AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Kirandeep Yoder The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

utgard14 Fictionalized historic soaper about Andrew Jackson's friendship and protection of a young woman named Peggy O'Neal. Lionel Barrymore plays Jackson and Joan Crawford plays Peggy. The rest of the cast is pretty impressive. Melvyn Douglas, James Stewart, Robert Taylor, Franchot Tone, Beulah Bondi, and Louis Calhern....not a bad lineup. Too bad the movie is boring. Andrew Jackson's wife dies and asks Peggy to look out for him. Thus she becomes the unofficial First Lady, despite not being married to or even romantically involved with the President. Peggy has a somewhat scandalous reputation of her own, which reminds Jackson of his wife, who suffered at the hands of Washington gossips. Worth seeing for Lionel Barrymore alone. But the rest of the cast being what it is warrants you check it out.

MartinHafer This is a pretty boring film. Sorry--it just is. The true story goes like this: Andrew Jackson married a woman who was not divorced from her first husband (oops). The press later find out about this and hound him during his presidential campaign against John Quincy Adams. When Jackson does finally win (on the 2nd try), his wife soon dies. Jackson blamed the press for her early death. Then, once he was President, one of his cabinet members married a divorcée. The wives of the other cabinet members and Vice President openly snub her because she is a "hussy" since she is divorced. This hits close to home for Jackson, as it reminds him of the problem with his own wife, and he stands firm for this woman's honor--even when it means getting rid of the VP and cabinet. This is all true. However, the script is pretty lifeless and saccharine. And, since I summed up the story so quickly, why don't you save yourself some time and just see another, better film.

theowinthrop If you recall Charleton Heston's first film about Andrew Jackson, THE PRESIDENT'S LADY, Jackson married Rachel Robarts (Susan Hayward) thinking she was divorced from Lewis Robarts. But the divorce was not completed. They had to remarry - unfortunately the scandal of a brief period of adulterous life together never was forgotten by Jackson's enemies. THE PRESIDENT'S LADY shows how Rachel's great love for Andrew took him to the White House in 1829, but that the scandalous political campaign against Jackson at her expense killed her. This apparently is true, and Jackson (a man who hated powerfully) never forgave his enemies for killing Rachel.THE GORGIOUS HUSSEY touches this tragedy. Beulah Bondi is Rachel, and Lionel Barrymore Andrew, and Beulah dies early in the film, just as Andrew becomes President. She has a friend here, Peggy O'Neal (Joan Crawford)who tries to confront the widowed President. She's popular, having at least four beaux: Lt. Timberlake, a naval officer (Robert Taylor - in a very brief early part); Senator John Randolph (Melvyn Douglas), a distinguished spokesman for southern states rights; John Eaton (Franchot Tone), Jackson's Secretary of War; and James Stewart. She rejects Randolph's offer of marriage (he's too old for her), and marries Taylor - but there is some question about the legality of the marriage (we see them accidentally lose the marriage certificate). Taylor dies while at sea. Tone marries Crawford, and due to her "loose" behavior it causes a massive cabinet crisis that splits the U.S. government. But Jackson stands by Peggy O'Neal Timberlake Eaton, and remakes the cabinet and his government to mirror his view of democracy.This film has a lot going for it and a lot going against it: It is a juicy, crazy scandal that makes an interesting tale - and it is true. But the script is full of errors - I will leave it to others to comment on the main one concerning one of the main characters in the film. All the performers play their parts well, from Crawford and her beaus to Bondi and Barrymore, Sidney Blackmer (as Daniel Webster) and Louis Calhern as a fictional villain. Some of the dialogue is ridiculous: the decision by Jackson to demolish Nicholas Biddle's Second Bank of the United States is consolidated to one line (but it was an issue that lasted six or seven years!). One hopes another attempt is made at telling the story of Peggy Eaton - one that is not so full of errors, and explains how petticoat politics got out of control in the early 1830s.

moeoc68 This entertaining story is definitely worth the cost of rental. It is available in most video stores. It follows an Inn keepers daughter (Joan Crawford at her loveliest) through two marriages and a lasting friendship with Andrew Jackson. Although her particular character is fictitious, the rest of the story line is fairly historically accurate, especially the portrayal of the close campaign Jackson ran, due to the opposition of his wife Rachel.