the softly halting charm of an aging preppie who can seize up with self-doubt, but who still treats the world as his oyster.
(Excerpt) Read more at variety.com ...
Yup, Bill Murray's Ted Kennedy was hilarious.
"I was in the cah..."
One thing that surprised me was that the portrayal actually made Kennedy into a sympathetic/pathetic character. He showed moments of: extreme selfishness, cowardice, weakness (especially regarding his father), insecurity, remorse (calling the Kopechne's), and remorseless (taking a bath to relax, laying down on the bridge)and all the time, pure stupidity.
One role that is deserving of an Oscar nod is that of Bruce Dern as Joseph Kennedy. Favorite Line (he only had three):
(to Ted): "You will never be a great man."
How astute that was.
LOL
It was the cold open back in Nov 79’, never found a video for it.
I wonder why...
Kennedy in ‘80
Campaign Worker #1.....Tom Davis
Campaign Worker #2.....Garrett Morris
Rose Kennedy.....Laraine Newman
Ted Kennedy.....Bill Murray
Dave Powers.....Jim Downey
Joan Kennedy.....Jane Curtin
Background Campaign Workers.....Tom Gammill, Max Pross
[ open on Ted Kennedy campaign rally ]
[ SUPER: “Faneuil Hall Boston — November 7, 1979” ]
Campaign Worker #1: Okay... where the hell is Teddy?!
Campaign Worker #2: I don’t know! He was supposed to be here TWENTY minutes ago!
Rose Kennedy: I’m uh, sure he has a good excuse!
Voice: Here he comes Here he comes!
[ Ted Kennedy runs up on stage, dripping wet with seaweed ]
Campaign Worker #2: Teddy, Teddy! Where have you BEEN, man?!
Ted Kennedy: I — [ he coughs ] I — I — I’m not sure. I — I was in the cahhh —
Campaign Worker #1: Teddy... where’s, uh, Joan?
Ted Kennedy: Uh — I-I’m not sure. We were in the, uh, cahh together and, uh — I, uh — I managed to, uh, get out of the cahh and I think that Joan might, uh, might still be in the cahhh.
Rose Kennedy: Teddy... Teddy, listen to me, this is your mother: Do you know where you are?
Ted Kennedy: In, uh — Boston?
Rose Kennedy: Yes. Do you know why you’re here? [ she pulls seaweed from his clothes ]
Ted Kennedy: Uh — uh, why?
Campaign Worker #2: To announce that you’re gonna run for President of the United States, that’s why!
Ted Kennedy: Is that alright with you, Mother?
Rose Kennedy: Yes, son... it’s alright.
Ted Kennedy: Was it, uh — was it alright with Joan?
Rose Kennedy: Yes — if we knew where she was.
Ted Kennedy: I, uh — I think she’s, uh, still in the cahhh.
Campaign Worker #1: Okay, I don’t think you’re quite ready to go on. [ he approaches the podium ] Uh — uh, excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, we seem to have a few, uh, technical problems, if you’ll just bear with us. In the meantime, uh - [ he looks around ] In the meantime, I’d like to introduce an old close friend of the Kennedy Family — Mr. Dave Powers — [ he pulls Dave Powers forward ] uh, who will share with us a few reminisces of Camelot!
[ the crowd applauds ]
Dave Powers: Thanks. I, uh — I, uh — I recall that, uh, that Jack, he, uh — he loved the sea. Uh — Jack and Bobby, and, uh, Teddy, they, uh — they loved the sea. And I recall Booby and Jack would, uh —
[ return to Ted Kennedy ]
Campaign Worker #2: Where is the car? where is the car, Teddy?
Ted Kennedy: I, uh — I-I-I-I don’t know where the cahh is...
Rose Kennedy: Teddy... listen to me: Where is the cahh...? Try to remember where you left Joan.
[ Ted can’t even fathom a guess, as Joan runs up on stage ]
Campaign Worker #1: Joan! Thank God you’re alright!
Joan Kennedy: [ angry ] Well, of course I’m alright — I was just parking the car! [ to Ted ] Here are the keys, Flipper.
Rose Kennedy: Why are you all wet, Teddy?
Joan Kennedy: [ she sighs ] Well, we were late and stuck in traffic — Teddy panicked, jumped out of the car and swam across Boston Harbor.
Ted Kennedy: That’s, uh — that’s right. I, uh — I must have bumped my head when I dived into the river, and I was in a.... shark... So I guess that’s why I couldn’t tell anyone sooner.
Campaign Worker #2: You think you can make your announcement now, Teddy?
Ted Kennedy: Yeah... yeah, yeah, I’m ready...
Campaign Worker #1: Alright, let’s do it.
[ he approaches the podium, where Dave Powers is still rambling on ]
Dave Powers: ...and, uh — I was there in the Oval Office, when Caroline looked at Jack and she said, uh... “Daddy,” she said, uh, “let John-John ride Macaroni!” And, uh —
Campaign Worker #1: [ interrupting ] Thank you very much, Dave Powers.
Dave Powers: Thank you, thank you. I — I — thank you.
[ the crowd applauds ]
Campaign Worker #1: [ psuhing Dave aside ] That’s very touching. Thank you very much. [ to the room ] Uh — ladies and gentlemen... I am honored to introduce the Senator from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts... and the next President of the United States — Edward M. Kennedy!
[ the crowd applauds wildly as Ted approaches the podium surrounded by Rose and Joan ]
[ Ted puts his glasses on and unfolds a tricky piece of paper ]
Ted Kennedy: My fellow Americans... our nation is at a crossroad in history... where a cry for strong, vigorous leadership is heard throughout the land. [ the crowd claps ] Now there are some who would look at my past, and say: “Why?” I... choose to look at my past, and say: “So what?” [ the crowd applauds ] That is why, tonight, I am honored and invigorated to announce: “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night.”
Doug: We have been longing for your amazing sing a longs. Don’t tease us like this without delivering.
Teasing? I gave the link to the song.
I saw it on Sunday. When Ted called the Kopechnes I didn’t take it as remorse, just something he had to do. The only remorse I think he felt was that it ruined his political aspirations. Meanwhile the movie did show that they prevented an autopsy on Mary Jo because she most likely died from asphyxiation not drowning. If Ted had reported it sooner she could have been saved.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.