Nixon (1995)

A biographical story of former U.S. President Richard Milhous Nixon, from his days as a young boy, to his eventual Presidency, which ended in shame.

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers:

Stephen J. Rivele, Christopher Wilkinson

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, Powers Boothe

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Hopkins	...	Richard M. Nixon
Joan Allen	...	Pat Nixon
Powers Boothe	...	Alexander Haig
Ed Harris	...	E. Howard Hunt
Bob Hoskins	...	J. Edgar Hoover
E.G. Marshall	...	John Mitchell
David Paymer	...	Ron Ziegler
David Hyde Pierce	...	John Dean
Paul Sorvino	...	Henry Kissinger
Mary Steenburgen	...	Hannah Nixon
J.T. Walsh	...	John Ehrlichman
James Woods	...	H.R. Haldeman
Brian Bedford	...	Clyde Tolson
Kevin Dunn	...	Charles Colson
Fyvush Finkel	...	Murray Chotiner

Storyline

Director Oliver Stone's exploration of former president Richard Nixon's strict Quaker upbringing, his nascent political strivings in law school, and his strangely self-effacing courtship of his wife, Pat. The contradictions in his character are revealed early, in the vicious campaign against Helen Gahagan Douglas and the oddly masochistic Checkers speech. His defeat at the hands of the hated and envied John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election, followed by the loss of the 1962 California gubernatorial race, seem to signal the end of his career. Yet, although wholly lacking in charisma, Nixon remains a brilliant political operator, seizing the opportunity provided by the backlash against the antiwar movement to take the presidency in 1968. It is only when safely in office, running far ahead in the polls for the 1972 presidential election, that his growing paranoia comes to full flower, triggering the Watergate scandal.

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Plot Keywords:

surname as title | u.s. history | bedroom | black and white scene | father son relationship | 

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Taglines:

"The President can bomb anybody he likes..."

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Oliver Stone Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Mandarin Russian

Release Date:

5 January 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nixon - Der Untergang eines Präsidenten

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,206,506, 25 December 1995, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$13,560,960

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$34,642,684, 31 December 1995

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinergi Pictures Entertainment,Hollywood Pictures,Illusion Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

192 min 212 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (archive footage) Black and White (archive footage) Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Oliver Stone wanted Ed Harris for the role of H.R. Haldeman.

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Goofs

When Nixon travels to Texas in November 1963 on behalf of Studebaker, the auto company is promoting its 1963 line of cars. In November 1963 they would already be promoting their 1964 models.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Earl in Training Film: I just don't understand it.

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Alternate Versions

The new director's cut released in 2001 in the Oliver Stone box set (DVD & VHS) and released again by itself in 2002 featured a new director's cut running in at approx. 212 minutes.

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Connections

Referenced in Aprile (1998)

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Soundtracks

MY BABY SAID SHE'D MARRY ME
Written by Bill Elliott
Performed by Bill Elliott with vocalists Rick Riso and Frederick Hodges
Courtesy of Windswept Pacific Entertainment Co.

User Reviews

Compelling Portrayal Of The Former U.S. President

In an overall solid cast, Anthony Hopkins shines in a powerful performance as Richard Nixon in this Oliver Stone film tracing the former president's life from his boyhood in California to his resignation as U.S. President in 1974.

Nixon is seen as a troubled figure, insecure and paranoid, with few friends. An unhappy childhood, in which he refers to himself as his mother's "faithful dog," in fact does dog him his whole life, as he seeks to please a demanding ultra-religious mother (Mary Steenburgen)who had already died by the time he took office as President, but whose memory and expectations lived on. Nixon is burdened with an unhappy marriage to Pat (Joan Allen) - unhappy largely because of his own obsession with political success - and haunted by the ghost of John Kennedy, who defeated him for the presidency in 1960 and who Nixon could never live up to. Kennedy was loved; Nixon was hated - he could never get over that. A scene near the end of the movie demonstrates his feelings toward JFK as he looks at Kennedy's White House portrait: "They look at you and see what they want to be; they look at me and see who they are."

Although the movie - as any review of Nixon's life will - revolves around Watergate, it provides a fascinating summary of his life, and of what added up to make him the troubled and lonely figure he really was. There's also typical Oliver Stone material as dark hints of conspiracy extending far beyond Watergate are inserted. Perhaps the most unsettling being a meeting Nixon has shortly before JFK's assassination with some supporters in Texas who are trying to convince him to run for the presidency again in 1964. Nixon protests that Kennedy can't be beaten in '64. A Cuban American present says ominously "What if Kennedy doesn't run in '64?"

A truly fascinating portrayal of a fascinating man, even in the end somewhat sympathetic to Nixon as the film ends with his 1994 funeral service, some comments at that service by President Clinton and a summary of his career by a narrator pointing out his accomplishments. A last note: kudos to Paul Sorvino, who hit Henry Kissinger bang on.

8/10