5 Must-See Films On The 60th Anniversary Of JFK Assassination
November 22nd is the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a tragedy that changed the course of U.S. and world history. The murder also spawned many investigations by both government and private entities, conspiracy theories that have consumed public attention and become the obsession of millions of people, and movies about president JFK himself, his family, his death, and those who lived through the horrible aftermath of that dark day in Dallas. Here are five must-see films to watch about that tragic day, to honor President Kennedy and remind ourselves of the dangers of political extremism and secrecy.
Earlier this year, former Secret Service agent Paul Landis claimed in his memoir that he found a bullet in the presidential limo and took it to the hospital, where he put it on the gurney carrying Texas Governor John Connally. The revelation is a shocking turn of events that upends decades of the official government version of events, and reinvigorates debate about the events surrounding Kennedy’s murder.
The location of that bullet, and the lack of awareness of how or when it got on the gurney, resulted in the official government story that a single bullet had struck both Kennedy and Connally.
Since that official story, debate has raged in the public, in the press, in political arenas, and in academia about what really happened that day, who was responsible for the assassination, and whether the government was somehow involved in either the murder or the coverup of details and evidence that seems to have followed.
But if the notion of a conspiracy sounds like the stuff of fringe online discussions, those who believe some sort of conspiracy took place happens to include Congress.
In 1979, the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations held investigations and issued a lengthy report that concluded President Kennedy was likely killed as a result of a conspiracy involving multiple shooters. Much of the documentation involving the JFK assassination is still classified, after decades during which most of it was kept secret and only slowly released in redacted forms every several years. The full truth and evidence has yet to be released, which only helps fan the flames of conspiracy theories and public distrust in government.
So without further ado, here are my picks for five movies to watch this week to honor President Kennedy on the anniversary of his death in Dallas 60 years ago. Most of my selections are directly tied to the assassination itself, but not all and some are not entirely about that tragedy but do include it as part of their stories.
- JFK (1991) — The ultimate film about the JFK assassination and likelihood of a conspiracy of some sort, it reignited debate about what really happened.
- Thirteen Days (2000) — A compelling and well-acted depiction of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the world at the brink of destruction.
- Jackie (2016) — Oddly underappreciated despite awards attention, an agonizing, dignified portrayal of what it was like to survive the assassination.
- Flashpoint (1984) — A fictional what-if story that might have a predictable “twist,” but that doesn’t make it any less thrilling and infuriating to watch.
- What the Doctors Saw (2023)/Parkland (2013) — A double-feature recommendation of the documentary about the medical staff that treated JFK after he was shot, and a feature film depicting those same events. This viewing offers a completely different and engrossing perspective (and be even more skeptical of the official version of events).
There you have it, dear readers, my selection of five films related to President Kennedy and the JFK assassination that provide a unique collection of viewing rightly recalling the impact Kennedy had on the world during his brief years in office, putting his death and the events surrounding it into focus from a variety of perspectives.
I’d also suggest the remarkable Ken Burns series American Experience: JFK from PBS
PBS
for an even deeper dive into JFK, his presidency and legacy, and his death.
