Advise & Consent (1962)

Director:

Otto Preminger

Writers:

Allen Drury (novel)
Wendell Mayes (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 June 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Are the men and women of Washington really like this?

Plot:

Senate investigation into the President's newly nominated Secretary of State, gives light to a secret from the past, which may not only ruin the candidate, but the President's character as well.

Plot Keywords:

Senate | Blackmail | Ampersand In Title | Homosexuality | Pulitzer Prize Source

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	Robert A. Leffingwell
Charles Laughton	...	Senator Seabright 'Seab' Cooley
Don Murray	...	Senator Brigham Anderson
Walter Pidgeon	...	Senate Majority Leader Bob Munson
Peter Lawford	...	Senator Lafe Smith
Gene Tierney	...	Dolly Harrison
Franchot Tone	...	The President
Lew Ayres	...	Vice President Harley Hudson
Burgess Meredith	...	Herbert Gelman
Eddie Hodges	...	Johnny Leffingwell
Paul Ford	...	Senator Stanley Danta
George Grizzard	...	Senator Fred Van Ackerman
Inga Swenson	...	Ellen Anderson
Frank Sinatra	...	Himself - on Recording at Gay Bar (voice) (archive sound)
Edward Andrews	...	Senator Orrin Knox

Runtime:

139 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:PG (TV rating) | UK:U (original rating) | West Germany:12 (f) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | Australia:M | USA:Approved (PCA #20078)

Filming Locations:

Caucus Room, United States Capitol - 545 Seventh Street SE, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company:

Otto Preminger Films

Trivia:

The blackmail attempt is based on the case of Wyoming Senator Lester C. Hunt, who was blackmailed by members of the Republican Party. Hunt was told by Sen. Styles Bridges that if he ran for re-election that November, the details of his son's arrest (for soliciting prostitution from a male undercover officer) would end up "in every mailbox in Wyoming". Hunt eventually agreed to step down, but eleven days later committed suicide in the Capitol.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Until his elevation to the Presidency, Vice President Hudson is not shown traveling with Secret Service protection. Since 1954, such protection was provided unless specifically declined. Also highly unlikely that a sitting Veep would be traveling alone on public conveyances such as commercial airliners and taxicabs, as shown in the movie.

Quotes:

Fred Van Ackerman: What I did was for the good of the country.
Bob Munson: Fortunately our country always manages to survive patriots like you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Congress (1988) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Song from Advise and Consent

Otto's Washington

I've been told that Otto Preminger believed in discipline through voltage. He was a shouter. He was good with actors but had a reputation as a mean, cruel director of actresses. In his films there is a hidden streak of sadistic paranoia disguised in a costume of courage and all American social consciousness. With the passing of time the coat of courage appears fake and induced rather than deserved. The social consciousness seems mere opportunism. The only thing that survives with flying colors is the sadistic paranoia. Not in a fun, witty and cinematic way but as a plodding, old pastiche with the one redeeming feature: the quality of his actors and actresses. Dorothy Dandridge, Jean Simmons, Patricia Neal, Gene Tirney, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Charles Laughton, Paul Newman, Brandon de Wilde. In "Advise and Consent" the spectacular cast makes this confused political thriller slash soap opera slash full of sadistic paranoia disguised as social consciousness, almost bearable. Every scene with Charles Laughton is enormously fun to watch. Henry Fonda, of course, totally believable. I suggest to watch it with your thumb ready on the fast forward button. Stay with Laughton and Fonda, look at Don Murray and say hello to Gene Tirney. All in all you could see the best of the film in about 15 minutes. Goodness I can hear Otto ranting and raving. I say, let him.