National Geographic Channel is ‘Killing Kennedy’ in Richmond

By Kate O’Hare © Zap2it

On Nov. 22, America and the world mark the 50th anniversary of one of the most momentous events of the 20th century, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. As it did last year with “Killing Lincoln,” National Geographic Channel has turned to another best-seller by Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly and historian Martin Dugard to dramatize the occasion.

Premiering Sunday, Nov. 10, the docudrama version of “Killing Kennedy” follows the twin trajectories of JFK and Lee Harvey Oswald until they meet on that fateful day in Dallas’ Dealey Plaza.

Directed by Nelson McCormick from a script by Kelly Masterson, “Killing Kennedy” stars Rob Lowe as JFK, Ginnifer Goodwin as first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Will Rothhaar as Lee Harvey Oswald, Michelle Trachtenberg as Marina Oswald, Jack Noseworthy as Bobby Kennedy, Casey Siemaszko as Jack Ruby, Francis Guinan as Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Flood as Kennedy insider Kenneth O’Donnell.

On this bright mid-June day in Richmond, Va., a stretch of closed-off street just outside the governor’s mansion has become Dealey Plaza. There are no crowds, since this is a tight shot through a lens with cross hairs on it, simulating Oswald’s point of view from the Texas School Book Depository.

Riding in a replica of the convertible used that day, Lowe and Goodwin re-enact the pivotal moment, as captured by chance on the famous footage from bystander Abraham Zapruder. Mimicking the the first couple’s movements exactly, Lowe reacts to the impact of the assassin’s bullets, while Goodwin — dressed in Jackie’s pink Chanel suit — launches herself over the car’s trunk lid in pursuit of something precious.

Sitting afterward in the makeup trailer, still in her suit, as the carefully coiffed brown wig is removed, Goodwin recalls reading that while Jackie could not remember reaching over the back of the car, she wound up in posses- sion of part of her husband’s brain matter.

“I don’t think there was any thought,” says Goodwin. “I think it was pure instinct, pure survival. It’s hard to imagine anybody surviving a moment like that.”

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1. Stephen Moyer series (2)

8. Elvis’ middle name

9. “My One and __”; 2009 Renee Zellweger film

10. Actress on “The Big Bang Theory” (2)

14. Actress Campbell

15. “__, Dear”

16. Suffix for Paul or Max

17. “__ never work”; pessimist’s prediction

18. “The __ and I”; 1947 Fred MacMurray movie

19. Clamp

20. “__ Out of My League”; 2010 Jay Baruchel film

24. Record albums, for short

27. Throw stones at

28. Jim Nabors’ state of birth: abbr.

29. Run up a tab

4. Teri Hatcher’s 1993-97 series role

5. “Love __ __ Rooftop” (1966-67)

6. Hardy, to Laurel

7. “__ Young”; 1991 Julia Roberts movie

8. Pricey violin

11. “__ Wife and Kids”

12. “I Shouldn’t __ Alive”; Animal Planet series

13. Beer barrel

14. DII doubled

20. “Ghost Rider: __ of Vengeance”; 2011 Nicolas Cage movie

21. “From __ __ Eternity”; 1953 Burt Lancaster film

22. “My Fair Lady” heroine

23. Wall and Sesame: abbr.

24. “__ Vegas”

25. Actress Dana __

26. Plastic wrap

29. Televangelist Roberts

30. Setting for “Frasier”: abbr.

31. Role in “The Wizard of Oz”

34. “__ You There, Chelsea?”

35. Anger ad