The American President (1995)

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writer (WGA):

Aaron Sorkin (written by)

Release Date:

17 November 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Why can't the most powerful man in the world have the one thing he wants most?

Plot:

Comedy-drama about a widowed US president and a lobbyist who fall in love. It's all aboveboard, but "politics is perception" and sparks fly anyway.

Plot Keywords:

Senator | Lobbyist | U.S. President | Love | Politics

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Michael Douglas	...	President Andrew Shepherd
Annette Bening	...	Sydney Ellen Wade
Martin Sheen	...	A.J. MacInerney
Michael J. Fox	...	Lewis Rothschild
Anna Deavere Smith	...	Robin McCall
Samantha Mathis	...	Janie Basdin
Shawna Waldron	...	Lucy Shepherd
David Paymer	...	Leon Kodak
Anne Haney	...	Mrs. Chapil
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Senator Bob Rumson
Nina Siemaszko	...	Beth Wade
Wendie Malick	...	Susan Sloan
Beau Billingslea	...	Agent Cooper
Gail Strickland	...	Esther MacInerney
Joshua Malina	...	David
Clement von Franckenstein	...	President René Jean D'Astier
Efrat Lavie	...	Madame Monique Danielle D'Astier
John Mahoney	...	Leo Solomon
Taylor Nichols	...	Stu
John Mahon	...	Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
Tom Dahlgren	...	Defense Secretary
Ralph Meyering Jr.	...	General
Kurt Boesen	...	Security Advisor
Joseph Latimore	...	Secret Service Agent
Darryl Alan Reed	...	Secret Service Agent
Andrew Steel	...	Secret Service Agent
Jordan Lund	...	Carl
Richard McGonagle	...	Rumson Staffer
Frank Cavestani	...	Rumson Staffer
Richard Stahl	...	Rumson Staffer
Alice Kushida	...	Carol
Renee Faia	...	Lisa
Beans Morocco	...	Doorkeeper
Kathryn Ish	...	Education Secretary
Kamilah Martin	...	Flower Girl
Augie Blunt	...	Groundskeeper
Thom Barry	...	Guard
Steve Gonzales	...	Housing & Urban Development Secretary
Gabriel Jarret	...	Jeff
Karen Maruyama	...	Leo's Secretary
Nancy Kandal	...	Leslie
George Murdock	...	Congressman
Bernie McInerney	...	Congressman Millman
Jack Gilroy	...	Congressman Pennybaker
Matthew Saks	...	Congressional Staffer
Googy Gress	...	Gil
Ron Canada	...	Lloyd, Reporter
Brian Pietro	...	Reporter
Rick Garcia	...	Reporter
Aaron Sorkin	...	Aide in Bar
Kymberly Newberry	...	Sally
Greg Poland	...	Mark
Jennifer Crystal Foley	...	Maria, White House Staffer (as Jennifer Crystal)
Arthur Senzy	...	Deputy
Nick Toth	...	White House Aide
Jorge Noa	...	White House Aide
Maud Winchester	...	White House Aide
Jeffrey Anderson	...	TV News Anchor
Suzanne Michaels	...	TV News Anchor
Mark Thompson	...	Kenneth Michaels
David Drew Gallagher	...	New Guy
Todd Odom	...	Secret Service Agent
Michael G. Alexander	...	Color Guard Officer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leslie Bega	...	Laura Staf
Anthony Backman	...	Senator from Arizona (uncredited)
Arthur Eckdahl	...	TV Anchor (uncredited)
Jill Gable	...	Lobbyist (uncredited)
Matthew James Gulbranson	...	White House Military Aide (uncredited)
Mark Norris	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Roger Steffens	...	Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Helen Thomas	...	Herself (uncredited)
Ray Uhler	...	Senator (uncredited)

Directed by
Rob Reiner

Writing credits (WGA)
Aaron Sorkin		(written by)

Produced by
Barbara Maltby	....	associate producer
Charles Newirth	....	executive producer
Rob Reiner	....	producer
Jeffrey Stott	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marc Shaiman

Cinematography by
John Seale		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Leighton

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
Lilly Kilvert

Art Direction by
John Warnke

Set Decoration by
Karen O'Hara

Costume Design by
Gloria Gresham

Makeup Department
Janice Alexander	....	hair stylist
Enzo Angileri	....	hair stylist: Ms. Bening
Lydia Bensimmon	....	hair stylist: Washington D.C. unit (as Lydia Bensimmon-Benaim)
Kathryn Blondell	....	key hair stylist
Hallie D'Amore	....	makeup artist
Tom Lucas	....	makeup artist: Mr. Douglas
Carol Meikle	....	hair stylist: Mr. Douglas
Valli O'Reilly	....	makeup artist: Ms. Bening
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	key makeup artist
Carrie Angland	....	makeup artist: Ms.Bening, Washington D.C. (uncredited)

