"Four Days In November" (The 1964 Film)
David Von Pein
http://EducationForum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16928&st=0&p=211695&#entry211695
I recently decided to spruce up some of my blogs on the Internet, and
one of them that received an overhaul is my "Four Days In November"
website/blog, at:
http://Four-Days-In-November.blogspot.com
At the website above, I've added 88 still images from the film.
In my opinion, David L. Wolper's 1964 documentary film "Four Days In
November" is easily the very best and most accurate movie (or TV
documentary) ever produced about the events surrounding President
Kennedy's assassination.
Naturally, of course, all conspiracy theorists will vehemently
disagree with that last statement (and then some). But it's true just
the same.
And what is even more remarkable, in my view, is the fact that Wolper
and company made the film months BEFORE the Warren Commission even
completed its investigation into JFK's death -- and yet Wolper,
director Mel Stuart, and writer Theodore Strauss were still able to
get virtually every fact correct in the movie.
Each time I watch the film I'm always amazed by how accurate it is,
right down to even some of the very small details, such as the exact
amount of the cab fare for Lee Harvey Oswald's taxi drive to Oak Cliff
on 11/22/63 -- 95 cents:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6kYzhJGqq2M/TN1kZxCBCbI/AAAAAAAAGYs/goQ4AXHYLPg/s1600/2i.bmp
Some of the details that appear in "Four Days" were undoubtedly
gathered by Wolper and his team of researchers themselves, since
several witnesses appear in the film and were (I assume) interviewed
by the filmmakers about what they knew concerning the events of
November 22nd, such as cab driver William Whaley.
Whaley was one of the witnesses (along with Buell Wesley Frazier,
Linnie Mae Randle, and Johnny Brewer) who provided a detailed re-
enactment of his November 22 movements, taking the Wolper cameras
along for the ride as he re-created the taxicab drive he and Oswald
took to Oak Cliff.
As far as I can recall, I think there is only one factual error in the
movie (and even this error isn't a major one), and that's when
narrator Richard Basehart says that Lee Oswald exited his roominghouse
at 1026 North Beckley Avenue wearing "a different, lighter jacket",
which implies, of course, that Oswald entered the roominghouse wearing
a jacket.
According to housekeeper Earlene Roberts, however, Oswald was in his
shirt sleeves and was not wearing any jacket at all when he rushed
into his rented room on 11/22/63.
However, in fairness to David Wolper and his crew, it's quite likely
that Wolper and company got the additional "jacket" information from
William Whaley himself, because Whaley's Warren Commission testimony
indicates that Whaley thought that Oswald was wearing "a work jacket
that almost matched [his] pants".
Therefore, it's very likely that Whaley would have told the "Four
Days" filmmakers the very same story about Oswald wearing a jacket,
with Wolper having no real reason for doubting Whaley's account. (And
I assume the Wolper people did not interview Mary Bledsoe or Earlene
Roberts during the making of the film. Had they done so, of course, a
different story concerning Oswald's jackets would have emerged.)
A side note concerning this subject ---
I was recently discussing the "Four Days" movie via written
correspondence with "Reclaiming History" author Vincent Bugliosi, and
he told me something I had never heard before -- Vince said that in
the early stages of writing his JFK book (when the book was still
untitled), David Wolper told him that he wanted to make another
documentary on the JFK assassination, which would be based on
Bugliosi's book. Unfortunately, however, that documentary was never
made.
Mr. Wolper passed away at the age of 82, on August 10, 2010. He will
be remembered for producing many excellent documentaries, mainly for
television. And the Academy Award-nominated "Four Days In November",
which was a United Artists theatrical release, is certainly one of his
finest accomplishments.
Two other first-rate documentaries from the Wolper film factory are
"The Making Of The President 1960" (made in 1963) and "The Legend Of
Marilyn Monroe" (1964):
http://DVP-Potpourri.blogspot.com/2010/09/making-of-president-1960.html
http://DVP-Potpourri.blogspot.com/2010/05/legend-of-marilyn-monroe.html
And here's another place where "Four Days In November" can be seen in
its entirety:
http://DVP-Potpourri.blogspot.com/2010/01/four-days-in-november.html
=======================================
http://YouTube-Playlists.blogspot.com
http://JFK-Assassination-As-It-Happened.blogspot.com
=======================================
jas
> http://EducationForum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16928&st=0&p=21...
>
> I recently decided to spruce up some of my blogs on the Internet, and
> one of them that received an overhaul is my "Four Days In November"
> website/blog, at:
>
> http://Four-Days-In-November.blogspot.com
>
> At the website above, I've added 88 still images from the film.
