Of the several incredible films screened at the Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmland 2023, “The Lady Bird Diaries” was the biggest surprise. This fabulous groundbreaking documentary from director Dawn Porter offers an eye-opening look at Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency from the perspective of his wife, First Lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson.

Comprised entirely of archival audio recordings and video footage, “The Lady Bird Diaries” gives us an fascinating insider’s look at LBJ’s stressful five years in the White House. The bulk of the film is taken from the 123 hours of audio diaries personally recorded by Lady Bird which she began on November 22nd, 1963, that devastating day when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson was sworn in as his successor.

Throughout the documentary much is uncovered about the often misunderstood First Lady. Recordings that share feelings, frustrations, and personal testimonies show the loyal and supportive side of Lady Bird Johnson. But we also witness her boldness, ambition, and sometimes brutal honesty which reveals a strong-willed woman who wasn’t afraid to share her point of view.

Perhaps most compelling is hearing Lady Bird’s in-the-moment responses to the major historical events of the time. The killing of JFK, the Poverty Bill, Vietnam, the Civil Rights Act, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., tensions with Bobby Kennedy, the nomination of Thurgood Marshall, the clash with Eartha Kitt, just to name a few. To Porter’s credit, she doesn’t try to make statements or offer up critiques. She stays honest to Lady Bird’s viewpoint, regardless of how astute or misguided it may be.

Technically “The Lady Bird Diaries” is an incredible achievement. Simply choosing what to use from 123 hours of audio is a daunting task. But then piecing the excerpts together into something this cohesive is a bigger challenge. Even more impressive is how Porter and her teams match the audio with corresponding archived video and imagery. There’s also a smattering of hand-drawn animations that play during phone calls or other audio recordings. They’re very well done and nonintrusive.

The film will at times use other archived material such as footage of the Vietnam War, clips of LBJ and his cabinet, images from Selma, etc. – all to relay the gravity of these historical moments before looking at them from Lady Bird’s own unique vantage point. It makes for a mostly seamless timeline with the lone exception being a rushed final year with scarcely anything leading up to the election of Richard Nixon.

Overall “The Lady Bird Diaries” offers an unprecedented look into the life of a First Lady who served during some of our nation’s most tempestuous times. The film emphasizes several things we knew about Lady Bird Johnson while opening up another side of her that most will be unfamiliar with. And through it all the film allows Lady Bird to speak for herself. It’s agenda isn’t to promote or critique. It’s to inform and enlighten. And the movie does that very well. “The Lady Bird Diaries” premieres November 13th on Hulu.

VERDICT – 4 STARS