MovieChat Forums > Atlantic Crossing (2021) Discussion > Halfway though harboring many doubts

Halfway though harboring many doubts

posted 4 years ago by Jes' Sayin' (6444)
5 replies | jump to latest

A big deal is made of the closeness of the 1940 election. Oooh, if it's not careful FDR might lose to Wilkie. Except no, he won 449-82. What a photo finish.

I don't think Eleanor Roosevelt was the one arguing against intervention in the war. She was mainly concerned with the economy and domestic policy. I also don't think she was telling FDR she didn't care about his escapades either. When he died and she found out he had been with Luci Mercer at the time she was profoundly shocked.

The thing that bothers me most though is that they have Sofia Helin playing Princess Martha. She's 48, but Martha was only 39. If we're going to believe FDR was going to go out of his way to get excited about this princess, at least show us someone who still looks at least somewhat young and attractive and acts interesting. But she just looks post-menopausal and acts in a charmless way.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (6444) 4 years ago

Now they're connecting the German submarine spies to Princess Martha, even though there was no connection: https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/nazi-saboteurs-and-george-dasch

[–] Jes' Sayin' (6444) 4 years ago

In the end this was a nice looking series, one that did a very nice job of creating a world and making us feel like we really were in the 1940s, but what did it mean? What was Martha thinking and feeling? We never get even a clue. So it's a mild failure. Based on what we saw here, there isn't much reason to have told this particular story.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (6444) 4 years ago

Some background on the Crown Princess - SPOILERS

Today the king is still Harald, that little boy.

Martha and Olav were first cousins.

In August 1941, Crown Princess Märtha traveled with President Roosevelt aboard the presidential yacht, USS Potomac, and sailed to Newfoundland and the Atlantic Charter meetings with Winston Churchill. (Why didn't they show this?)

Following a lengthy period of ill-health, Märtha died of cancer at The National Hospital in Oslo in 5 April 1954.

[–] ProFromDover (286) 4 years ago

I'd agree with much of this. However i did stick with it and am not displeased that I did.

One thing I found hard to get used to was the bright color. We think of this time period as black and white only. I didn't know the story. And was surprised FDR wass so hospitable. I don't think it was just to have the princess's constant companionship.

When the library gets the disc I'll zip through certain parts again. I saw this 8-part series out of sequence and there's some things i'd like to review.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (6444) 4 years ago

Yes, some people consider the princess an affair or near-affair of his.