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IMDbPro

The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover

  • 19771977
  • PGPG
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
754
YOUR RATING
The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
BiographyDrama
The story of the late J. Edgar Hoover, who was head of the FBI from 1924-1972. The film follows Hoover from his racket-busting days through his reign under eight U.S. presidents.The story of the late J. Edgar Hoover, who was head of the FBI from 1924-1972. The film follows Hoover from his racket-busting days through his reign under eight U.S. presidents.The story of the late J. Edgar Hoover, who was head of the FBI from 1924-1972. The film follows Hoover from his racket-busting days through his reign under eight U.S. presidents.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
754
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Larry Cohen
  • Writer
    • Larry Cohen
  • Stars
    • Broderick Crawford
    • James Wainwright
    • Michael Parks
  • Director
    • Larry Cohen
  • Writer
    • Larry Cohen
  • Stars
    • Broderick Crawford
    • James Wainwright
    • Michael Parks
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos11

    The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
    The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
    Hanns Manship in The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
    The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
    Broderick Crawford in The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
    Broderick Crawford in The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
    The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
    The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
    The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
    The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Broderick Crawford
    Broderick Crawford
    • J. Edgar Hoover
    James Wainwright
    James Wainwright
    • Young Hoover
    Michael Parks
    Michael Parks
    • Robert F. Kennedy
    José Ferrer
    José Ferrer
    • Lionel McCoy
    Celeste Holm
    Celeste Holm
    • Florence Hollister
    Rip Torn
    Rip Torn
    • Dwight Webb
    Dan Dailey
    Dan Dailey
    • Clyde Tolson
    Ronee Blakley
    Ronee Blakley
    • Carrie DeWitt
    • (as Roneé Blakley)
    Howard Da Silva
    Howard Da Silva
    • Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt
    John Marley
    John Marley
    • Dave Hindley
    Michael Sacks
    Michael Sacks
    • Melvin Purvis
    Raymond St. Jacques
    Raymond St. Jacques
    • Martin Luther King
    June Havoc
    June Havoc
    • Hoover's Mother
    Lloyd Nolan
    Lloyd Nolan
    • Attorney General Harlan Stone
    Andrew Duggan
    Andrew Duggan
    • Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson
    Jack Cassidy
    Jack Cassidy
    • Damon Runyon
    George Plimpton
    George Plimpton
    • Quentin Reynolds
    Lloyd Gough
    Lloyd Gough
    • Walter Winchell
    • Director
      • Larry Cohen
    • Writer
      • Larry Cohen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Larry Cohen wanted to film at various authentic locations but was repeatedly turned down for permission. However, when First Lady Betty Ford - a former dancer - found out that Dan Dailey was in Washington to make a film, she invited him and Broderick Crawford to the White House for lunch, as she had always liked Dailey's films and work. Larry Cohen then started calling locations such as the FBI's training facility in Quantico, Virginia, and said that he wanted to film there but couldn't do so the next day because the cast was having lunch at the White House. Every location, likely supposing that the film had official backing, soon made themselves available.
    • Goofs
      Only three agents fired at John Dillinger, not the six as depicted in this film, and they only fired a total of six shots.
    • Quotes

      Lionel McCoy: [sarcastically] Give my regards to the Wizard of Oz!

    • Connections
      Featured in The Untold History of the United States: Chapter 7: Johnson, Nixon & Vietnam: Reversal of Fortune (2012)

    User reviews19

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Nest of Snakes
    In the period of 1924 to 1972, J. Edgar Hoover was not only the powerful director of FBI, but also a very arrogant, corrupt and manipulative man, full of obsessions and paranoia. 'The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover' shows along 112 minutes running time, parts of the personal and political life of this American personality. There is lots of insinuation that J. Edgar Hoover was homosexual, but anyway the movie shows a very complex and destructive man, who destroyed many lives and having many politics in his pocket. The movie summarizes too much the period of forty-eight years that J. Edgar Hoover was ahead of FBI and is afraid of taking position about his homosexuality, but anyway is a good movie. My vote is seven.

    Title (Brazil): 'FBI – Arquivo Secreto' ('FBI – Secret File")
    helpful•14
    6
    • claudio_carvalho
    • Oct 5, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 1977 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ich bin der Boss - Skandal beim FBI
    • Filming locations
      • Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
    • Production companies
      • American International Pictures (AIP)
      • Larco Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $3,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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