The PBS-aired American Experience series has presented a number of acclaimed documentaries on U.S. presidents, but executive producer Percival Beacroft's Jefferson Davis: An American President, the story of the man who was President of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865, was understandably not among them (although it has aired on some PBS stations). Clearly designed to fill a lacuna, this four-hour film resembles a less slick version of the American Experience entries, melding contemporary location footage, archival stills, artwork, snippets from early cinematic historical recreations, interviews with academics and biographers of Davis, and narration by actor Gerald McRaney. Thematically, this is a highly laudatory portrait that, as the subtitle indicates, emphasizes the essential patriotism and principle of the man in both his personal and public lives. The opening 90-minute episode covers the period before the Civil War, a time when Davis served with distinction in the U.S. military and as a congressman, senator, and Secretary of War. Even though Davis expressed a belief in states' rights, he long argued against secession until he felt compelled to break with the federal government in 1861. The second 90-minute installment deals with Davis' presidential administration during the war, while the final hour-long episode concerns the years from Davis' capture in 1865 to his death in 1889. While there is some subdued criticism—one scholar notes that as president, Davis tended to micromanage—the general tone here is overwhelmingly positive. Although one-sided, the film does provide a fuller portrait of a man whom most know only for the four years of his controversial term as leader of the Confederacy. DVD extras include a featurette on the 2004 annual reenactment of the 1860s-themed Fall Muster at Davis' Beauvoir House, a discussion of states' rights, and virtual tours of Davis' homes. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Jefferson Davis: An American President
(2008) 3 discs. 240 min. DVD: $89. Rosemont Pictures. PPR. Volume 24, Issue 2
Jefferson Davis: An American President
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