TR's inaugural ceremony, 1905

On Mar. 4, 1905, TR is inaugurated in Washington, D.C. with much celebration and fanfare. TR rides in an open landau on Fifteenth St., NW, escorted by mounted Rough Riders; Secret Service men and detectives walk on either side of the carriage; TR tips his hat to the crowd. Sitting beside him is Sen. John C. Spooner of Wis., Chairman of the joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Opposite, but not clearly visible, are Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge of Mass. and Rep. John Dalzell of Penn., members of the committee. Second sequence consists of long shots of TR taking the oath of office on a platform erected on the east front of the Capitol; Chief Justice Melville Weston Fuller (1888-1910) administers the Presidential oath of office as Chief Clerk of the Supreme Court James H. McKenney holds the Bible. The platform is decorated with plants and garlands and a large banner with the American eagle on it hangs from the center of the railing.

Directed by —, TR's inaugural ceremony, 1905 leans on a strong ensemble — Theodore Roosevelt, John C. Spooner, Henry Cabot Lodge — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 1905.