Ethel

A new documentary on the Kennedy dynasty that actually upholds and cherishes the "Camelot" image might seem quaint—especially considering that the filmmaker is Rory Kennedy, youngest daughter of Robert, the 11th and last child born to effusive matriarch Ethel, who discovered she was pregnant with Rory only after her husband's 1968 assassination. Granting her daughter what is said to be her first interview in 30 years, Ethel Kennedy here is self-effacing and incorrigibly proper and decent, as she describes (with occasional reticence—although her now-adult sons and daughters fill in the gaps) an idyllic, active upbringing in the prosperous (but not Kennedy-wealthy) Skakel family, solid Republicans who viewed the Democratic Kennedys as "Communists." Nonetheless, Ethel crossed the aisle, politically-speaking, to marry Robert, who is described with JFK as the most remarkable brother combo in U.S. political history. It's a challenge to keep Ethel as the film's focus when looking at epochal touchstones like the Cuban Missile Crisis, the JFK and Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinations, and Robert's own tragically short run for the White House on an anti-Vietnam War platform. But Rory underscores the fact that Ethel's tireless support, intense Catholic faith, and commitment to liberal-progressive causes and social justice were a hidden strength of the family. Featuring abundant home-movie footage, this HBO-aired biography is sure to be appreciated by Kennedy followers. DVD extras include an interview with the filmmaker. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)