These are the films that actually got history right. How dramatic it was when david frost cornered him on tv and presided over the humiliating confession that he had stonewalled for three years. In 1977, british tv producerpresenter david frost michael sheen sat down with richard nixon frank langella easily one of the most controversial presidents in american history for a 28hour teteatete. Rievele, with significant contributions from project consultants christopher scheer and robert scheer. In the final scene, frost drops off as a gift a new pair of italian loafers, a fashion choice that nixon earlier chides frost for wearing. Still, the constant question with movies is whether the movie portrayal is accurate to what actually happened. The motion picture had an allstar cast and it included anthony hopkins, who played nixon and joan allen who played his wife, pat. Frostnixon is one of the best film of the year, and certainly a strong contender for best picture.
Frostnixon s atmosphere largely stems from his beautiful score. Bernstein said that washington journalist elizabeths drews take down of frostnixon on the huffington post is a good summation of his own views on the film. Nixon 2007 noted some inaccuracies, including a misrepresentation of the end of the interviews. We witness a complete recreation of the most turbulent times in the history of the american presidency. Villified by media critics for not being a serious journalist one character describes him acrimoniously as a tv show host who pays for the interview, no less. Universaleverett rex featur for frost, the interviews start badly. He embodies nixon not only in voice, but also in his quirks, mannerisms, and movements. These films informed, inspired and moved its audience with its true to life dedication to its characters, setting and story. Tears glimmer in the expresidents eyes, then he closes them to contain the pain as he staggers through his reciting of the conversation. Nov 04, 2010 in the weeks before david frost s interview with president nixon in 1977, he spoke with mike wallace about what viewers could expect from the interview, and what the former president hoped to gain. Comparisons between scenes from the movie frostnixon 2008 with the scenes from the david frost interview with richard nixon. Frostnixon both frost and mike wallace of cbs are in the running to bag the nixon interview. The movie is masterful, and it has the cast and crew to thank.
Frostnixon may stretch the truth, but isnt that just art imitiating life. The original frost nixon was a hoary spectacle please pardon my typo, an exclusive checkbook interview that provided the american people with proof of just one thing. Following the resounding success of the eponymous west end and broadway hit play, frostnixon tells the extraordinary story of how sir david frost pursued and landed the biggest fish of his careerand how the series drew larger audiences than any news interview ever had in the united states, before being shown all over the world. The climax of the film spoiler alert, in fact, substantively distorts the historical record. Richard nixon was the 37th president of the united states. Whereas frost s seconds are guns for hire, nixon s cornerman, jack brennan kevin bacon, has as lifetime loyalty to his boss. Bernstein said that washington journalist elizabeths drews take down of frost nixon on the huffington post is a good summation of his own views on the film. One of the most fascinating aspects of the story is how a team of journalists prepped frost to take on nixon in the interview. Find out where frostnixon is streaming, if frostnixon is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. Politifact factchecking the movie the post, oscar nominee. Frostnixon, however, overreaches in how effectively he performed. In reality, frost scored points against the expresident, but nowhere near the knockout of the movie.
For three years after being forced from office, nixon remained silent. Nixon possessed both the policy expertise and political experience. Reston uncovered fresh ammunition to use against nixon. The two main actors reprise their roles from the stage version of frostnixon.
And yet how much more intelligent, thoughtful and, well, presidential, he now seems, compared to the occupant of the office. The film is right to suggest the decision came down to money. Frostnixon is based on peter morgans stage play of the same name. David frost michael sheen interviews richard nixon frank langella in frost nixon. Our guests are, michael sheen, alias david frost in the riveting new movie frostnixon, and david frost, the man who in 1977 got expresident richard nixon finally to admit to his great watergate. Nixon is a political warhorse, and easily stomps all over the nervous talkshow host with his big. The concept was theatrically brilliant, i thought, as well as entirely accurate. David frost interviews richard nixon on imdb british presenter david frost taking on nixon. Or, at least, it shouldnt be entertaining enough to merit rapt attention for two hours. The new film tells the story of the epic series of interviews between david frost and richard nixon in 1977 that ended in one of 20th century televisions most dramatic confessions. Millions wanted nixon held to account, and frost got the first, best chance to do the job. The movie narrates the watergate scandal that led to nixons downfall, his role in the vietnam war and in american political life in the 1960s and early 1970s. Like the eponymous smash play its based on, it tells a dramatic story of a.
It cuts to the core of a toxic culture that sees politics as show business, a culture still all too recognizable as. Though it chronicles the moment when in theory the 37th president of the united states was cut down to. It doesnt matter that frost nixon moves some scenes around though its not always clear why, and engages in some invention. Frostnixon is a 2008 historical drama film based on the 2006 play of the same name by peter morgan, who also adapted the screenplay. Strange, how a man once so reviled has gained stature in the memory. The nixon interviews were a series of conversations between former president richard nixon and british journalist david frost, produced by john birt.
The movie ends with frost calling upon nixon in his san clemente home following the broadcasts and that nixon, dressed in shirt sleeves and musing about golfing in retirement, implies that he had been unmasked and undone. Richard nixon is telling david frost about the day in march 1973 when he realized he had to fire his chief domestic advisor, john ehrlichman, for abetting the watergate coverup or, rather, for being fingered by the press for doing it. This film focuses on richard nixons 1977 television interviews with david frost. Nixon was certain that he could hold his own opposite the upandcoming british broadcaster, and even frost s own people werent quite sure their boss was ready for such a highprofile interview. The interviews became the central subject of peter morgans play frostnixon in 2006 and the 2008 film version. The question isnt which of these is your favorite, but rather. Haldeman and john ehrlichman to get out papers on the cuban missile crisis, on. I was too young to remember the nixon era, but i thoroughly enjoyed frost nixon. Because for 25 years frewin worked as stanley kubricks assistant, and kubrick was, famously, a stickler for historical detail, accuracy, and integrity. The original frostnixon was a hoary spectacle please pardon my typo, an exclusive checkbook interview that provided the american people with proof of just one thing. Haldeman and john ehrlichman to get out papers on the cuban missile crisis, on the bay of pigs, world war ii and korea. The film tells the story behind the frostnixon interviews of 1977.
