Release Date

20 Nov, 1964

Runtime

01:16: (HH:MM)

Synopsis

In 1964, National Educational Television decided to make a program as a memorial to President Kennedy. Since he had been assassinated just a year before, it seemed unnecessary to recite the events of his death again. Executive Producer, Brice Howard, discussed with Hurwitz the possibility of making a film for television that, instead of engaging the assassination head on, would deal with the inevitablity of mortality and its trauma. Essay On Death uses a story of a camping trip by a father and son to weave the thoughts about death that intercede in our everyday affairs. The commentary is made up of writings, ancient and modern, on the life and death. Beautifully realized, it succeeds at a task that mainstream television rarely attempts.

Original Title

An Essay on Death: A Memorial to John F. Kennedy

Photos

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Actors

Christopher Plummer

Helen Gahagan

Morris Carnovsky

James Broderick

Crew

Leo Hurwitz

Leo Hurwitz

Brice Howard

Leo Hurwitz

Brice Howard

Ulysses Kay

Peggy Lawson

Peggy Lawson

Manfred Kirchheimer

D'Arcy Marsh

Gert Berliner

Leo Hurwitz