Reviews (6)

Why no DVD??
I remeber this miniseries from 25 years ago, and now I would like to see it on DVD.. They can bring back Laurel and Hardy on DVD, why not the good stuff??

Excellent presentation!
"Eleanor and Franklin - The Early Years" is one of the most interesting movies I've ever seen. The story told from Eleanor's view is very well written. I've loved this movie for years, and enjoy seeing it each and every time. Quite a master piece.

The epic love story of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt
This 1976 two-part biopic, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Special-Drama or Comedy, provided one of those perfect marriages of actors and roles for Jane Alexander and Edward Herrmann as Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt. Amazing, neither performer won an Emmy, losing out of Sally Field in "Sybill" and Christopher Plummer in "The Moneychangers," respectively. The script, written by James Costigan, is based on the book by Joseph P. Lash. "Eleanor and Franklin" is told primarily in flashbacks as Eleanor travels from Washington, D.C. to Warm Springs, Georgia and back to retrieve Franklin's body after his sudden death in 1945. The first part covers their courtship and marriage; she accepts his proposal on behalf of her luggage, since she will not have to change her last name. They move to Washington when Franklin serves as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration during World War I. In addition to the ambitions of Franklin and her overbearing mother-in-law (Rosemary Murphy), Eleanor has to deal with her husband's relationship with Lucy Mercer (Linda Kelsey) and then the crucible of his battle with polio. From the woman who had to hide in the bathroom with the water running so no one would know she was crying when one of her baby's died, Eleanor becomes a tireless campaigner for Franklin in his quest for the White House and ultimately a passionate public figure in her own right. Clearly our sympathies are with Eleanor throughout this story as we come to an even greater appreciation for her role in history. Alexander is positively exquisite as the painfully shy and awkward Eleanor, who is compelled into the public spotlight by forces beyond her control and yet proves herself more than equal to the challenge (Mackenzie Phillips plays the character at age 14). Herrmann became so identified with the role of FDR that he has reprised his performance several times over the years, most notably in "Annie." Director Daniel Petrie also received an Emmy for "Eleanor and Franklin," which met with such critical acclaim that a sequel, "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years" was put together for the next year. However, it just could not match this first effort, which was renamed "Eleanor and Franklin: The Early Years" to distinguish it from the 1977 series. This is as fine a television biopic as you will ever see, a combination of rich historical material turned into an excellent script and featuring superb acting performances. No matter what you think of Franklin Roosevelt, it will be pretty much impossible not to think better of Eleanor Roosevelt by the time you finish watching this movie.

My Favorite! But no captions showed up..solutions to fix??
I've seen this movie on television many years ago and I've loved it ever since. I had a copy on tape, but somehow it got taped over it. Then I brought one last year and it claimed that it was closed-caption for the hearing-impaired. To my disappointment, the captions was so bad, not even showing up on my TV. It was my absolute favorite, it was very upset to the fact that I was not able to watch and understand. How can the captions get corrected so many of us can watch it! It is history after all. Any solutions would be very much appreciated! Will this become available on DVD soon?? Thanks!

Extremely well written and performed.
This movie draws the viewer in from the beginning to the end with its vintage-view footage and protrayal of emotions that the famous Roosevelt family experienced. The cinematograpy and music adaptation are the perfect element added to this skilled cast! Well done. ... Read more