Primary

Nov 8 1960 Not Rated 1h 0m
Documentary, History, News

Primary is a documentary film about the primary elections between John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey in 1960. Primary is the first documentary to use light equipment in order to follow their subjects in a more intimate filmmaking style. This unconventional way of filming created a new look for documentary films where the camera’s lens was right in the middle of what ever drama was occurring. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with The Film Foundation in 1998.

Plot

It's the tail end of winter in 1960. U.S. Senators Hubert Humphrey and John Kennedy seek the Democratic Party's nomination for President. Wisconsin's primary - one of the few direct primaries at the time - is on April 5. We see both candidates on the road; it's retail politics, shaking hands, signing autographs, smiling. We hear part of a standard stump speech from Kennedy; we watch Humphrey talk to farmers in a rural hall. Kennedy is favored. We see his wife, his brother Robert briefly, and on election night his sisters Pat and Eunice. Jacqueline speaks a few words of Polish at a Milwaukee rally. The returns come in; it's on to Indiana and West Virginia.

Written by

Robert Drew

Directed by

Robert Drew

Cast

Robert Drew, Hubert H. Humphrey, Muriel Buck Humphrey

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Time, Drew Associates

Languages

English

Awards

1 win

Scores
# of Votes
1,650
Average Rating
7.1 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA