The White House and the Silver Screen
Politics and Hollywood make strange yet successful, bedfellows.
When a film features the life and times of one of America's presidents, whether real or fictional, money usually follows.
Presidential-themed movies fall into many genres, including science fiction, biography, drama, and comedy.
Biographies top the list of these movies, and several of them have been box-office blockbusters.
Released in 1995, "Nixon" chronicled the life of Richard Millhouse Nixon from the time he was a young boy until he left the presidential office after the Watergate scandal.
Anthony Hopkins played the role of Nixon, and Joan Allen starred as the First Lady.
Although it received several Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and Academy Award nominations, major wins eluded the film and its cast.
While the cast of "All the President's Men" did not include the character of Richard Nixon, the movie chronicled the Watergate debacle that ultimately ended his presidency.
Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford played reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward in this 1976 blockbuster, and Hal Holbrook, Jason Robards, Jane Alexander, Meredith Baxter, and Ned Beatty also played lead roles.
The movie won four Oscars, including Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Jason Robards' performance as Ben Bradlee.
The 2008 movie "Frost/Nixon" gave a dramatic account of a series of television interviews between esteemed talk show host David Frost and disgraced ex-President Richard Nixon.
Directed by Ron Howard, the movie starred Frank Langella as Nixon and Michael Sheen as David Frost.
The film went on to receive forty-seven nominations, including five Oscar nominations, and sixteen award wins.
Released in 2008, "W.
"gave viewers a glimpse into the life of then-President George W.
Bush, one of the country's most controversial leaders.
A star-studded cast included Josh Brolin as Bush, Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney, Colin Hanks as the president's main speech writer, Toby Jones as Karl Rove, and Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell.
Stanley Weiser wrote the screenplay, and Oliver Stone directed the film.
"Hyde Park on Hudson" was part biography, part drama, and part comedy.
The 2012 film told the story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's love affair with his cousin, Margaret Suckley, who was known to her friends as Daisy.
Much of the film takes place on a weekend in 1939 when Great Britain's king and queen were set to visit the United States.
Bill Murray and Laura Linney played FDR and Daisy, while Olivia Williams took on the role of his wife and Elizabeth Wilson played his mother.
" Lincoln " was one of the smash hits of 2012.
Set during the Civil War period, the movie depicts President Abraham Lincoln's struggle to convince the nation to emancipate the slaves; Lincoln does whatever he can to get his amendment passed before the war ends, peace takes over, and the southern states stop his campaign.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie had an A-list cast that included Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln.
David Strathairn, James Spader, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hal Holbrook, and Tommy Lee Jones also played major roles in the film.
Daniel Day-Lewis swept the awards circuit, winning more than fifteen Best Actor awards, including BAFTA, Golden Globes, and Screen Actors Guild awards.
The movie received ninety-one nominations and forty-eight wins.
John F.
Kennedy was also immortalized on the silver screen.
"JFK," which was released in 1991, details the investigation by Jim Garrison, a New Orleans district attorney, into the 1963 assassination of JFK in Dallas.
Many people enjoy a conspiracy theory, and this film didn't disappoint, as the investigation leads Garrison to believe that there is much more to that day's events than the public knows.
Oliver Stone directed the film, which starred Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison and Ed Asner as Guy Bannister.
"Thirteen Days" was released in 2000 to much acclaim.
The movie dramatizes the period during October, 1962, when John F.
Kennedy struggled to control the Cuban missile crisis, when many believed the Soviets were getting ready to make Cuba home to some of their nuclear weapons.
Bruce Greenwood and Stephanie Romanov played John and Jacqueline Kennedy.
Some movies focused on the presidential office but opted for fictional stories and characters instead.
Released in 1993, "Dave" tells the story of fictional President Bill Mitchell, a man who is cold and distant.
After the president has a stroke and falls into a coma, his staff decide to hire a double to fool the public into thinking Mitchell is still at his desk.
Kevin Kline plays both the president and his good-natured look-alike, Dave Kovic, who eventually falls in love with the First Lady, Sigourney Weaver.
The 1995 hit "The American President" tells the story of widowed President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) as he tries to win over a lobbyist, Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening).
Martin Sheen, Michael J.
Fox, and Richard Dreyfuss all played major characters in the film, which was directed by Rob Reiner.
When a film features the life and times of one of America's presidents, whether real or fictional, money usually follows.
Presidential-themed movies fall into many genres, including science fiction, biography, drama, and comedy.
Biographies top the list of these movies, and several of them have been box-office blockbusters.
Released in 1995, "Nixon" chronicled the life of Richard Millhouse Nixon from the time he was a young boy until he left the presidential office after the Watergate scandal.
Anthony Hopkins played the role of Nixon, and Joan Allen starred as the First Lady.
Although it received several Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and Academy Award nominations, major wins eluded the film and its cast.
While the cast of "All the President's Men" did not include the character of Richard Nixon, the movie chronicled the Watergate debacle that ultimately ended his presidency.
Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford played reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward in this 1976 blockbuster, and Hal Holbrook, Jason Robards, Jane Alexander, Meredith Baxter, and Ned Beatty also played lead roles.
The movie won four Oscars, including Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Jason Robards' performance as Ben Bradlee.
The 2008 movie "Frost/Nixon" gave a dramatic account of a series of television interviews between esteemed talk show host David Frost and disgraced ex-President Richard Nixon.
Directed by Ron Howard, the movie starred Frank Langella as Nixon and Michael Sheen as David Frost.
The film went on to receive forty-seven nominations, including five Oscar nominations, and sixteen award wins.
Released in 2008, "W.
"gave viewers a glimpse into the life of then-President George W.
Bush, one of the country's most controversial leaders.
A star-studded cast included Josh Brolin as Bush, Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney, Colin Hanks as the president's main speech writer, Toby Jones as Karl Rove, and Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell.
Stanley Weiser wrote the screenplay, and Oliver Stone directed the film.
"Hyde Park on Hudson" was part biography, part drama, and part comedy.
The 2012 film told the story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's love affair with his cousin, Margaret Suckley, who was known to her friends as Daisy.
Much of the film takes place on a weekend in 1939 when Great Britain's king and queen were set to visit the United States.
Bill Murray and Laura Linney played FDR and Daisy, while Olivia Williams took on the role of his wife and Elizabeth Wilson played his mother.
" Lincoln " was one of the smash hits of 2012.
Set during the Civil War period, the movie depicts President Abraham Lincoln's struggle to convince the nation to emancipate the slaves; Lincoln does whatever he can to get his amendment passed before the war ends, peace takes over, and the southern states stop his campaign.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie had an A-list cast that included Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln.
David Strathairn, James Spader, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hal Holbrook, and Tommy Lee Jones also played major roles in the film.
Daniel Day-Lewis swept the awards circuit, winning more than fifteen Best Actor awards, including BAFTA, Golden Globes, and Screen Actors Guild awards.
The movie received ninety-one nominations and forty-eight wins.
John F.
Kennedy was also immortalized on the silver screen.
"JFK," which was released in 1991, details the investigation by Jim Garrison, a New Orleans district attorney, into the 1963 assassination of JFK in Dallas.
Many people enjoy a conspiracy theory, and this film didn't disappoint, as the investigation leads Garrison to believe that there is much more to that day's events than the public knows.
Oliver Stone directed the film, which starred Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison and Ed Asner as Guy Bannister.
"Thirteen Days" was released in 2000 to much acclaim.
The movie dramatizes the period during October, 1962, when John F.
Kennedy struggled to control the Cuban missile crisis, when many believed the Soviets were getting ready to make Cuba home to some of their nuclear weapons.
Bruce Greenwood and Stephanie Romanov played John and Jacqueline Kennedy.
Some movies focused on the presidential office but opted for fictional stories and characters instead.
Released in 1993, "Dave" tells the story of fictional President Bill Mitchell, a man who is cold and distant.
After the president has a stroke and falls into a coma, his staff decide to hire a double to fool the public into thinking Mitchell is still at his desk.
Kevin Kline plays both the president and his good-natured look-alike, Dave Kovic, who eventually falls in love with the First Lady, Sigourney Weaver.
The 1995 hit "The American President" tells the story of widowed President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) as he tries to win over a lobbyist, Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening).
Martin Sheen, Michael J.
Fox, and Richard Dreyfuss all played major characters in the film, which was directed by Rob Reiner.
