American Experience: Jesse Owens

Good but not Great
It was enjoyable to watch. You don't expect tons of detail in 52 minutes however many documentaries manage to include more depth and heart than this one does. It is good, but not gripping and given the subject matter I believe it had the potential to be great.

American Experience: Jesse Owens
Enjoyed seeing this great athlete. The history of the Nazi behavior at the time was a reminder of their inhuman behavior. I was thrilled to see Louis Zamperini and hear his input!

What a Missed Opportunity !!
I saw this new American Experience episode on TV last night and was extremely disappointed. I hardly know where to begin my critique. That a program about Jesse Owens, and all the immense drama of his life and the era he lived in, can be made into a boring hour long program, is really quite an achievement. If you have ever seen veteran sports film maker Bud Greenspan's little known 'Jesse Owens Returns to Berlin' ( part of his Olympiad Series from the 1960's) then you know what a disappointment this new program is. While this American Experience program is without soul and drama, Greenspan's program bursts at the seams with emotion and searing dramatic intensity. At only 46 minutes in length ( vs the 60 minutes of this new program) it not only has Owens providing the narration and on camera presence (which cannot be held against PBS since Owens died decades ago), but also covers his triumphant return to the Berlin Olympic stadium in the 1950's where he was lionized by a packed...

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