Dallas housewife Lurene Hallett's life revolves around the doings of Jacqueline Kennedy. She is devastated when President Kennedy is shot a few hours after she sees him arrive in Dallas. Despite her husband Ray's prohibition, she decides to attend the funeral in Washington, D.C. Forced to travel by bus, she befriends Jonell, the young black daughter of Paul Couter. Sensing something wrong, her good intentioned interference leads the mixed race threesome on an increasingly difficult journey to Washington with both the police and Ray looking for them.
Michelle Pfeiffer
Lurene Hallett
Dennis Haysbert
Paul Cater
Stephanie McFadden
Jonell
Brian Kerwin
Ray Hallett
Louise Latham
Mrs. Enright
Peggy Rea
Mrs. Heisenbuttel
Beth Grant
Hazel
Johnny Ray McGhee
Mechanic
Cooper Huckabee
Deputy Swinson
Troy Evans
Lt. Galvan
Mark Jeffrey Miller
Trooper Exley
Pearl Jones
Mrs. Baker
Janell McLeod
Station Cashier
Bob Minor
Barricade Policeman
Rhoda Griffis
Jacqueline Kennedy
Bob Gill
President Kennedy
Shelley Reid
Secret Service Agent
Michael Milgrom
T.V. Director
Chestley Price
Porter
Nick Searcy
FBI Man
Jack Ruby
Self (archive footage)
Burr DeBenning
Announcer (voice)
Director
Jonathan Kaplan
Writer
Don Roos
February 5, 2025
6
I know this is all set around the assassination of President Kennedy, but every time I saw Michelle Pfeiffer here I just thought of Marilyn Monroe! Anyway, she’s the contentedly married “Lurene” who tells husband “Ray” (Brian Kerwin) that she’s a mind to attend the President’s funeral. “Yeah, right”, thinks he and goes to bed. She, on the other hand, is quite serious so shoves some stuff in a suitcase and gets the Greyhound bus towards DC. It’s quite a schlep from their Dallas home, but on the bus she befriends - whether he likes it or not - “Paul” (Dennis Haysbert) and his shy young daughter “Jonell” (Stephanie McFadden). She quite quickly senses that all isn’t quite right here, but given they are African Americans there are additional concerns she ought to be wary of before she goes an-interfering. She’s a good-natured soul, though, and soon we learn a little of what’s going on just as things start to come to an head that has them holing up trying to avoid the police and her pursuing husband! The confined space of the bus helps this a little and Pfeiffer delivers quite engagingly, but there’s a real paucity of story. It plays to the prejudices of the time, especially those exacerbated by the murder of JFK that caused heightened tensions, but unlike the bus, it doesn’t really go anywhere. There’s a light humour amidst the rather wordy dialogue and the young McFadden acquits herself quite well, but Haysbert adds little with a role that could have been more potently presented. It all somewhat disappointingly peters out, I’m afraid.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00