CriticSociety- film reviews

Review

Nixon

Director

Oliver Stone

Year

1995

Rating

Reviewed by

Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho

Review date

Monday, January 12, 2009

President Richard Nixon is a controversial figure if there ever was one in the history of the United States of America and the perfect example of a man who goes out in shame and sees his whole image retroactively marred for good. Even though he was never the most charismatic or best-loved of all politicians, he struggled and found his way up to the White House and it’s a shame that his merits are hardly remembered.

Oliver Stone’s take on Nixon’s presidency, co-scripted by himself and Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson, is unflattering to say the least, and panned by some for that reason, but it’s truthful at least in one way: there’s so much a man can do to control the fate of a country where so many interests intertwine, sometimes in a completely colliding way. Instead of Nixon, the film should probably be called Nixon’s Presidency, after all, all it does is focus on that and use some of the man’s background as an explanation of his role in that most important of all political posts of the country.

The movie is overlong and quite detailed but not in a way that makes it simpler; it rather assumes the viewer knows and understands every historical detail that surrounded Nixon’s presidency, including the Watergate scandal, and wants only to crave into the unknown and the possibilities and hearsay. Not so. I for one know the story quite well and still had trouble following up. If there’s anything worse than boredom, that’s incomprehension, and I was the victim of that here and there.

What Stone proposes is Nixon was haunted by the ghosts of his mother’s (Mary Steenburgen) religious fervency, his two brothers’ deaths that allowed him to go to Law School, the shadow of Jack Kennedy who once defeated him for the presidency and then went on to die violently becoming a national martyr (and hero), and his overall insecurities that were step by step overpowered by his strength and the support of all those around him: from his loving wife to his faithful aides to his strong supporters.

What Stone adds in an exercise of creative liberty is some of the background: Bob Haldeman (James Woods), the president’s his chief of staff, mocks him every once and again behind his back though he truly supports and helps him in every way he can; J. Edgar Hoover (Bob Hoskins) mercilessly buffaloes Nixon to play ball; powerful businessmen such as the tycoon Jack Jones (Larry Hagman) do more than is apparent to put him in office… for a price; etc. The script shies away, as expected, from actually declaring these things by, let’s say, adding a scene that ties any of these knots. Yet, the suggestion is there for those who will take it. And some are quite willing, while others are indignant.

I was so fascinated by Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of Nixon that I could hardly consider all the controversy though. Not that I minded, anyway, because I know that’s the style of Oliver Stone and I’m way past considering it outrageous. I do suppose that whoever is affected by it, like, let’s say, Nixon’s daughters, who condemned it, I am told, have good reason to be mad. I wouldn’t do much about it though, let Stone say whatever he wants, denouncing the film only gives it publicity, but that’s just me. As I was saying, the casting of Hopkins is gifted; don’t know where that came from. Watching Nixon’s real speeches I realized their voices are rather similar, but still, who thought of that? Someone who completely trusted in Hopkins’ talent, that’s for sure, and of course, the man proved them right: he’s incredible in every mannerism, pause and twitch. He’s Nixon, not Hopkins, all throughout.

As his wife Pat Nixon, Joan Allen also does an unspeakable work. Her character is much more amiable and less compromised with reality (as Pat was not as much of a public figure) but it’s also tremendous in that it holds much of the human load of the story and she does that easily. I could really feel and understand the love between Dick the husband and Pat the wife and it’s in great part because of her.

The cast, as expected, is large and wide. Just to mention a few names, aside from the aforementioned, Ed Harris, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Sorvino, Tony Goldwin, Madeline Kahn and Dan Hedaya show up. The cinematography by Robert Richardson, score by John Williams and editing by Brian Berdan and Hank Corwin are also notable. I guess, somehow, if he had had the opportunity to watch this, Nixon would’ve grinned… and then grimaced.

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