A Reel 50: ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN

“Follow the money…”

 

This month marks the 50^th anniversary of ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN. 

 

Directed by Alan J. Pakula, and based on the book of the same name by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN was a biographical political thriller about the famed Watergate scandal that ended the presidency of Richard Nixon. 

 

The scandal was brought to light by the reporting of Woodward and Bernstein during their tenure at The Washington Post, and in 1974, the same year their book was published, producer and actor Robert Redford would purchase the rights. Redford would bring on screenwriter William Goldman, who had just won an Oscar with Redford on BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. Redford would settle into the role of Bob Woodward, while Dustin Hoffman would play Carl Bernstein. The rest of the cast would include Jason Robards, Hal Holbrook, Ned Beatty, Stephen Collins, Martin Balsam, Meredith Baxter, Jack Warden, Polly Holiday, and F. Murray Abraham. Redford and Hoffman visited The Washington Post to research their roles, but the paper refused filming to take place inside of their newsroom. The production team built an exact replica of the newsroom. The set was built in Hollywood, while Redford and Hoffman filmed exterior scenes around Washington, D.C. 

 

Upon release, ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN received universal acclaim. It would finish as the fifth-highest grossing film of the year. At the 48^th Academy Awards, it would be nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture. It would win four; Best Supporting Actor for Robards, along with Best Screenplay (adapted), Art Direction, and Sound. In 2010, it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

 

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Every now and then, there comes a film that inspires a generation or two to aspire to do more. JAWS and STAR WARS inspired more than one generation of filmmakers. TOP GUN inspired legions of fighter jet pilots. And ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN is credited with causing a surge in journalism schools. It’s subtle, slow-burning style showed how facts are put together piece-by-piece, and shaped public perception of journalists as not only watchdogs but truth-tellers. 

 

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN was a story about good journalism, and its influence would be seen in the Oscar-winning SPOTLIGHT in 2015. The film highlights persistence of reporters, source protection, and the importance of free press in a democracy. Fifty years on, it is a strong reminder that truth can challenge power…and change it. 

 

“If you’re gonna do it, do it right. If you’re gonna hype it, hype it with the facts.”