>
> In my opinion, David L. Wolper's 1964 documentary film "Four Days In
> November" is easily the very best and most accurate movie (or TV
> documentary) ever produced about the events surrounding President
> Kennedy's assassination.
>
> Naturally, of course, all conspiracy theorists will vehemently
> disagree with that last statement (and then some). But it's true just
> the same.
>
> And what is even more remarkable, in my view, is the fact that Wolper
> and company made the film months BEFORE the Warren Commission even
> completed its investigation into JFK's death -- and yet Wolper,
> director Mel Stuart, and writer Theodore Strauss were still able to
> get virtually every fact correct in the movie.
>
> Each time I watch the film I'm always amazed by how accurate it is,
> right down to even some of the very small details, such as the exact
> amount of the cab fare for Lee Harvey Oswald's taxi drive to Oak Cliff
> on 11/22/63 -- 95 cents:
>
Yes, it's that time of year again.
Anthony Marsh
>
>
> http://EducationForum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16928&st=0&p=211695&#entry211695
>
>
> I recently decided to spruce up some of my blogs on the Internet, and
> one of them that received an overhaul is my "Four Days In November"
> website/blog, at:
>
> http://Four-Days-In-November.blogspot.com
>
> At the website above, I've added 88 still images from the film.
>
> In my opinion, David L. Wolper's 1964 documentary film "Four Days In
> November" is easily the very best and most accurate movie (or TV
> documentary) ever produced about the events surrounding President
> Kennedy's assassination.
>
> Naturally, of course, all conspiracy theorists will vehemently
> disagree with that last statement (and then some). But it's true just
> the same.
>
Well, I am curious about a couple of things and hope that you have studied
this enough to know the answers.
First there seems to be something wrong with my video player because I
could only hear TWO shots. Was one of the shots lost in the music perhaps?
Or did Wolper really think there were only TWO shots? How does Wolper
explain or diagram the SBT, which you guys can't live without? Do you know
exactly when the narrative was written and when it was filmed?
You show the crosshairs on Kennedy's back above his shoulders and to the
left of his spine. Is that what you mean by accuracy? And there is no
Connally in front of him so how is that supposed to convince us that one
bullet went through both men? Maybe when he was writing it he didn't even
know about the Specter SBT and only had the FBI version of three shots,
three hits. So if you think this film is the most accurate then you
believe in the FBI version of three shots, three hits with no SBT.
> And what is even more remarkable, in my view, is the fact that Wolper
> and company made the film months BEFORE the Warren Commission even
> completed its investigation into JFK's death -- and yet Wolper,
> director Mel Stuart, and writer Theodore Strauss were still able to
> get virtually every fact correct in the movie.
>
Every fact?
> Each time I watch the film I'm always amazed by how accurate it is,
> right down to even some of the very small details, such as the exact
> amount of the cab fare for Lee Harvey Oswald's taxi drive to Oak Cliff
> on 11/22/63 -- 95 cents:
>
> http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6kYzhJGqq2M/TN1kZxCBCbI/AAAAAAAAGYs/goQ4AXHYLPg/s1600/2i.bmp
>
> Some of the details that appear in "Four Days" were undoubtedly
> gathered by Wolper and his team of researchers themselves, since
> several witnesses appear in the film and were (I assume) interviewed
> by the filmmakers about what they knew concerning the events of
> November 22nd, such as cab driver William Whaley.
>
> Whaley was one of the witnesses (along with Buell Wesley Frazier,
> Linnie Mae Randle, and Johnny Brewer) who provided a detailed re-
> enactment of his November 22 movements, taking the Wolper cameras
> along for the ride as he re-created the taxicab drive he and Oswald
> took to Oak Cliff.
>
> As far as I can recall, I think there is only one factual error in the
> movie (and even this error isn't a major one), and that's when
> narrator Richard Basehart says that Lee Oswald exited his roominghouse
> at 1026 North Beckley Avenue wearing "a different, lighter jacket",
> which implies, of course, that Oswald entered the roominghouse wearing
> a jacket.
>
> According to housekeeper Earlene Roberts, however, Oswald was in his
> shirt sleeves and was not wearing any jacket at all when he rushed
> into his rented room on 11/22/63.
>
Maybe they meant a different jacket than the one he wore to work, which
he had left in the TSBD.
Jean Davison
"David Von Pein" <davev...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:99cc9046-4c3b-452e...@e20g2000vbn.googlegroups.com...
