With the inauguration of our 44th president, I got to thinking about some of my favorite classic films that focus on politics, politicians, and on both the cynical and naive in the American dream. Take a look and see if you agree that these are some of the best.1. ADVISE AND CONSENT (1962) A very timely tale of a political nominee with a secret, based on Allen Drury's best-selling novel. The dark wheeling and dealing that takes place in Washington's smoke-filled rooms is sadly reminiscent of the most cynical side of American politics. An amazing cast that includes Charles Laughton, Henry Fonda, Walter Pidgeon, Lew Ayres (as the nice-guy Vice President nobody talks to), Burgess Meredith, Gene Tierney, Frnachot Tone, Paul Ford, Peter Lawford, and Will Geer.
2. BORN YESTERDAY (1950) The blonde mistress of a junk king who has come to Washington to buy himself a few congressmen, gets a civics lesson from an idealistic reporter. The Pygmalian story re-told with red, white, and blue thrown in. Judy Holliday won an Oscar for her role as Billie Dawn the show girl who learns from William Holden that the peoples' government is not up for sale.
3. THE GREAT MAN VOTES (1938) Thanks to some political gerrymandering, an alcoholic professor ends up holding the one deciding vote in an important election. Will he sell himself to the highest bidder? I learned of this film from NBC's Chris Matthews and have loved it ever since. John Barrymore in one of his last films, still great, even at sunset.
4. THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962) An idealistic lawyer on the frontier goes to Washington as a Senator on the strength of a legend that he rid the town of Shinbone of its cruel bully. But did he? Another sly offering from that old Irish magician John Ford with Jimmy Stewart as the lawyer and (who else but?) John Wayne as the angel Stewart needs to fufill his destiny. "When truth becomes legend, print the legend."
5. SEVEN DAYS IN MAY (1964) All the paranoia of the Cold War era wrapped into a taut film. Are there communists under every bed or are the right wing militarists one step ahead of them and planning a coup? A far-fetched tale but an interesting look at its time, with a cast that includes the great Frederic March, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmund O'Brien and John Houseman.
6. THE GREAT McGINTY (1940) Writer/director Preston Sturges' first big hit. The tale of a down-and-out hobo who parlays some crooked votes into a political career. As the director described it: "This is the story of two men ... One of them never did anything dishonest in his life except for one crazy minute. The other never did anything honest in his life except for one crazy minute. They both had to leave the country." Brian Donlevy is the star but Sturges provides the great plot and dialogue.
7. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942) The story of patriotic vaudevillian George M. Cohan. Only the flag-waving music is political, but its worth the show to see tough-guy James Cagney dancing. At the end, he dances down the steps of the FDR White House. Very good show and an Oscar for Cagney.
8. JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG (1961) An out-of-office American jurist is tapped for the job nobody wants: heading a panel hearing the case of Nazi judges who corrupted the law to suit Hitler. Maximillian Schell (who fled the Nazis) won an Oscar as the German defense lawyer, Spencer Tracy plays the idealistic judge. Everybody is in this including Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Werner Klemprer, and (here's a surprise for you young folks) William Shatner (pre Star Trek) as a handsome American officer.
9. THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER (1947) Its corny, but Loretta Young won an Oscar for her role as the Cinderella who takes on the corrupt political machine and wins a seat in Congress and a congressman in the process. A good look a stereotypes, in a year when we hope to have moved beyond them. Joseph Cotton, Ethel Barrymore, and Charles Bickford make it all irresistible.
10. MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939) I had to include this, though I think it is over-cited on lists like my own. In real life, the evil Claude Rains character would not have had that epiphany nor saved us all from lengthy prosecution by conviently bumping himself off, but, oh well. This is Frank Capra's Washington and we have to love it. Jimmy Stewart should have won his Oscar for this role, but it was the year of GONE WITH THE WIND, THE WIZARD OF OZ, and STAGECOACH, among other great offerings, so he won it the next year for the PHILADELPHIA STORY, not nearly so great a part (and that year the Oscar should have gone to Henry Fonda for THE GRAPES OF WRATH.)
Oh, and one I remembered as I was driving around this afternoon:
11. THE TALL TARGET (1951) As Abraham Lincoln takes the train to his inauguration in Washington, a discredited police officer and a black servant girl thrwart a plot to assassinate him. Ruby Dee stars as the servant, and when I interviewed her one year at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival in Etonville, Florida she was surprised I knew of the film and said she remembered it with great affection. Also starring Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, and Will Geer.
Enjoy!
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