Backstairs at the White House
Starring: Olivia Cole, Leslie Uggams, Louis Gossett Jr., Robert Hooks, Leslie NielsenDirector: Michael O'Herlihy
Studio: Acorn Media
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
Running Time: 444 minutes
DVD Release: November 1st 2005
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DVD Review
From the golden age of television miniseries comes this prestigious 1979 production based on Lillian Rogers Parks's memoir, My Thirty Years at the White House, a real-life American Upstairs/Downstairs that chronicles her family's tenure on the White House servant staff through eight presidential administrations. Emmy nominee Oliva Cole stars as Maggie, a proud matriarch with "indomitable spirit and unfailing spunk," and who is determined that her children "are not going to have street ways." She becomes the first colored maid on the presidential family floor, beginning with the William Howard Taft administration. Her polio-stricken daughter, Lillian (portrayed as an adult by Leslie Uggams) eventually joins her during Herbert Hoover's administration and likewise rises through the ranks to to become a trusted confidante of the First Families.
Backstairs at the White House works on several levels. It is the inspiring personal story of two extraordinary women who had a unique and privileged perspective of the people and events that shaped the first half of the 20th century. It also presents vivid snapshots of the presidents and their families in all their quirks (Mrs. Taft felt that bearded servants brought bad luck), failings, and greatness, as well as such now-obscure personages as New York critic Alexander Woolcott. The stellar cast is comprised of stage and screen veterans and TV favorites. Robert Vaughn (as Woodrow Wilson), Celeste Holm (as Florence Harding), and Ed Flanders (as Calvin Coolidge) were nominated for Emmys, as was Roots costar Louis Gossett Jr. as houseman Levi Mercer. Also notable are a pre-Airplane Leslie Nielsen as chief White House usher Ike Hoover, Cloris Leachman as the chilly supervising housekeeper Mrs. Jaffray, Victor Buono and Julie Harris as reluctant president William Howard Taft and his more formidable wife "Nellie," Eileen Heckart as energetic Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harry Morgan, giving 'em hell as Harry Truman. Backstairs at the White can be melodramatic ("You're not married to me, you're married to the White House," Lillian's estranged husband tells her at one point), but it never descends to soap opera. The Emmy-winning makeup is convincing, and the Emmy-nominated screenplay does an admirable job of compressing more than 50 years of history. "What is heard within the walls of the White House is to be forgotten," Maggie is instructed early in her employ. Luckily, daughter Lillian ignored this directive to create a compelling document that puts a human face on the occupants of the real West Wing. --Donald Liebenson
User Reviews
Great Historical Miniseries - Rating: 5/5
I watched this mini-series when it orignally aired in 1979 when I was 10 years old. It aired over serveral weeks and my family would gather around the TV to watch it. I have been talking about this series since I was ten and have been dying to see again. I cannot tell you how excited I was to see that it had been released on DVD. The minute that I discovered it, I placed my order. It is a great piece of history, with a great cast and I urge everyone to see it.
Backstairs at the Whitehouse - Rating: 5/5
This is an excellent series for people of all ages. It is an interesting look at all of the personalities who lived in the White House throughout the years. I have read the book and the series covers much of the same information. You feel sad when the series comes to the end as you wish it could continue!
Good Entertainment - Rating: 5/5
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this mini-series. As a matter of fact I had been looking for this for years, ever since it originally aired and was thrilled when I found it on Amazon. If you like American History, you'll love this!
Great cast. - Rating: 5/5
Where is Olivia Cole? The leading actress is this mega star TV miniseries
was truly a gifted actress. The historical ascpects of this story really make it interesting to watch. I recall seeing parts of it during the NBC broadcast of it back in the days of big network TV. Like "Roots", the production value was superlative.
Backstairs at the White House - Rating: 5/5
A nice history lesson for the period 1906 through 1960. All the actors are super and would highly recommend for a family sit down.
