Don't know whether it's because we're coming off an historic election year, but on the basis of reader queries, "Frost/Nixon," Ron Howard's Oscar-nominated adaptation of Peter Morgan's stage hit, is certainly arousing and/or restimulating interest in America's 37th president, himself the subject of several fascinating films. Call the phenomenon Thaw/Nixon.
One friend of Flickgrrl says seeing Howard's film starring the formidable Frank Langella as the disgraced chief exec, the only POTUS to resign while in office, motivated him to rent the 1977 David Frost interviews with Nixon, available on DVD., which serves as the basis of the movie. Said friend enthusiastically recommends the experience, both for its intrinsic historical appeal and as a means of seeing how dramatists reshaped the material for the stage and film production.
Readers not yet born when Nixon left the White House in 1974 have asked about other film Nixonia. Whatever you may think of him as a man and president, he certainly inspired a fascinating body of films and compelling performances from the actors who portrayed his hubristic, Shakespearean story.
Robert Altman's "Secret Honor" (1984), with the ferocious Philip Baker Hall essaying Nixon in attack-dog mode, is a film most likely to entertain those on the president's infamous "Enemies List." Oliver Stone's expressionistic "Nixon" (1995), is the most comprehensive, featuring a performance by Anthony Hopkins that elicited sympathy even from those unsympathetic to the man. Andrew Fleming's charming comedy "Dick" (1999) is "Clueless" goes to the White House, where two teenagers (Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams) stumble into the Watergate affair in their encounters with Pres. Nixon, deftly played by Dan Hedaya. Of all the screen Nixons, Langella's wily turn in "Frost/Nixon" felt most like a reincarnation. I don't think the Oscar-nominated Langella (who, incredibly, has never before been nominated) stands a chance against Sean Penn or Mickey Rourke, but I would be happy to see him pull an upset.
Have I missed a Nixon? Your preferred performance?
Dear Carrie, On the little screen, Rip Torn played Nixon in "Final Days" and I thought he was quite good. ( P.S. Not only has Frank Langella played Nixon, he played "Bob Alexander" in "Dave" (which was obviously based on Nixon's chief of staff, H.R. "Bob" Haldeman).— jonc- My favorite is Dan Hedaya, by a mile. He perfectly conveyed what I always found the single most defining trait of Nixon - a man who is totally, helplessly uncomfortable inside his own skin. On the small screen, I like Jason Robards' Richard Monckton in the mini-series version of John Ehrlichman's thinly veiled Watergate book, "Washington: Behind Closed Doors." Robards did a great job of conveying Nixon's tightly coiled, snarling rage that always seemed to be about a millimeter beneath the surface of his public face.— wwolfe
- Thanks Jonc and Wwolfe for reminding me. Totally forgot that Langella had played a Haldeman-like figure in "Dave."— carrierickey
Thanks, wwolfe, I forgot all about "Richard Monckton". I saw Langella in "Frost/Nixon" on Broadway, but haven't seen the movie yet. I think the hallmark of doing anything great is making it look easy, and Langella made it look easy. Try it yourself, doing Nixon, in front of a mirror, without looking ridiculous. Langella pulled it off flawlessly.
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