Primary

Not quite as compelling as what I hoped for, but a groundbreaking documentary film that does give you a brief look inside the campaign trail circa 1960.

Unique in the matter of its early existence in the documentary genre. Following the battle in the primary president campaign Kennedy vs Humphrey. Viewed a neutral and totally realistic approach just following the two contenders in their meetings with people in the Wisconsin state. Really no interference or political agenda from its creator.

Interesting, but not well made. It was merely filming and putting it up on the screen. The narrative was minimal.

A stunning document of the Democratic primary race between JFK and Hubert Humphrey. Some things never change. However, the art of mud slinging has certainly evolved since then. This documentary is groundbreaking in displaying some of the earliest close tracking of political candidates. The film cemented the genesis of this style of video journalism, which we see more than ever today as it has evolved into "reality television".

Historical film from a cinematic perspective. The Maysles Brothers charted new territory with this film. A behind the scenes access direct cinema approach had never been seen before this film. Essential viewing for any aspiring filmmaker. 5 stars!

awesome doc and the start of whats become called 'fly on the wall' photography

great doc following John Kennedy & Hubert Humphrey campaign around Wisconsin for the Democratic nomination. Amazing access and behind the scenes looks at a monumental time. And personally they are traveling areas that I know well or have lived in. A must watch

A fascinating look at Presidential history-in-the-making, featuring some pretty remarkable footage, and there's a "peering behind the curtain" quality to this documentary that is refreshingly honest, and something I daresay we could never see in our current, tightly-controlled style of campaigning. More for political junkies than for anybody else, but if you've got a taste for this sort of thing, it's quite revealing.

Il est intéressant de voir comment une campagne politique se mène dans les coulisses, d'autant plus qu'en 50 ans pas grand chose n'a changé. Le regard a posteriori du spectateur, sachant la victoire destinée à Kennedy, n'interfère en rien dans l'intérêt du film, cette volonté de dévoiler l'intime des politiques à tout à chacun. Et de mettre en avant les limites du cinéma-direct : devant une caméra, un personnage se met fondamentalement en scène, même sans intervention des cinéastes. Pour la curiosité et pour l'importance historique dans le genre documentaire, Primary mérite d'être vu, mais au-delà de ça il reste un documentaire qui a passablement vieilli et n'est guère passionnant.

An invaluable historical document, it's effectively beyond criticism.