IMDb >
Path to War (2002) (TV)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsPath to War (2002) (TV) More at IMDbPro »
| Photos (see all 7 | slideshow) | Videos |
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
18 May 2002 (USA) moreTagline:
Beyond the battlefields of Vietnam. Inside the halls of power. A different kind of war would decide the fate of a nation. morePlot:
In the mid-1960s, President Johnson and his foreign-policy team debate the decision to withdraw from or escalate the war in Vietnam. full summary | add synopsisPlot Keywords:
moreAwards:
Won Golden Globe. Another 17 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Cable Big Winner at Globes (From Studio Briefing - Film News. 20 January 2003)
Dratch Says Former Friend Elbowed Him Out of Costner Movie
(From Studio Briefing - Film News. 7 January 2003)
User Comments:
Lyndon Johnson: Tragic Figure? moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Michael Gambon | ... | Lyndon Johnson | |
| Donald Sutherland | ... | Clark Clifford | |
| Alec Baldwin | ... | Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense | |
| Bruce McGill | ... | George Ball, Undersecretary of State | |
| James Frain | ... | Richard Goodwin | |
| Felicity Huffman | ... | Lady Bird Johnson | |
| Frederic Forrest | ... | General Earle G. Wheeler | |
| John Aylward | ... | Dean Rusk, Secretary of State | |
| Philip Baker Hall | ... | Everett Dirkson | |
| Tom Skerritt | ... | General William Westmoreland | |
| Diana Scarwid | ... | Marny Clifford | |
| Sarah Paulson | ... | Luci Baines Johnson | |
| Gerry Becker | ... | Walt Rostow | |
| Peter Jacobson | ... | Adam Yarmolinsky | |
| Cliff De Young | ... | McGeorge Bundy, National Security Advisor (as Cliff DeYoung) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
165 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Dolby DigitalFun Stuff
Trivia:
The part of Special Assistant to the President Jack Valenti was played by his son, John Valenti, in the latter's first acting role. Jack Valenti later headed the Motion Picture Association of America for 38 years. moreQuotes:
Lyndon Baines Johnson: Haven't you been paing attention? Hell, they got hundred-year-old women re-supplying them! moreSoundtrack:
Hail to the Chief moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Path to War (2002) (TV) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara | Nixon | Wilson | Why We Fight | Across the Universe |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb USA section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |









Well-made, at times moving HBO dramatization of the goings-on within the White House as the Vietnam War escalated under Lyndon Johnson.
Michael Gambon plays the U.S. president as a sort of tragic figure torn between his passion for "Great Society" social programs and a resiliency to win the war. The Johnson seen in PATH TO WAR is certainly not the war-monger that protesters of his day alleged. He's meticulous and thoughtful, though perhaps too easily persuaded by his advisers, most notably Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (Alec Baldwin in his most memorable performance in a long time) and Clark Clifford (an equally superb Donald Sutherland).
In his final film, director John Frankenheimer could be criticized for being a touch soft on Johnson. But this approach, fair or not, serves the film well, allowing us to more easily empathize with the straight-talking Texan. He had men of very high stature and respect telling him that just one more bombing, just one more plane full of troops, just a few more months and the war would be won. The viewer has the 20/20 hindsight of history, but Frankenheimer was careful to remind us that Johnson did not. This makes for some emotional moments. Scenes of the reluctant war president signing sympathy letters for families of the fallen are quietly moving, as is his trip to meet with the wounded in Vietnam. Just as poignant is the instance of Johnson stomping out of a meeting, instructing a speech writer that because of the war's costs, there could be no mention of his beloved Great Society in the next State of the Union address. It seems all Johnson wanted was a better life for Americans; all he got was a bloody quagmire.
As the film and war rage on, body counts rising, Johnson unravels. Consumed by years of warfare with no end in sight, he becomes tense, bitter and worn down. Whether they like Johnson or not, the viewer feels the weight on his shoulders. Even someone unfamiliar with how this story ends could predict it from watching PATH TO WAR. To conclude the 165-minute running time, Johnson delivers his famous televised address announcing he would not seek re-election. He may have wanted to, yet knew he could not.
PATH TO WAR is a sharp interpretation of a tragically fascinating era. Unlike some other versions of political history (Oliver Stone, anyone?), the film never comes off as mean-spirited, even toward characters who remain infamous. It is a straightforward look at the complexities of the often-muddy waters of war and politics. It is also a quite memorable piece of work.