Production Management
Alan Edward Bell	....	post-production supervisor
Allegra Clegg	....	production supervisor
Charles Newirth	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Capra III	....	first assistant director
William M. Connor	....	second second assistant director (as Bill Connor)
Cherylanne Martin	....	second assistant director
Alison C. Rosa	....	second second assistant director: Washington
Laura Sylvester	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Carl Aldana	....	production illustrator
Laurie Arnow-Epstein	....	set estimator
Robert A. Blackburn	....	general foreman
Tristan Paris Bourne	....	on-set dresser
Lloyd A. Buswell	....	construction welding foreman
Dennis Butterworth	....	greensman
Frank Capello	....	construction foreman
Patrick Cassidy	....	set dresser
Chuck Eskridge	....	stand-by painter
Andrea Mae Fenton	....	set dressing buyer
Elizabeth Flaherty	....	art department coordinator
Amanda J. Flick	....	set painter
Trish Gallaher Glenn	....	property master (as Trish Galaher Glenn)
Bryan D. Garofalo	....	assistant property master
Jess Gonchor	....	construction foreman
Joann Hicks	....	assistant property master
John Holcombe	....	construction foreman
Heidi Kashyap	....	art department coordinator
Alan S. Kaye	....	set designer
Jonas Kirk	....	construction foreman
Sharon Lipton	....	floral designer
Kathy Lucas	....	set dresser (as Katherine Lucas)
James E. Marchwick	....	set dresser
Michael Molen	....	construction foreman
Louis Montejano	....	set designer
Nick Navarro	....	set designer
Christopher S. Nushawg	....	assistant art director
Thomas J. O'Brien	....	paint foreman
Eric Orbom	....	set designer
Tommy Samona	....	set dresser
Quentin Schierenberg	....	set dresser
Hal Schlax	....	construction foreman
Kenneth Turek	....	lead man
Robb W. Ward	....	construction coordinator: Washington D.C.
Butch West	....	construction coordinator
Elizabeth M. Burhop	....	art department researcher (uncredited)
Travis Huffman	....	propmaker (uncredited)
William H. Phen Jr.	....	propmaker foreman (uncredited)
Randal Woodward	....	paint gang boss (uncredited)

