Path to War (2002)

In the mid 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson (Sir Michael Gambon) and his foreign-policy team debate the decision to withdraw from or escalate the war in Vietnam.

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writer:

Daniel Giat

Stars:

Michael Gambon, Donald Sutherland, Alec Baldwin

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 27 nominations.

Cast

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 Dirksen
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)

Storyline

A portrayal of the Lyndon B. Johnson (Sir Michael Gambon) Presidency and its spiralling descent into the Vietnam War. Acting on often conflicting advice from his Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara (Alec Baldwin) and other advisers, President Johnson finds his domestic policy agenda for the Great Society overtaken by an ever demanding commitment to ending the war. It also depicts his political skills as he crosses swords with political foes such as Robert F. Kennedy (himself) and Governor George Wallace (Gary Sinise). Despite support and encouragement from stalwart friends such as Clark Clifford (Donald Sutherland), Johnson realizes his management of the war no longer has the confidence of the American people and announces that he will not seek the nomination of the Democratic party for the the 1968 election.

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Plot Keywords:

lyndon b. johnson character | visiting a grave | speechwriter | the white house | president | 

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Taglines:

Beyond the battlefields of Vietnam. Inside the halls of power. A different kind of war would decide the fate of a nation.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The cast includes one Oscar winner: J.K. Simmons; and five Oscar nominees: Diana Scarwid, Alec Baldwin, Frederic Forrest, Gary Sinise, and Felicity Huffman.

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Goofs

At one point Robert McNamara tells President Johnson that there are 13 US battalions in Vietnam, and goes on to say this is 51,000 troops. This would mean approximately 4,000 troops per battalion. Given that a US battalion would only have 500-800 troops he is actually talking about 13 brigades (each containing several battalions) and not 13 battalions.

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Quotes

Lyndon Baines Johnson: [to Jack Valenti] You know, Jack, I want war like I want polio.

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Connections

Featured in The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2003 (2003)

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Soundtracks

Taps
(aka "Butterfield's Lullaby" and "Day Is Done") (uncredited)
Composed by Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield (1862 arrangement of earlier melody "Scott Tattoo")
Played during necrology of Vietnam dead on TV.

User Reviews

Lyndon Johnson: Tragic Figure?

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.

Details

Official Sites:

HBO Films [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 May 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Path to War

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avenue Pictures, Edgar J. Scherick Associates, Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

165 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1