“That is part of our job, to use our creativity to fill in blanks in the historic record and give people an emotional insight into the characters and the events. If you want just the facts and the chronology, there are much better genres than dramatic film to convey those things.”[1] -Noah Oppenheim, screenwriter.
[1] Ted Johnson and Ted Johnson, “PopPolitics: Noah Oppenheim on the Limits of Dramatic License in ‘Jackie’ (Listen),” Variety (blog), December 19, 2016, https://variety.com/2016/film/news/jackie-noah-oppenheim-1201945020/.
On November 22, 1963 J.F.K. and Jackie were riding in a convertible through Dallas, Texas when he was assassinated. Initially Jackie believed that a motorcycle had backfired however that quickly changed as she realized her husband had been shot.[1] Jackie’s bright pink Chez Ninon suit had become drenched in her husband’s blood but she refused to take it off infamously stating, “let them see what they’ve done.”[2] In the film Jackie the scene of J.F.K.’s death is portrayed in a flashback as Jackie confides in a priest her desire to die and be with her husband. The priest is a figure representative of multiple clergy men Jackie was consoled by. It’s a fascinating scene because we are taken out of the private moment of a woman questioning her faith asking, “was God in the bullet that entered Jack’s head?” to a historic moment of violence and the tragedy that would define the Kennedys. This is the theme of the entire movie, paralleling infamous American historic moments with the intimate, personal emotion of the woman they happened to.
[1] “‘My God, They’ve Killed Jack’ -Jaqueline Kennedy, Friday November 22, 1963,” accessed November 10, 2020, https://advance-lexis-com.umw.idm.oclc.org/document/?pdmfid=1516831&crid=9c432173-2083-4e12-8539-5ee7db97a67f&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fnews%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A3WG1-XGM0-00H1-R36W-00000-00&pdcontentcomponentid=8286&pdteaserkey=sr0&pditab=allpods&ecomp=fzx2k&earg=sr0&prid=78e220d5-9c5d-4853-8e1d-9f6ef24104a1.
[2] “Pinksuit,” April 14, 2011, https://web.archive.org/web/20110414111540/http://www.pinkpillbox.com/pinksuit.htm.
Sources:
Johnson, Ted, and Ted Johnson. “PopPolitics: Noah Oppenheim on the Limits of Dramatic License in ‘Jackie’ (Listen).” Variety (blog), December 19, 2016. https://variety.com/2016/film/news/jackie-noah-oppenheim-1201945020/.
“‘My God, They’ve Killed Jack’ -Jaqueline Kennedy, Friday November 22, 1963.” Accessed November 10, 2020. https://advance-lexis-com.umw.idm.oclc.org/document/?pdmfid=1516831&crid=9c432173-2083-4e12-8539-5ee7db97a67f&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fnews%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A3WG1-XGM0-00H1-R36W-00000-00&pdcontentcomponentid=8286&pdteaserkey=sr0&pditab=allpods&ecomp=fzx2k&earg=sr0&prid=78e220d5-9c5d-4853-8e1d-9f6ef24104a1.
“Pinksuit,” April 14, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110414111540/http://www.pinkpillbox.com/pinksuit.htm.
Press/Popperfoto, Rolls. “President of the United States, John F Kennedy Pictured with His Wife…” Getty Images. Accessed November 11, 2020. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/president-of-the-united-states-john-f-kennedy-pictured-with-news-photo/565099683?adppopup=true.
Rickerby, Art. “Pres. John F. Kennedy & Bouquet-Carrying Wife Jacqueline Kennedy…” Getty Images. Accessed November 10, 2020. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/pres-john-f-kennedy-bouquet-carrying-wife-jacqueline-news-photo/50771497?adppopup=true.
