Power (1986)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writer:

David Himmelstein (written by)

Release Date:

31 January 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

More seductive than sex... More addictive than any drug... More precious than gold. And one man can get it for you. For a price.

Plot:

Pete St. John is a powerful and successful political consultant, with clients spread around the country...

Plot Keywords:

Political | Senator | Power | Corruption

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Richard Gere	...	Pete St. John
Julie Christie	...	Ellen Freeman
Gene Hackman	...	Wilfred Buckley
Kate Capshaw	...	Sydnet Betterman
Denzel Washington	...	Arnold Billing
E.G. Marshall	...	Senator Sam Hastings, Ohio
Beatrice Straight	...	Claire Hastings
Fritz Weaver	...	Wallace Furman, New Mexico Gubernatorial Candidate
Michael Learned	...	Governor Andrea Stannard, Washington
J.T. Walsh	...	Jerome Cade, Ohio Senatorial Candidate
E. Katherine Kerr	...	Irene Furman
Polly Rowles	...	Lucille DeWitt
Matt Salinger	...	Phillip Aarons, Independent Ohio Senatorial Candidate
Tom Mardirosian	...	Sheikh
Omar Torres	...	Roberto Cepeda, Presidential Candidate

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Armonk, New York, USA

Company:

Lorimar Productions

Trivia:

Writer David Himmelstein said that one day, he saw a row of television monitors playing political commercials for different candidates. He said the spots all looked the same to him, so he did research to find out why and what he discovered he put into the script.

Movie Connections:

References Duel (1971) (TV)

Soundtrack:

THE STARS & STRIPES FOREVER

See "The Candidate"

Everyone involved (and the audience) should seek out "The Candidate" to see how good this movie could have been. What happened the South American story? What were Julie Christie and Kate Capshaw thinking to allow their roles to be cardboard cut-outs. Up to now I have liked every Gene Hackman performance and/or movie. He was either disinterested (which I can hardly believe) or dreadfully miscast. I have also liked and defended Richard Gere (and been vilified for it). But here he had no "power". He was never intimidating and only occasionally persuasive. All in all I was very disappointed. I really expected much more from this director and cast. If you can't find "The Candidate" watch "Wag the dog" again or even "Bulworth".