In all, frostnixon persists as an accurate depiction of nixons final moments in the spotlight of american history. In contrast, frost wrote that he had met with nixon for their final time in his office just after the. Frostnixon may stretch the truth, but isnt that just art. Becks went to see frostnixon and wasnt impressed the movie is even worse than the play. Politifact is a factchecking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others on its truthometer. Frostnixon, the hit movie about big dick nixons famous. The climactic moment of the movie as in the play has nixon confessing to having participated in the coverup of the famous breakin of the watergate offices of the democratic national committee, in june, 1972 by operatives hired by white house aides. But such a gross misrepresentation of such important events roughly seventy percent of the population is too young to have been aware of watergate about a figure over whom there is still serious debate, in the name of entertainment and profits, to my mind, crosses the line of dramatic integrity and is dishonorable. Frostnixonboth the play and the movietranscends history.
Following the watergate scandal, he resigned to avoid impeachment in 1974. Ive heard virtually no criticism of the accuracy of front nixon, which is probably because the original interview footage still exists. In 1977, three years after the watergate scandal that ended his presidency, richard nixon frank langella selects british tv personality david frost michael sheen to conduct a oneonone. The first comes when a surprised frost gets a call in his hotel room from nixon, who delivers a terrific drunken rant. Directed by ron howard from the hit stage play by peter morgan, frost nixon tells the story of how a lightweight british talk show host. Frostnixon is a historical drama based on the reallife interviews between british media personality david frost and disgraced former american president richard. Frost prepare for the interviews and is played by a rabbity sam rockwell in the movie, and whose book the conviction of richard nixon was the socalled. In the weeks before david frosts interview with president nixon in 1977, he spoke with mike wallace about what viewers could expect from the interview, and what the former president hoped to gain. And yet how much more intelligent, thoughtful and, well, presidential, he now seems, compared to the.
How accurate generally is the film frost nixon answers. Frostnixon, one of the years best films, far exceeds its roots as docudrama. The film was written by stone, christopher wilkinson and stephen j. Directed by oscarwinner ron howard, frost nixon is a 2008 behindthescenes drama about british television host david frost s oneonone tv interviews with former president richard nixon in 1977. Langellas marvelous performance as the bedazzled richard nixon and michael sheens terrific portrayal of the rigorous david frost combined with ron howards magnificent direction make the movie a memorable one. Jan 30, 2009 while the movie fairly portrays the frost teams extensive preparations and his two researchers massive disappointment in frosts seeming inability to nail nixon on either foreign or domestic initiatives of his presidency, its portrayal of nixons actions and statements is patently fraudulent.
In 1977, three years after the watergate scandal that ended his presidency, richard nixon frank langella selects british tv personality david frost. Frank langella admittedly looks nothing like richard nixon, but his portrayal of the former president is spot on. They were recorded and broadcast on television and radio in four programs in 1977. Music composed by hans zimmer for the movie frostnixon 2008. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commanderinchief agreed to sit for one allinclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in office and. A coproduction of the united states, the united kingdom and france, the film was produced for universal.
But hollywood history and accurate history are sometimes uneasy bedfellows. Frostnixon is a historical drama based on the reallife interviews between british media personality david frost and disgraced former american president richard m. A dramatic retelling of the postwatergate television interviews between british talkshow host david frost and former president richard nixon. Dramatic license is taken with some characters, as well as with a scene in which former president richard nixon places a latenight phone call to david frost. Peter morgan on a change of perspective when peter morgan wrote a play about david frosts interviews with richard nixon, he was determined that it should be for entertainment value. Feb 01, 2012 music composed by hans zimmer for the movie frost nixon 2008. Frank langella, michael sheen, kevin bacon, sam rockwell.
As accurately shown in the film, frost badgered nixon about the issue, so chief of. Is oliver stones movie nixon historically accurate. At least two other big moments in the movie are simply fantasy. On july 1, 1971, the tapes catch nixon telling aides chuck colson, h. Frostnixon gets political on dvd and bluray on april 21st feb 20, 2009. What really happened behind the scenes in frostnixon. The gma hostwho worked for richard nixon at the time of his interview with david frosttalks with the daily beast about her memories of her ex. We have some early details on this best picture nominees dvd and bd releases. Jul 14, 2017 our guests are, michael sheen, alias david frost in the riveting new movie frost nixon, and david frost, the man who in 1977 got expresident richard nixon finally to admit to his great watergate. The film accurately represents perhaps the most revealing quote frost extracted from him. Since the resignation, he has become a fretful coach and father figure to nixon, encouraging him to be strong, insisting an interview be stopped at the first sign of nixon s vulnerability. Villified by media critics for not being a serious journalist one character describes him acrimoniously as a tv show host who pays. Nixon is a 1995 american epic historical drama film directed by oliver stone, produced by clayton townsend, stone and andrew g. Nixon was certain that he could hold his own opposite the upandcoming british broadcaster, and even frosts own people werent quite sure their boss was ready for such a highprofile interview.
702 947 695 949 607 1073 394 478 983 1226 938 837 1046 1062 146 580 1219 1043 596 21 108 944 1021 121 710 590 1158 137 1034 393 1101 642 376 532 1309 1215 718 812 466 38