That's Politics

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree.  I hope to hear from all of you.

Now that the elections are over it’s time to decide which movie reflects the election process the best. Hollywood loves politics. It especially loves scandal, corruption and skullduggery. Who wouldn’t? It also loves heroism, pluck and straight shooting.

Having worked for a campaign consultant and run some small campaigns myself, I watch these movies with particular interest.

The following films range from being inspiring to being cynical. But, that’s politics.

The Candidate (1972): Politically naïve Robert Redford is picked as a candidate for U.S. Senate. Could it possibly be because his father (Melvyn Douglas) was governor of California? The opponent seems a shoo-in. With nothing to lose, Redford pursues his own agenda. Then slowly, as Redford gains in the polls, he sells out and becomes a puppet for the campaign consultants. The best line in the movie comes after he wins: “What’ll we do now?”

Bullworth (1998): Warren Beatty is a U.S. Senator who, after years of chicanery, decides to end it all. Implausibly, he hires a hit man to do the job for him. Now that the end is near, he suddenly becomes honest and gains respect. What? Of course he now wants to call off the hit. But can he do so? This is a silly movie.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939): Starry-eyed James Stewart arrives in Washington as a junior senator. Jean Arthur is his savvy secretary. When presented with an issue he cares about, he engages in a filibuster to end all filibusters. Will he be successful? Is this a Hollywood movie? Frank Capra won an Oscar for Best Screenplay.

Last Hurrah (1958): An aging mayor, Spencer Tracy, wants one more term. The city council is opposed to his strong-arm tactics and use of racial hatred. He loses the election and then something even worse. Supposedly based on James Michael Conley of Boston.  John Ford directed.

Advise and Consent (1962): A cast of all stars headed by Henry Fonda work to appoint a Secretary of State—or fight against him. This is a big, sprawling, soap opera of a film. Delicious.

All the King’s Men (1949): Based on the life of Huey Long, this film stars Broderick Crawford, Mercedes McCambridge, and John Ireland. The well-meaning Crawford has risen from country boy to lawyer to governor by championing the under-represented. He enters politics and succumbs to the corruption so rampant in his state. So what’s new? However, the film garnered three Oscars: Best Film, Best supporting Actress, Best Actor.

Primary Colors (1998): John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, and Kathy Bates in a romp based on Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign to be nominated for the presidency. Travolta is great.

Bob Roberts (1992): Written, directed and in the title role, Tim Robbins is brilliant as a folk-singing, right-winging wannabe U.S. Senator. This mocumentary also stars Alan Rickman, Gore Vidal, Jack Black, Helen Hunt, and Susan Sarandon.

All the President’s Men (1976): Humpty-Dumpty Nixon’s downfall was the Watergate Scandal. Two reporters and a deep-throated informer bring this about. This is a great movie beautifully acted by Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards, and Jane Alexander.

Parallax View (1974): Conspiracy theories are often used in political movies. This is one of them. A U.S. Senator is killed, and then the reporters who witnessed the killing are being killed. Enter Warren Beatty who investigates.

Best Man (1964): This is a political satire about campaign tactics that could have been filmed this year. Henry Fonda is pitted against Cliff Robertson. May the best man win.

Charlie Wilson’s War (2007): This film is based on a true story using real names. Tom Hanks plays Charlie Wilson, a womanizing, lightweight congressman from East Texas. That is until he learns of the plight of the people of Soviet-occupied Afghanistan. Using his power and help from a renegade CIA agent (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), he supplies weapons and support.

Born Yesterday (1950): There’s this corrupt tycoon (Broderick Crawford) who has a “dumb” blonde for a girlfriend (Judy Holliday). He’s worried that she will embarrass him while he’s trying to buy a Congressman in Washington. So, he hires a cultured gentleman (hunk William Holden) to teach her to be proper. As you might guess, Crawford gets more than he bargained for when Miss Dumb Blonde turns out to be a lot smarter than he thought. Holliday won the Oscar for Best Actress.

Nixon (1995): Sir Anthony Hopkins (Why do the Brits make the best presidents?), Joan Allen, Ed Harris. Bob Hoskins and Oliver Stone star in this film about the days after Watergate.

Great McGinty (1940): Brian Donlevy makes his living casting votes under fake names. He becomes a puppet mayor, but then his new wife makes him see the error of his ways. He grows a conscience. Could this happen today?

Power (1986): This is a story about a jaded, amoral media consultant played by Richard Gere. His job is to package politicians to make them palatable to the public. Then J.T. Walsh hires him. Julie Christie, Gene Hackman, and Denzel Washington co-star. Not a great movie, but watchable.

Fail-Safe (1964): A computer glitch sends a bomber crew on a suicide mission to Moscow. U.S. President Henry Fonda must stop it. But how? Shades of Dr. Strangelove.

Honorable Mention: Dave, Wag the Dog, The Manchurian Candidate, Dr. Strangelove, Frost/Nixon, Seven Days in May, The Contender