>
>
> http://EducationForum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16928&st=0&p=211695&#entry211695
>
>
> I recently decided to spruce up some of my blogs on the Internet, and
> one of them that received an overhaul is my "Four Days In November"
> website/blog, at:
>
> http://Four-Days-In-November.blogspot.com
Thanks for posting that, David. The recreations by the actual
witnesses shouldn't be missed. We get to see the inside of the Paine garage
and Oswald's room on Beckley, and get to ride to work with Frazier, among
other goodies. I especially love hearing Linnie Mae describe the package
she saw Oswald carrying as "approximately two-and-a-half feet long"
(10:45 into part 2):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTKrJHYrl3M&feature=BF&list=PLBAA9EF6D0CF44BC0&index=2
Good job, David.
Jean
David Von Pein
>>> "Well, I am curious about a couple of things and hope that you have studied this enough to know the answers. First there seems to be something wrong with my video player because I could only hear TWO shots. Was one of the shots lost in the music perhaps? Or did Wolper really think there were only TWO shots?" <<<
There are three shots on the "Four Days In November" soundtrack, Tony.
The camera freezes on Mary Moorman's photo for a few seconds after we
hear the first gunshot, and then the second shot can be heard right
after they unfreeze the Moorman Polaroid. And then there's a third
shot heard.
But, yes, you're right, Tony--the second of the three shots is almost
lost in the background music.
>>> "How does Wolper explain or diagram the SBT, which you guys can't live without?" <<<
There's nothing in the film about the SBT at all. And there doesn't
need to be that kind of detail in a documentary of this sort, Tony.
Executive Producer David L. Wolper knew there were only three shots
fired, with all of those shots coming from the exact same gun. So,
what difference does it really make if the SBT is true or not (from
Wolper's movie-making perspective, that is, which is a perspective in
which the filmmaker has to squeeze a whole lot of stuff inside a 122-
minute framework)?
>>> "Do you know exactly when the narrative was written and when it was filmed?" <<<
No, I don't. But it was certainly written and filmed well before
October 7, 1964, which is when the movie made its premiere in New York
City.
>>> "You show the crosshairs on Kennedy's back above his shoulders and to the left of his spine. Is that what you mean by accuracy? And there is no Connally in front of him so how is that supposed to convince us that one bullet went through both men?" <<<
As I said -- who cares? Wolper knows that Oswald's gun did ALL of the
shooting. The rest is fodder for the buffs. And it has been for
decades.
>>> "Maybe when he was writing it he didn't even know about the Specter SBT and only had the FBI version of three shots, three hits. So if you think this film is the most accurate then you believe in the FBI version of three shots, three hits with no SBT." <<<
~sigh~
When I said that David Wolper's movie was the most accurate film/
documentary ever made about the assassination (and it definitely is,
IMO), I was referring to the MAJOR, BIG-TICKET stuff, e.g.:
1.) Oswald shot Kennedy (alone).
2.) Oswald shot Tippit (alone).
3.) Three shots were fired at JFK.
4.) All three shots fired at JFK came from Oswald's Mannlicher-
Carcano.
5.) Jack Ruby was not part of a conspiracy to rub out Oswald.
6.) Oswald got on McWatters' bus just after the assassination.
7.) Oswald got into Whaley's cab after getting off the bus.
8.) Oswald took a long brown bag into the TSBD on 11/22/63.
Things like that.
>>> "Every fact?" <<<
The movie gets every big-ticket fact correct, yes. See my list above.
>>> "Maybe they meant a different jacket than the one he wore to work, which he had left in the TSBD." <<<
I doubt that.
http://Four-Days-In-November.blogspot.com
http://DVP-Potpourri.blogspot.com/2010/01/four-days-in-november.html
Anthony Marsh
>
>>>> "Well, I am curious about a couple of things and hope that you have
studied this enough to know the answers. First there seems to be something
wrong with my video player because I could only hear TWO shots. Was one of
the shots lost in the music perhaps? Or did Wolper really think there were
only TWO shots?"<<<
>
>
> There are three shots on the "Four Days In November" soundtrack, Tony.
> The camera freezes on Mary Moorman's photo for a few seconds after we
> hear the first gunshot, and then the second shot can be heard right
> after they unfreeze the Moorman Polaroid. And then there's a third
> shot heard.
>
> But, yes, you're right, Tony--the second of the three shots is almost
> lost in the background music.
>
So you've found the lost shot.
Then you can tell me the timing of the shots. Do you have a program which
can extract the audio and then plot that on a graph? Can you then mark
each shot and measure how many seconds between each? Is it 0.0 4.0 8.0?
