New doc recalls Kennedys' immigrant roots

NEW YORK, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Writer-director Robert Kline says he wanted his new documentary "The Kennedys: America's Emerald Kings" to focus on the political family's immigrant roots.

Kline told UPI in a recent phone interview he was more interested in chronicling the Kennedy clan's origins in Ireland, their eventual rise to power as one of the world's best-known political dynasties and their contributions to the world, than he was in re-examining the scandals frequently associated with the family.

"I have been asked, 'Did you tell the whole story?' And I look at the questioner when it's in a Q&A with the audience and I'll say, 'I don't do tabloid documentaries.' They mean was I going to do the private lives," said Kline. "I say I don't think that's relevant to the historical journey of an immigrant family that I wanted to tell."

Based on Thomas Maier's celebrated book of the same title, documentary was released on DVD this month.

Saturday was the 45th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas.

"The first vote I ever did in my life was for John Kennedy in 1960," Kline recalled. "And when I walked out of the booth I had tears in my eyes, not only because it was my first vote, but I thought I was voting for somebody who represented my generation."

Kline said he was pleased his film was released so shortly after Barack Obama was elected president because he sees parallels between the two men's stories, noting African-American Obama, like Catholic JFK before him, is young, has broken prejudicial barriers, represents a new voice and offers a sense of hope to the country.