One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern (2005)
Average Rating: 6.6/10
Reviews Counted: 18
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 3
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 5.9/10
Critic Reviews: 7
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 2
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 786
Movie Info
In the spring and summer of 1972, George McGovern, a Democratic senator from South Dakota, achieved the seemingly impossible. Backed by a motley collection of Prairie populists, old-school liberals, and young people disenchanted with the war in Vietnam, McGovern overwhelmed longtime party favorites such as Hubert Humphrey and Edmund Muskie to win the Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States. However, McGovern's triumph proved to be short-lived; after his initial running
Watch It Now
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (18) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (3) | DVD (2)
... largely succeeds.
Top CriticThe film builds a strong argument in favor of his quixotic idealism and the compassionate optimism that propels him against seemingly invincible social ills even today at age 83.
It's a deeply flawed film but also an important one; if it does nothing else it should bring this decent and courageous prairie populist, whose very name has become a patently unfair term of abuse, before at least a few members of a new generation.
Parallels to the current day are plain to see, so Vittoria's insistence on juxtaposing images of contemporary politicians and an angry narration only undercut the power of his otherwise absorbing presentation.
A wan but well-researched apotheosis of the former senator from South Dakota.
Exactly the sort of starry-eyed, bullet-spraying hyperbole that drains credibility from any brand of political discourse.
[A] surprisingly thorough film.
An effort to secure former Sen. George McGovern's place in history, and it does a pretty good job.
Just too hagiographic to engage anyone but the most nostalgic follower of the 1972 campaign.
This is an excellent time to remind ourselves of this story. Another McGovern would have been a good thing to have the last five years.
In terms of recapturing the time that was, One Bright Shining Moment is rather effective -- although it feels to be revealing that time from certain distance.
[Goes] a long way to rehabilitating this unfairly maligned candidate.
If you're a history-politics buff, you're gonna want to seize this Moment.
The documentary will appeal to those who like their political commentary with unbridled bite.
"The Establishment... has led us into the stupidest and cruelest war in all history. That war is political disaster - a terrible cancer eating away at the soul of our nation."
A Politics 101 view of a presidential candidate whose victory might have made America an object lesson in decency.
The interviews with him are worth the price of admission.
Audience Reviews for One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern
Super Reviewer
[font=Century Gothic][/font]
[font=Century Gothic]The documentary is less than thrilled with both Republicans and Democrats(but it still goes lightly on the Kennedy's), portraying McGovern as the last good man. While it is true that he is a genuine humanist and that many things would have been better if he had won(particularly with Chile and East Timor), I think it is incorrect to portray him as the only congressional opponent to the Vietnam War.(His sympathy is for both American soldiers and Vietnamese civilians.) I know the Vietnam War was the impetus for his campaign but the documentary spends too much time rehashing familiar information. Plus, some of the commentary veers on the irrelevant side. [/font]
[font=Century Gothic][/font]
[font=Century Gothic]And Hunter S. Thompson is notable by his absence. [/font]
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern yet.
What's Hot On RT
John Goodman's Best Movies
Woody Allen in San Francisco
Naomi Watts stars as Princess Di
Pictures from a zombie nation
Fresh Links
Featured
Movie: ID: 351526952 Title: One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern Release Date: 2005-09-16 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 6 Status: 1
Family Movie Mistakes
Even the best family entertainment experiences a few blunders now and then...
The Looks of Johnny Depp
To celebrate the star's birthday, BuzzSugar looks at the many faces of Johnny Depp.
10 Egregious Product Placements
Rolling Stone wonders if The Internship goes too far... then provides 10 examples of movies that did.
10 Bad Movies That Look Great
Sometimes even terrible movies can be beautiful; here are 10 of them, from HitFix.
50 Most Classic Movie Moms
In celebration of Mother's Day, TimeOut offers up 50 iconic matriarchs from the big screen.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Featured on RT
- James Gandolfini: 1961-2013 9
- Total Recall: John Goodman's Best Movies 20
- In Pictures: Zombie Nation! 0
- Video Interviews with Cast & Crew of Monsters University 0
- Digital Multiplex: 21 & Over, Quartet, and More 3
- RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Jack the Giant Slayer and Quartet 23
- Box Office Guru Wrapup: Man of Steel Sets June Record 110
Top Headlines
-
Has Brad Pitt Ever Made a Successful Blockbuster?
1
-
Pacific Rim Set Visit Report
0
-
Shailene Woodley Cut from Amazing Spider-Man 2
0
-
Star Wars Casting Breakdown Reportedly Leaks
0
-
Universal Picks Up Dumb and Dumber To
0
-
Sam Taylor-Johnson Directing Fifty Shades of Grey
0
-
The Logan's Run Remake Has a New Writer
1
