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Warm Springs

Play trailer Poster for Warm Springs TV-PG 2005 1h 57m Drama Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 1 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
After polio threatens his political career in the early 1920s, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Kenneth Branagh) desperately searches for a cure to his newly acquired disease, hoping to regain the use of his legs. He learns of a promising spa in Warm Springs, Ga., and travels there, only to find it dilapidated. Determined to overcome polio, Roosevelt invests in the spa's revitalization and sets about recovering, aided by the support of his wife (Cynthia Nixon) and physical therapist (Kathy Bates).

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Warm Springs

Critics Reviews

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Tom Shales Washington Post Funny thing: Even if Branagh never "becomes" FDR in the fullest and most satisfying sense, his performance takes hold of your imagination and makes the misgivings almost irrelevant. Oct 26, 2017 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ken R Warm Springs – A Modern Classic I did not rush to see this surprisingly good production but wish I had. Gifted to me, it stood on the shelf for over a year but can safely say that as TV movies go, this is definitely up there with the greats. The entire cast seems to have been born for the roles of their characters - making this a perfect example of casting excellence. Kenneth Branagh makes the best screen F.D. Roosevelt I've so far seen, and this script gives a clear insight into his overcoming physical adversity, his deep commitment to the poor, the afflicted, and dedication to his African American staff members. Cynthia Nixon matches him all the way as Eleanor. There are so many unique character performances to be seen here it would take paragraphs to do them justice – Tim Blake Nelson as Tom the Warm Springs manager, David Paymer's Louis Howe his political supporter, and Kathy Bates as the physiotherapist are three of many. Joseph Sargent's direction (Taking of Pelham 123 '74) is exemplary and fully deserved the praise given to him and to this fabulous production. Margaret Nagle's (The Good Lie '14) superbly written story maintains its integrity and power, keeping the viewer constantly involved. Robbie Greenberg's strong cinematography coupled with prolific composer Bruce Broughton's lush score, completes the professionalism found throughout this constantly compelling drama. This is well above average TV and the WB DVD release offers perfect quality. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/26/21 Full Review steve d Powerful story well told with some fantastic performances. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review candice e Fascinating story of Franklin D. Roosevelt and his struggles with polio behind the scenes. Definitely worth watching. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Truly inspirational. I didn't cry when Ol' Yeller died but I sure did watching this great movie!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Strong performances and quite an intense story of the pre-presidential years that, according to this, were formative for Roosevelt's political agenda. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member This movie was movingy well written and well acted. Kenneth Branagh's performance was especially poignant in his portayal of FDR during his most difficult and vulnerable moments. Cynthia Nixon was surprisingly good in the role of Eleanor. I loved the period setting and character actors, which added to the movie's quality. I highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in an entertaining depiction of a lesser known moment American history. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Warm Springs

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis After polio threatens his political career in the early 1920s, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Kenneth Branagh) desperately searches for a cure to his newly acquired disease, hoping to regain the use of his legs. He learns of a promising spa in Warm Springs, Ga., and travels there, only to find it dilapidated. Determined to overcome polio, Roosevelt invests in the spa's revitalization and sets about recovering, aided by the support of his wife (Cynthia Nixon) and physical therapist (Kathy Bates).
Director
Joseph Sargent
Producer
Chrisann Verges
Screenwriter
Margaret Nagle
Production Co
HBO Films, The Mark Gordon Company, Mark Gordon Productions
Rating
TV-PG
Genre
Drama, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 22, 2016
Runtime
1h 57m
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