Sound Department
George Baetz	....	boom operator
John Banuelos	....	sound engineer
Beth Bergeron	....	adr editor
John Brilhante	....	sound recordist
Louis Counte	....	adr recordist
John T. Cucci	....	foley artist
Michael Dressel	....	sound editor
Kim Drummond	....	assistant sound editor (as Kim Haves)
Robert Eber	....	sound mixer
Ryan Eldred	....	apprentice sound editor
Alison Fisher	....	dialogue editor
Leigh French	....	adr voiceover coordinator
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Jeff Gomillion	....	adr mixer
Robert Grieve	....	supervising sound editor
Kimberly Harris	....	supervising adr editor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist
Tim Song Jones	....	sound transferer
Gregory King	....	supervising sound effects
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rob Knokes	....	sound effects editor
Mark Lanza	....	sound editor
John Murray	....	foley editor
Rob Nokes	....	sound effects editor
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Parsons	....	assistant sound editor
Dan Sharp	....	sound recordist
Joel Shryack	....	first assistant sound editor
Ed Simon	....	foley recordist
Roger V. Stevenson	....	boom operator
Daniel Yale	....	sound editor
James Dehr	....	sound mixer: second unit (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Hans Metz	....	special effects foreman
Clay Pinney	....	special effects supervisor
Martin Simon	....	special effects
Douglas Retzler	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Okan Ataman	....	sabre technical assistant
Kathleen Beeler	....	computer graphics artist
Andrea Biklian	....	optical line-up
Patricia Blau	....	effects senior management
Bob Brophy	....	CG systems engineer
Ronn Brown	....	assistant matte artist
Anne Calanchini	....	visual effects coordinator
Eric Chauvin	....	digital matte painter
Caitlin Content	....	sabre digital compositor
Betsy Cox	....	computer graphics artist
Gail Currey	....	CG production manager
Debbie Denise	....	visual effects producer
John Ellis	....	digital operations manager: ILM
Bart Giovanetti	....	computer graphics supervisor
Grant Guenin	....	sabre technical assistant
Mark Holmes	....	sabre digital compositor
Nancy Luckoff	....	CG systems coordinator
Jeff Mann	....	effects senior management
Michael McGovern	....	visual effects editor
Dan McNamara	....	Sabre systems supervisor
Jim Morris	....	senior effects manager
Patrick T. Myers	....	computer graphics artist (as Pat Myers)
Jason Ortenberg	....	sabre digital compositor
Joshua Pines	....	scanning supervisor (as Josh Pines)
Ken Ralston	....	visual effects supervisor
Durant Schoon	....	CG technical assistant
Duncan Sutherland	....	camera engineer
Yusei Uesugi	....	digital matte painter
Lisa Van Cott	....	scanning coordinator
Lisa Vaughn	....	sabre coordinator
Bruce Vecchitto	....	optical supervisor
Matt Wallin	....	computer graphics assistant
John Whisnant	....	scanner operator
Tom Williams	....	effects senior management
Kevin Willmering	....	computer graphics artist: ILM
Rebecca Ramsey	....	title producer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Agalsoff Jr.	....	video assist operator
Ismael Araujo Jr.	....	grip
James Babineaux	....	best boy electric
Hans Bjerno	....	camera operator: Wescam, Washington D.C.
Branch M. Brunson	....	rigging best boy
Clyde E. Bryan	....	assistant camera: VistaVision
Kat Bueno	....	grip
J. Patrick Daily	....	key grip
Nancy Diambekov	....	grip
Peter Drinco	....	grip
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
Jack English	....	gaffer
Erik A. Erichsen	....	rigging best boy
Rachel A. Flores	....	grip
Juan M. García	....	rigging best boy
John Gazdik	....	assistant camera: VistaVision
Scott Graves	....	dimmer board operator
Scott Graves	....	electrician
Gene Hara	....	electrician
M. Todd Henry	....	camera operator
Kent H. Jorgensen	....	dolly grip
Robert Glenn Ketchum	....	photographer: landscape photographs
Trevor Loomis	....	second assistant camera
Christopher Lyons	....	electrician
Bruce MacCallum	....	camera operator: Washington D.C.
Rick Maddux	....	electrician
Michael Maguire	....	rigging grip
J. Steven Matzinger	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Charlie McIntyre	....	rigging gaffer (as Charles McIntyre III)
Nicola Pecorini	....	Steadicam operator
Calmar Roberts	....	first assistant camera
Rodney Sandoval	....	camera loader
George Schaafsma	....	camera technician: Wescam, Washington D.C.
Gihan 'Sandy' Seneviratne	....	electrician
Chris Silano	....	first assistant camera: Washington D.C.
Dean Striepeke	....	24 frame video operator
Stephen Thorp	....	electrician
Pat Turner	....	camera operator: VistaVision
Greg Wardell	....	electrician
Tom West	....	best boy grip
Eric Whitehead	....	grip
George M. Chappell	....	electrician (uncredited)
Chris Funk	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Jason Gary	....	grip (uncredited)
Jesse Mather	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Jim McConocha	....	electrician (uncredited)
Kevin McNeil	....	grip (uncredited)
Marty Miller	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Juan Morse	....	electrician (uncredited)
David Norris	....	camera technician: Wescam camera (uncredited)
Rick Strodel	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Karen Church	....	casting assistant
Helen Mayer	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Fran Allgood	....	costumer: Mr. Douglas
Betty Birkowski	....	costumer: Washington D.C. unit
Elizabeth Clark	....	costumer
Rudolph Garcia	....	costumer
Adrienne Manhan	....	costumer
Jennifer Morrison	....	costumer: Ms. Bening
Chuck Velasco	....	costume supervisor
Diana Wilson	....	costumer
Pamela Wise	....	costume supervisor
Bridgitte Ferry	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Alan Edward Bell	....	associate editor
Karen Dimmig	....	assistant editor
Albert Farrar	....	assistant editor
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer (as Dale Grahn)
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Doug Jones	....	negative cutter
Danny Miller	....	assistant editor (as Dan Miller)

Music Department
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Terry Brown	....	assistant music engineer
Lane Burch	....	assistant music engineer
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Greg Dennen	....	assistant music engineer
Mark Eshelman	....	assistant music engineer
Arlene Fishbach	....	music supervisor
Mark Herman	....	assistant music editor
Artie Kane	....	conductor
Jo Ann Kane	....	music preparation
Dennis S. Sands	....	score mixer
Marc Shaiman	....	music producer
Scott Stambler	....	supervising music editor
Bill Talbott	....	assistant music engineer (as Bill Talbot)
Fred Vogler	....	assistant music engineer
Larry Blank	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)
Nick Vidar	....	music programmer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Charles Conn	....	driver
Thomas P. Donovan	....	driver (as Tom Donovan)
Joe Dugan	....	driver
Sean Dugen	....	driver
Glen Enzen	....	driver
Ronnie D. Huffey	....	driver
Howard Jackson	....	driver
Joe Jaramillo	....	driver
Morgan Jones	....	driver
Darwin Joston	....	driver
Steve Mann	....	transportation captain
Tim C. McHenry	....	driver
Dennis McLaughlin	....	driver
Patrick A. McLaughlin	....	driver
Edward A. Powell	....	driver
Tim Roslan	....	transportation coordinator
Craig Scott	....	driver
Timothy Sheehan	....	driver (as Tim Sheehan)
Howard Taft	....	driver
Robert Vincent	....	driver
Eddie Lee Voelker	....	transportation coordinator: Washington D.C.

