Watch Oliver Stone Untold history

professor of history and director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University. He is co-author of the 10-part series, The Untold History of the United States.

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Three-time Academy Award-winning director, producer and screenwriter Oliver Stone joins us for the hour to discuss the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, which was chronicled in his blockbuster film, "JFK." A Vietnam War veteran, Stone has made around two dozen acclaimed Hollywood films, including "Platoon, " "Salvador, " "Born on the Fourth of July, " "Nixon, " "South of the Border" and "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps." A commemorative edition of "JFK" comes out next week. Most recently, Stone has co-written the 10-part Showtime series, "Oliver Stone’s Untold History of the United States, " and companion book with the same name, co-written by Peter Kuznick, professor of history and director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University.

TRANSCRIPT

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: This month marks the 50th anniversary of an assassination that continues to haunt the nation. On November 22nd, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was hardly past his first thousand days in office when he was fatally shot as his motorcade passed through Dallas, Texas. His death is marked by still unanswered questions. We’ll look back at Kennedy’s life and legacy with our guest for the hour, acclaimed film director Oliver Stone. His 1991 political thriller, JFK, examined the events leading to Kennedy’s assassination and the alleged subsequent cover-up through the eyes of former New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, played by Kevin Costner. This is the trailer of the film JFK.

NARRATOR: A shocking assassination of a president.

JIM GARRISON: [played by Kevin Costner] John F. Kennedy’s murder was probably one of the most terrible moments in the history of our country.

NARRATOR: The outrageous murder of a suspect.

JACK RUBY: [played by Brian Doyle-Murray] Oswald!

REPORTER: Oswald’s been shot!

NARRATOR: The total obsession of a district attorney.

JIM GARRISON: Who killed the president?

DAVID FERRIE: [played by Joe Pesci] Oh, man!

JACK MARTIN: [played by Jack Lemmon] Do I have to spell it out for you, Mr. Garrison?

NARRATOR: Who will risk everything.

LIZ GARRISON: [played by Sissy Spacek] I think you care more about John Kennedy than your own family.

NARRATOR: To find the truth.

X: [played by Donald Sutherland] Why was Kennedy killed?

DAVID FERRIE: There’s a death warrant out for me, you know?

X: Who benefited?

DEAN ANDREWS: [played by John Candy] The government’s going to jump all over your head, Jimbo.

X: Who has the power to cover it up?

NARRATOR: Who killed JFK?

JIM GARRISON: Now we’re through the looking glass here, people.

WILLIE O’KEEFE: [played by Kevin Bacon] People got to know.

JIM GARRISON: Y’all got to start thinking on a different level, like the CIA does.

WILLIE O’KEEFE: People got to know why he was killed.

JIM GARRISON: The truth is the most important value we have.

LIZ GARRISON: I just want to raise our children and live a normal life. I want my life back!

NARRATOR: Kevin Costner.

JIM GARRISON: Nothing is going to keep me from going ahead with my investigation of John Kennedy’s murder.