>>>> "How does Wolper explain or diagram the SBT, which you guys can't
live without?"<<<
>
> There's nothing in the film about the SBT at all. And there doesn't
> need to be that kind of detail in a documentary of this sort, Tony.
>
Yet you said it was 100% accurate. So that means you don't believe in
the SBT.
> Executive Producer David L. Wolper knew there were only three shots
> fired, with all of those shots coming from the exact same gun. So,
Well, we assume with his government connections that he already had the
FBI report, which stated three shots, three hits. My question is whether
he even suspected that the WC was proposing a SBT at the time he wrote it.
> what difference does it really make if the SBT is true or not (from
> Wolper's movie-making perspective, that is, which is a perspective in
> which the filmmaker has to squeeze a whole lot of stuff inside a 122-
> minute framework)?
>
It makes a big difference because you said his film was 100% accurate.
If that were true then there was no SBT. It's refreshing to see you
backtrack and admit that the SBT is not necessary. Specter thought it
was necessary to avoid finding conspiracy.
>>>> "Do you know exactly when the narrative was written and when it was
filmed?"<<<
>
> No, I don't. But it was certainly written and filmed well before
> October 7, 1964, which is when the movie made its premiere in New York
> City.
>
Duh! IN other words you have not thoroughly researched it, yet vouch for
its 100% accuracy.
>>>> "You show the crosshairs on Kennedy's back above his shoulders and to
the left of his spine. Is that what you mean by accuracy? And there is no
Connally in front of him so how is that supposed to convince us that one
bullet went through both men?"<<<
>
> As I said -- who cares? Wolper knows that Oswald's gun did ALL of the
> shooting. The rest is fodder for the buffs. And it has been for
> decades.
>
But you said it was 100% accurate. That means that you think the bullet
hit above Kennedy's shoulders and to the left of his spine.
>>>> "Maybe when he was writing it he didn't even know about the Specter
SBT and only had the FBI version of three shots, three hits. So if you
think this film is the most accurate then you believe in the FBI version
of three shots, three hits with no SBT."<<<
>
> ~sigh~
>
> When I said that David Wolper's movie was the most accurate film/
> documentary ever made about the assassination (and it definitely is,
> IMO), I was referring to the MAJOR, BIG-TICKET stuff, e.g.:
>
Well, maybe you only meant HOLLYWOOD movie, not including documentaries.
> 1.) Oswald shot Kennedy (alone).
>
> 2.) Oswald shot Tippit (alone).
>
> 3.) Three shots were fired at JFK.
>
> 4.) All three shots fired at JFK came from Oswald's Mannlicher-
> Carcano.
>
> 5.) Jack Ruby was not part of a conspiracy to rub out Oswald.
>
> 6.) Oswald got on McWatters' bus just after the assassination.
>
> 7.) Oswald got into Whaley's cab after getting off the bus.
>
> 8.) Oswald took a long brown bag into the TSBD on 11/22/63.
>
> Things like that.
>
>>>> "Every fact?"<<<
>
> The movie gets every big-ticket fact correct, yes. See my list above.
>
>>>> "Maybe they meant a different jacket than the one he wore to work,
which he had left in the TSBD."<<<
>
> I doubt that.
>
Why must you always assume they made some mistake when you detect what
you think is a discrepancy? Maybe the mistake is YOURS.
> http://Four-Days-In-November.blogspot.com
>
> http://DVP-Potpourri.blogspot.com/2010/01/four-days-in-november.html
>
Anthony Marsh
>
> "David Von Pein" <davev...@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:99cc9046-4c3b-452e...@e20g2000vbn.googlegroups.com...
>>
>>
>> http://EducationForum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16928&st=0&p=211695&#entry211695
>>
>>
>>
>> I recently decided to spruce up some of my blogs on the Internet, and
>> one of them that received an overhaul is my "Four Days In November"
>> website/blog, at:
>>
>> http://Four-Days-In-November.blogspot.com
>
> Thanks for posting that, David. The recreations by the actual
> witnesses shouldn't be missed. We get to see the inside of the Paine garage
> and Oswald's room on Beckley, and get to ride to work with Frazier, among
> other goodies. I especially love hearing Linnie Mae describe the package
> she saw Oswald carrying as "approximately two-and-a-half feet long"
> (10:45 into part 2):
>
So that means that you think the package was really 2-1/2 feet long
simply because one witness said so? Is that how you evaluate evidence?
