“Don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot” -Alan Jay Lerner.
Camelot the musical was based on the 1958 novel “The Once and Future King” by T.H. White (oddly same initials as T.H. White the journalist) about the legend of King Arthur.[1] It first premiered in 1960 just one month after JFK’s presidency began. The play symbolized an idealistic land ruled by a just king which aligned perfectly with the Kennedys who already resembled American royalty.[2] On November 29, 1963 just one week after his assassination, Jackie linked the brief, beautiful moment of Camelot to the brief, hopeful moment of JFK’s presidency. The infamous line “don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot,” would forever be linked to the Kennedys. In the film Larraín uses Portman’s shaken, weary voice to recall the nights her and Jack listened to Camelot. While she is still speaking the camera cuts to a ball at the white house where Jackie, Jack and Bobby are seen laughing and dancing. It’s effective at making the audience see this beautiful family and these powerful lyrics be humbled by the tone of Portman’s voice.
[1] “Jackie Started The Legend of JFK ‘Camelot,’” Wall Street Journal, November 23, 2013, sec. Life and Style, https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304791704579212040151427918.html.
[2] “Kennedys’ Camelot,” accessed November 11, 2020, https://advance-lexis-com.umw.idm.oclc.org/document/?pdmfid=1516831&crid=28bcf581-d1b8-48a7-8c9b-b0cf9c23f415&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fnews%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A5MRJ-4B51-JB5M-W55T-00000-00&pdcontentcomponentid=365197&pdteaserkey=sr0&pditab=allpods&ecomp=fzx2k&earg=sr0&prid=b361c723-015f-4355-a387-9bc3167b6dee.
Sources:
“Archives.” “For President Kennedy: An Epilogue,” by Theodore H. White, Life, 6 December 1963 | JFK Library, December 6, 1963. https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/THWPP/059/THWPP-059-009.
“Kennedys’ Camelot.” Accessed November 11, 2020. https://advance-lexis-com.umw.idm.oclc.org/document/?pdmfid=1516831&crid=28bcf581-d1b8-48a7-8c9b-b0cf9c23f415&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fnews%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A5MRJ-4B51-JB5M-W55T-00000-00&pdcontentcomponentid=365197&pdteaserkey=sr0&pditab=allpods&ecomp=fzx2k&earg=sr0&prid=b361c723-015f-4355-a387-9bc3167b6dee.
“Jackie Started The Legend of JFK ‘Camelot.’” Wall Street Journal, November 23, 2013, sec. Life and Style. https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304791704579212040151427918.html.
There Will Never Be Another Camelot. Jackie, n.d. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd0PZ6DRSz8.
