Rating: 
Summary: Remarkable Film
Review: America's third president composed the Declaration of Independence and puttered as an inventor. He doubled the size of America and lent his support to the French Revolution. The acclaimed director Ken Burns creates an impressive portrait of this most engaging founding father. This is a remarkable film about one of the most controversial figures in American history. Sincerely, Diana J. Dell, author, "Memories Are Like Clouds."
Rating:
Summary: Somewhat Inferior to the Best of Burns - Still Very Good
Review: An excellent and informative overview of Jefferson's life, though occasionally dull and somewhat lacking the power and immediacy of 'The Civil War' and 'Baseball'. Footage is gorgeous, per the usual by the Burns team.Reveals Jefferson as a very complex character who perhaps cannot be fully understood by history (let alone by his peers). Perhaps overly focused on the slavery issue in Jefferson's life, especially towards the end, but perhaps this is fair as the contradictory Jefferson displays both intellectual forwardness and the fixed attitudes of the plantation owner. A small complaint, but Sam Waterston's voice as Jefferson bugs me since I believed he defined himself as Lincoln in 'The Civil War'. He does a solid job, however. Highly recommended documentary on American history.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a Superhero
Review: At thirty-three, he was Virginia's delegate to the Continental Congress and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, penning some of the most memorable words in the American experience, "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal." He was a tireless champion of representative government at a time when the rest of the world was ruled by monarchies. And even though he was shy, soft spoken, and totally lacking in oratorical ability, he would eventually become Governor of Virginia, Ambassador to France, and President of the United States. No one embodied the optimism of the American spirit more; yet he was a slave holder all of his life (even while others in Virginia were setting their own slaves free); and in the only book he ever wrote, he espoused the inferiority of the Negro race, (as if to imply that freedom and equality should apply to everyone but them). Much of the film deals with the political backroom maneuvering of the Electoral College which made him President; his lifelong feuding - and friendship with John Adams; his purchase of the Louisiana Territory; and his brief love affair with a married woman while he was Ambassador to France. During his time away from politics, the biography also highlights Jefferson the scientist, the architect, and the supposed father of numerous mulatto children by his Negro mistress, Sally Hemmings. No one tells American history like Ken Burns. His biographies of Mark Twain and Frank Lloyd Wright, and his accounts of Lewis & Clark are inspirational and uplifting. His remembrances of Thomas Jefferson, however, fall short. Perhaps it's the subject. Mr. Jefferson's life isn't without controversy. Rather than coming across as almost superhuman in his accomplishments as we are hoping, this film makes him appear to be, at best, merely human. True history fans will find this work to be fascinating and thorough. Others will probably discover it to be extremely tiring - as did I.
Rating:
Summary: A good introduction to this vital founding father
Review: Given the amount of bashing Thomas Jefferson has taken it is hard to get people today to understand the extremely high regard in which he was held just a few decades ago. This very interesting program examines Jefferson in a way that clearly communicates his human limitations while still getting across what is so important and special about him. Of course, some of his detractors won't like the praise given here while some of those who revere Mr. Jefferson will find the criticisms at least irritating. However, I believe these battling opinions have led to an even worse condition. Jefferson is too much ignored in our schools. I believe this series can help our children gain additional understanding and appreciation for this vital Founding Father without resorting to worship. It is worth viewing more than once.
Rating:
Summary: A good introduction to this vital founding father
Review: Given the amount of bashing Thomas Jefferson has taken it is hard to get people today to understand the extremely high regard in which he was held just a few decades ago. This very interesting program examines Jefferson in a way that clearly communicates his human limitations while still getting across what is so important and special about him. Of course, some of his detractors won't like the praise given here while some of those who revere Mr. Jefferson will find the criticisms at least irritating. However, I believe these battling opinions have led to an even worse condition. Jefferson is too much ignored in our schools. I believe this series can help our children gain additional understanding and appreciation for this vital Founding Father without resorting to worship. It is worth viewing more than once.
Rating:
Summary: Spellbounding.
Review: I recommend this video for every Thomas Jefferson fan. Only wish there was a Thomas Jefferson, Part Two.
Rating:
Summary: Great Film on the Life of Thomas Jefferson
Review: Ken Burns gives a compelling film on the life of Thomas Jefferson from the accounts of historians to the voice acting of Sam Waterson as Jefferson, to the fine naration by Ossie Davis in this look at our third President and how he remains a very mysterious man in history.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, insightful, and beautifully shot
Review: Ken Burns' has done it again with Thomas Jefferson. This movie is entertaining, historically accurate and extremely insightful, and beautifully shot. The movie brings the person Thomas Jefferson alive through interviews with historians, footage of Monticello, historical documents and draft documents, Revolutionary War era paintings, quotations, etc... The movie is not just historically accurate, but extremely insightful. For example, in one section a historian is analyzing the words of the Declaration of Independance (written by Thomas Jefferson) and drawing the most compelling insights into the man himself...it was so insightful I was taken aback. The movie squarely addresses the contradictions in Jefferson including "...all men are created equal.." with the fact that Jefferson owned slaves. The filming is beautiful, and the music inspiring. I loved this movie. If you enjoy history, documentaries, or biographies you will enjoy this extremely well-done Ken Burns film.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, insightful, and beautifully shot
Review: Ken Burns' has done it again with Thomas Jefferson. This movie is entertaining, historically accurate and extremely insightful, and beautifully shot. The movie brings the person Thomas Jefferson alive through interviews with historians, footage of Monticello, historical documents and draft documents, Revolutionary War era paintings, quotations, etc... The movie is not just historically accurate, but extremely insightful. For example, in one section a historian is analyzing the words of the Declaration of Independance (written by Thomas Jefferson) and drawing the most compelling insights into the man himself...it was so insightful I was taken aback. The movie squarely addresses the contradictions in Jefferson including "...all men are created equal.." with the fact that Jefferson owned slaves. The filming is beautiful, and the music inspiring. I loved this movie. If you enjoy history, documentaries, or biographies you will enjoy this extremely well-done Ken Burns film.
Rating: 
Summary: Great documentary, but the facts are a little hazy
Review: Ken Burns's documentaries are always well put together and very interesting. This one on Jefferson is no exception. The pictures, personal accounts, and music are what make his films so great. In this documentary, Burns takes a look at the life of one of the founding fathers of our nation. As I said, I really enjoyed the style of this documentary, but there are problems as well. Unlike his excellent film on the Civil War, Burns seems here to ignore some basic historical facts. It's almost as if he tries to set up Jefferson as THE founding father instead of A founding father. Credit to Jefferson for drafting the Declaration of Independence is well-deserved, but giving him full credit for the treaty in France (which Franklin, Adams, and Arthur Lee had much more to do with than he did) is stretching it a lot. When speaking of Jefferson's years in France, the film is silent as to the great friendship between he and John Adams. Indeed, Adams is portrayed as the great antagonist, and Burns here calls him a friend and close ally of Alexander Hamilton (also not true). Later, when Adams and Jefferson begin their famous correspondence late in life, you can barely understand why the two men are writing to each other (since it makes only passing mention of their previous close friendship). Ken Burns has given us another good documentary here, but it would have been better, in my opinion, to make this one a little longer to be able to provide a more accurate portrait of Jefferson's life. Instead, many basic historical facts have been ignored, and we are left with a picture of Jefferson that, despite making him seem a great hero of the revolution (which he was), is not accurate.
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