Obviously 2-1/2 feet long is not long enough to conceal Oswald's rifle,
so you think it didn't contain Oswald's rifle.
David Von Pein
>>> "Then you can tell me the timing of the shots. Do you have a program which can extract the audio and then plot that on a graph? Can you then mark each shot and measure how many seconds between each? Is it 0.0 4.0 8.0?" <<<
You're being extremely silly, Anthony. David Wolper wasn't concerned
with filming the EXACT TIMING of the three shots in exactly an 8.4-
second or 5.6-second (or whatever) timeframe.
The scene which depicts the shooting (via the amateur films and
Moorman's photo) was filmed to merely demonstrate the BASIC fact of
"three shots" being fired from the TSBD. Nothing more, nothing less.
You're requiring too much of Wolper. And you're being silly about
something that you already know the answer to (as usual).
>>> "Duh! In other words[,] you have not thoroughly researched it, yet vouch for its 100% accuracy. .... But you said it was 100% accurate. That means that you think the bullet hit above Kennedy's shoulders and to the left of his spine." <<<
You're getting sillier by the minute, Tony.
I'll repeat some of the things I said in an earlier post:
"Executive Producer David L. Wolper knew there were only three
shots fired, with all of those shots coming from the exact same gun.
So, what difference does it really make if the SBT is true or not
(from Wolper's movie-making perspective, that is, which is a
perspective in which the filmmaker has to squeeze a whole lot of stuff
inside a 122-minute framework)? ....
"Wolper knows that Oswald's gun did ALL of the shooting. The
rest is fodder for the buffs. And it has been for decades. ....
"When I said that David Wolper's movie was the most accurate
film/documentary ever made about the assassination (and it definitely
is, IMO), I was referring to the MAJOR, BIG-TICKET stuff." -- DVP;
11/14/2010
Anthony Marsh
>
>>>> "Then you can tell me the timing of the shots. Do you have a program
which can extract the audio and then plot that on a graph? Can you then
mark each shot and measure how many seconds between each? Is it 0.0 4.0
8.0?"<<<
>
> You're being extremely silly, Anthony. David Wolper wasn't concerned
> with filming the EXACT TIMING of the three shots in exactly an 8.4-
> second or 5.6-second (or whatever) timeframe.
>
So in other words you can't answer the question.
And you give in and admit that the movie is not accurate. It's not a
documentary, it's only a Hollywood movie.
> The scene which depicts the shooting (via the amateur films and
> Moorman's photo) was filmed to merely demonstrate the BASIC fact of
> "three shots" being fired from the TSBD. Nothing more, nothing less.
No, it was only for dramatic effect. That's why the music was so loud.
> You're requiring too much of Wolper. And you're being silly about
> something that you already know the answer to (as usual).
>
Jeez, did I tell you exactly what the spacing was? I asked if YOU could
figure it out.
>
>>>> "Duh! In other words[,] you have not thoroughly researched it, yet
vouch for its 100% accuracy. .... But you said it was 100% accurate. That
means that you think the bullet hit above Kennedy's shoulders and to the
left of his spine."<<<
>
> You're getting sillier by the minute, Tony.
>
You just can't take criticism.
Bud
> On 11/14/2010 1:00 PM,JeanDavisonwrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > "David Von Pein" <davevonp...@aol.com> wrote in message
> >news:99cc9046-4c3b-452e...@e20g2000vbn.googlegroups.com...
>
> >>http://EducationForum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16928&st=0&p=21...
>
> >> I recently decided to spruce up some of my blogs on the Internet, and
> >> one of them that received an overhaul is my "Four Days In November"
> >> website/blog, at:
>
> >>http://Four-Days-In-November.blogspot.com
>
> > Thanks for posting that, David. The recreations by the actual
> > witnesses shouldn't be missed. We get to see the inside of the Paine garage
> > and Oswald's room on Beckley, and get to ride to work with Frazier, among
> > other goodies. I especially love hearing Linnie Mae describe the package
> > she saw Oswald carrying as "approximately two-and-a-half feet long"
> > (10:45 into part 2):
>
> So that means that you think the package was really 2-1/2 feet long
> simply because one witness said so?
Strawman alert.
> Is that how you evaluate evidence?
Is this how you evaluate what people say?
> Obviously 2-1/2 feet long is not long enough to conceal Oswald's rifle,
> so you think it didn't contain Oswald's rifle.
Pay attention, Jean didn`t say anything about a rifle, stop making
things up.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTKrJHYrl3M&feature=BF&list=PLBAA9EF6D...
>
> > Good job, David.
> >Jean