Other crew
Emidio Antonio	....	stand-in
Stephanie Antosca	....	assistant location manager: Washington D.C.
Lori Arnold	....	production assistant
Tim Atzinger	....	production assistant
Catherine Balsam-Schwaber	....	consultant: White House
Jennifer Bell	....	production assistant
Robert Bennett	....	stand-in
Kristin Bernstein	....	production assistant (as Kristin Cameron)
Jan Bickler	....	post-production accountant
Andrea Bronzo	....	plate photography coordinator
Jonathan Capra	....	production assistant
Gerrard Coffey	....	accounting clerk
Kyle Cooper	....	title designer
Tracey Costello	....	stand-in
Charles Croughwell	....	stand-in: Mr. Fox
Jeff Dash	....	assistant accountant
Richard Davis Jr.	....	location manager
Dan Dobson	....	24 frame computer display operator
Pam Ellington	....	production accountant
Michael Everett	....	24 frame computer display operator
Leslie Feibelman	....	accounting clerk
Veronica Ferran	....	stand-in
Laurie G. Firestone	....	state dinner consultant
Paige Fischer	....	assistant: Mr. Reiner
Jay Gianukos	....	production assistant
Jamie Gordon	....	assistant: Mr. Newirth
Richard Grant	....	click meister
Sam Haggin	....	stand-in
Craig Hosking	....	helicopter pilot: Washington D.C.
Debra James	....	production coordinator
Pam Jones	....	assistant: Mr. Reiner
Michael Kaufman	....	projectionist
Shelley Kirkwood	....	unit publicist
Rob Klein	....	production assistant
David R. Lawson	....	first aid
Steven D. Levine	....	assistant location manager
Stacy Mar	....	production assistant
Dan March	....	video coordinator
Gail Martin-Sheridan	....	production accountant
Dakotah Masset	....	stand-in
Dylan K. Massin	....	production assistant
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor
Jamie Midgley	....	assistant: Mr. Douglas
Ellen Moore	....	assistant: Ms. Bening
Bettina Tendler O'Mara	....	product promotions coordinator
Anthony D. Parrillo	....	production assistant
Patty Presock	....	consultant: White House
Peggy Pridemore	....	location manager: Washington D.C.
Catherine Rae Purves	....	assistant: Mr. Stott
Willie Radcliff	....	craft service
Anne Rapp	....	script supervisor: Washington D.C.
Margaret L. Schlaifer	....	teacher
Douglas V.R. Shellow	....	production assistant
Alison Sherman	....	production coordinator: Washington D.C.
Robert R. Snow	....	secret service consultant
Paul Taglianetti	....	24 frame computer display operator
Paul Taglianetti	....	video image supervisor
Tom Tierney	....	24 frame computer display operator
Philip Wood	....	travel services
Frank D. Woodward	....	caterer
Laurie Arnow-Epstein	....	construction accountant (uncredited)
Paul LaZebnik	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Bill McCamey	....	location nurse (uncredited)
Bruce Wright	....	display graphics (uncredited)

Thanks
Lou Butera	....	special thanks
Charles Corrado	....	special thanks
Robin Dickey	....	special thanks
Chad Griffin	....	special thanks
Nancy LaLuntas	....	special thanks (as Major Nancy Laluntas)
Steve Schweitzer	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (present)
• Castle Rock Entertainment (present)
• Wildwood Enterprises (producer)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (1995-1999) (USA) (all media)
• Universal Pictures (1995-) (non-USA) (all media)
• Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) (1996) (USA) (all media)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (1999-) (USA) (all media)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1995) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1996) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1999) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Encore Avenue (2009) (Canada) (TV)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1997) (Greece) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (UK)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Argentina)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (1996) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
• Lebensfeld Productions

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Clarence House  fabrics
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Direct Travel of California  travel services
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation (as JoAnn Kane)
• MCA Soundtracks  soundtrack
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• R/Greenberg Associates (West)  main titles
• Signet Soundelux Studios  music remixing (as Signet Sound Studios)
• Sony Pictures Studios  lighting and grip equipment
• Sony Pictures Studios  music scoring and re-recording
• Tomkats Catering  catering
• Video Image  video and computer playback
• Woodmere China Inc.  presidential china

Also Known As:

"Perfect Couple" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some strong language

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | DTS-Stereo | Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Germany:6 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #33993) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | Canada:PG (TV rating) | Australia:PG (TV rating) | France:U

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The Oval Office set was originally constructed for Dave (1993) and subsequently used for "The West Wing" (1999). Anna Deavere Smith has appeared in all 3 productions.

