The Leonard Lopate Show

From corrupt candidates to virtuous do-gooders, presidents and politicians have been popular subjects on the silver screen since the early days of film. Each month, from now until Election Day 2008, Leonard talks to film critics, historians, filmmakers, and listeners to find out how Hollywood has portrayed Washington politics over the past 70 years.

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Political Projections: Remakes

The Leonard Lopate Show

May 06, 2008

Political films are among the most frequently remade films in Hollywood. We compare the originals and remakes of “All the King’s Men” and “The Manchurian Candidate” to see how each depicts the politics of the time in which it was made.

Philip Gianos of California State University, Fullerton, is the author of Politics and Politicians in American Film. Independent scholar and journalist Gaspar Gonzalez is co-author of What Have They Built You to Do?: The Manchurian Candidate and Cold War America.

The movies we'll discuss are:

“All the King’s Men” (1949) – Robert Rossen directed this classic political film based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Robert Penn Warren, a thinly veiled portrait of Depression-era Louisiana governor Huey Long.

“All the King’s Men” (2006): Steven Zaillian wrote and directed this remake, which remains largely faithful to the original version.

“The Manchurian Candidate” (1962): John Frankenheimer directed this classic political thriller that, when first released, was considered far ahead of its time.

“The Manchurian Candidate” (2004): Jonathan Demme directed this remake, updating its themes and plotlines to address the Bush Administration’s war on terror.

Watch the films, and then weigh in: How do you think the remakes compare to the original versions? How are the films shaped by the politics of the times in which they were made?

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Political Projections: Political Idealism in Hollywood

The Leonard Lopate Show

April 01, 2008

Politics is often a dirty business. But many Americans still yearn for political idealism. Tune in to our latest Political Projections on Tuesday, April 1st, when we look into how idealistic politicians have been depicted in film over the years. Joseph McBride is Assistant Professor of cinema at San Francisco State University and author of Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success. Kerry Tymchuk has worked for the past 11 years as State Director for United States Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon. He also worked for six years as Director of Speechwriting and Counsel to then-US Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole.

Also, you can watch the films we’ve selected and weigh in on the conversation by posting your reactions below. We may incorporate your comments into the on air discussion.

The three films are:

"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1938) – Frank Capra’s classic comedy-drama came at a time when Americans were growing weary with government. Jimmy Stewart plays the quintessential good-natured hero who tries to overcomes backroom Senate politics.

"State of the Union" (1948) – Frank Capra directed this story of an aircraft tycoon who is coerced into seeking the Republican presidential nomination. After being corrupted by Washington power brokers, he recognizes his dishonesty and publicly apologizes to the nation.

"The American President" (1995) – Rob Reiner directed this earnest and idealistic story about an unabashedly liberal Democratic President who’s faced with Republican smear tactics and a conflict between his public and personal life.

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Political Projections: Hollywood's Political Cynicism

The Leonard Lopate Show

March 04, 2008

From scandals and spin to special interest groups and lobbyists, many Americans are very cynical about the motives of politicians and even the democratic process itself. On Political Projections, we look at how Hollywood has showcased American cynicism about politics.

Connie Schultz, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist at The Cleveland Plain Dealer, is also the wife of Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and the author of ...and His Lovely Wife: A Memoir from the Woman Beside the Man. Philip Gianos is the Chair of the Department of Politics, Administration and Justice at California State University, Fullerton and the author of Politics and Politicians in American Film.

You can watch the films we've selected and weigh in on the conversation. The three films are:

"Advise and Consent" (1962) – Otto Preminger directed this movie about how a liberal nominee for Secretary of State tries to hide his past.

"Wag the Dog" (1997) – David Mamet wrote and Barry Levinson directed this Clinton-era comedy about a spin doctor’s creation of a fake war to distract the electorate from a presidential sex scandal.

"Bulworth" (1998) – Written and directed by Warren Beatty, a veteran Senator grows weary of the state of politics and begins to speak openly and honestly about his controversial feelings.

Weigh in: How well do you think these 3 movies capture the spirit of political cynicism? Are you cynical about politics during the 2008 election cycle?

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Political Projections: Hollywood Pokes Fun at Politics

The Leonard Lopate Show

February 05, 2008

For the second installment of our political film series: how Hollywood has poked fun at politics and politicians. Richard Corliss is film critic and Senior Writer at TIME Magazine; John Belton is an English professor at Rutgers University. We’ve chosen three films that span the length of American movies:

"Duck Soup" (1933)- the Marx Brothers piercing satire of nationalism and diplomacy

"Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964) - Stanley Kubrick’s satire of Cold War paranoia

"Dave" (1993) - the Clinton-era depiction of what happens when an ordinary man becomes president.

Join in on the conversation! Leave a comment and tell us what you think about the 3 films we've chosen. Has Hollywood done a good job of portraying politics?

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