Goofs:

Continuity: The phone cord is under/over the President's arm.

Quotes:

President Andrew Shepherd:Douglas, does the NRA have video tapes of you playing golf with Satan?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Scene Smoking: Cigarettes, Cinema & the Myth of Cool (2001)

Soundtrack:

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 MVT 1

Romantic, amusing, inspiring portrait of President's fish bowl life

This is a great feel good movie about a charismatic, essentially very decent, fictional U.S. President, played by Michael Douglas in an extremely likable role. It's a political story as well as a love story. Douglas is both commanding & assured in his presidential role and charming & endearing in his romantic role. If anyone has not yet seen this movie, you'll discover you're in for an unexpected treat. There's something here for everyone...romance, comedy, politics, and drama.

Andrew Shepherd is a youngish, popular President soon up for re election. Pressure is being put to bear on him to consolidate his administration's high poll ratings by pushing through a moderate crime bill which totally lacks Republican party support, yet is considered too weak by the Democrats. Meanwhile he finds himself attracted to Sydney Wade, an environmental lobbyist who is seeking legislation to reduce carbon monoxide emissions. Shepherd has been widowed for three years, and currently needs an escort for a State Dinner in honour of the President of France. He invites Sydney to this function and during this & subsequent encounters, the pair fall in love. Trouble ensues when Shepherd is torn between the politically expedient crime bill and the environmental legislation he has promised his new love interest.

In terms of romance, there is the ongoing love story between the widowed President and the young lobbyist, Sydney, charmingly played by Annette Benning. This lovely and intelligent lady is quite smitten but at first obviously a bit overwhelmed by it all, feeling awkward and uncertain as the President's date. Sydney looks absolutely radiant at the state ball as she is swept off her feet by this handsome leader of the free world. Their chemistry proves to be electric, the dialogue clever, and the potential sexual situations quite tasteful by modern standards. Naturally the course of true love never does run smooth so it goes without saying that additionally, this unusual fishbowl courtship would have some unique problems as politics and public opinion intrude upon the couple's personal life.

A certain built in comedy natural for a dating President makes this romance all the more enchanting. For instance, when Andrew attempts to buy his sweetheart some roses, can't you just imagine the national crisis that all but ensues? Despite his position as Head of State, Andrew likes to do his courting the old fashioned, personal way. During his initial phone call to Sydney, she believes he's one of her friends pulling a prank, which of course results in some hilarity.

Naturally this tale is ripe with politics, and some reviewers even claim that the film is something of a precursor to TV's West Wing. Shepherd faces the dilemma of being forced to choose between the crime bill that his party is after him to push, versus Sydney's particular environmental cause. Not only party politics, but there is waning public support to consider. Needless to say, the President has no lack of advisers around who are more than eager to state their views, giving at times unsolicited advice. Martin Sheen plays his Chief of Staff and Michael J. Fox is cast as his Domestic Policy adviser. Shepherd must also contend with mud slinging by a nasty, unscrupulous rival Senator (portrayed by Richard Dreyfuss), who calls into question both Shepherd's family values and his girlfriend's activist past. By the way, any liberal political bias presented in this movie proved totally inoffensive to me. I definitely didn't sense that the producers had a nefarious grand agenda here.

Drama wise, there's a touching, close relationship depicted between the President and his charming young teenage daughter, Lucy, and a definite sense of his loneliness following the death of his wife from cancer. Also, Shepherd is confronted with the choice of keeping his promise to Sydney versus salvaging his political career. His Oval Office moral dilemmas are not only relevant to the Presidency but can be extrapolated to any person in any career.

This film delivers a powerful message about both personal and presidential integrity. At one point there's a moving speech that is inspiring for anyone, but may give American viewers in particular cause for reflection about the real significance of their country's Presidency and the qualities they might want to look for in the person elected to that office. Personally, I was practically ready to start flying the Stars and Stripes and I'm not even American! Whatever the nation involved, pity we don't have more Andrew Shepherds in political life today.