Presidents Ford (as in Harrison) and Freeman Show the Way
By CLYDE HABERMAN
The New York Times
January 26, 2007
Hollywood and national politics scrambled for our attention this week. They drew special interest from some in this city, graced as it now is with almost as many potential presidential candidates as Naomi Campbell has tantrums.
Normally, New York is ignored in presidential elections (except when candidates need cash), but it is in the thick of things this time.
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has entered the race. Former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani seems ready to follow. Former Gov. George E. Pataki entertains the fanciful notion that he could be the chosen one. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg hears advice that he and his billions should go for it. And the ever-running Rev. Al Sharpton used the royal “we” to hint that he still has game. “We clearly have a reason to run,” he said two weeks ago.
While presidential politics swirled in the winter air, the Academy Awards people reminded everyone what is truly important by announcing this year’s nominations. People had movies on the brain, Mrs. Clinton among them. Letting the conversation begin on her Web site, she took a question about her screen favorites.
She had three, she said, from different stages of her life: “The Wizard of Oz,” “Casablanca” and “Out of Africa.”
Let’s see. “The Wizard of Oz” is about a girl trying to get back home — to a white house, wasn’t it? The hero in “Casablanca” warns, “Either lay off politics or get out.” And, at the risk of squeezing a long-wrung-out subject, “Out of Africa” is about a woman with a husband described in a 1985 review as “an ebullient, unashamed philanderer.”
We’re guessing that Mrs. Clinton chose those splendid films for different reasons.
Presumably, the other politicians have their own favorites. A spokeswoman for Mr. Giuliani said she did not know what his were. But the former mayor said years ago that “The Godfather” topped his list, and one of his shticks was to do a raspy Don Corleone imitation. (If Mr. Giuliani does announce his candidacy, he could stay true to form by saying, “Just when I thought that I was out, they pull me back in.”)
Mr. Bloomberg allowed to a couple of scribblers one night that his cinematic tastes run along the lines of “National Lampoon’s Animal House.” As for the others, “The Man Who Would Be King” is a suitable title for Mr. Sharpton, and Mr. Pataki could make do with a 1970s British film called “Who?”
To the degree that movies shape perceptions of the world, the New Yorkers who are goggle-eyed about the White House could do worse than to study presidents in film. Forget biopics. We’re talking about fictional characters worthy of emulation — and in movies only. So, “West Wing” fans, that rules out the estimable Josiah Bartlet.
There is no shortage of films with presidents, nearly all of them men. Brothers have held the office: Dennis Quaid in “American Dreamz” and Randy Quaid in “Mail to the Chief.” We also had a son and his father: Jeff Bridges in “The Contender” and Lloyd Bridges in “Hot Shots! Part Deux.”
Some film presidents can safely be eliminated as role models. None of our New York contenders are likely to take cues from the corrupt Dan Aykroyd in “My Fellow Americans,” the morally deficient Donald Moffat in “Clear and Present Danger,” the murderous Gene Hackman in “Absolute Power,” the bullying and lecherous Billy Bob Thornton in “Love Actually,” or the wimpy Ronny Cox in “Murder at 1600.”
But they might want to think about the guts that Charles Durning showed in “Twilight’s Last Gleaming” (even though he does end up dead). Wouldn’t every president want to snarl something like “Get off my plane” to a terrorist, as Harrison Ford did in “Air Force One”? Jeff Bridges showed in “The Contender” that a president can have both a cast-iron stomach and a steely backbone.
Best film president of all time? Some are partial to Henry Fonda in “Fail-Safe.” But we don’t see the New Yorkers modeling themselves on someone who nuked our city because of a teeny mistake like an American plane’s dropping the bomb on Moscow.
Our vote, for what it’s worth, goes to Morgan Freeman in “Deep Impact.” It’s not a great film, but he is a most admirable president — thoughtful and reassuring, but tough when the hardest of decisions must be made.
It’s something for the contenders from New York to consider. Or would you rather that they draw inspiration from mobsters, frat house louts and characters in search of brains, heart and courage?
E-mail: haberman@nytimes.com
The New York Times
January 26, 2007
Hollywood and national politics scrambled for our attention this week. They drew special interest from some in this city, graced as it now is with almost as many potential presidential candidates as Naomi Campbell has tantrums.
Normally, New York is ignored in presidential elections (except when candidates need cash), but it is in the thick of things this time.
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has entered the race. Former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani seems ready to follow. Former Gov. George E. Pataki entertains the fanciful notion that he could be the chosen one. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg hears advice that he and his billions should go for it. And the ever-running Rev. Al Sharpton used the royal “we” to hint that he still has game. “We clearly have a reason to run,” he said two weeks ago.
While presidential politics swirled in the winter air, the Academy Awards people reminded everyone what is truly important by announcing this year’s nominations. People had movies on the brain, Mrs. Clinton among them. Letting the conversation begin on her Web site, she took a question about her screen favorites.
She had three, she said, from different stages of her life: “The Wizard of Oz,” “Casablanca” and “Out of Africa.”
Let’s see. “The Wizard of Oz” is about a girl trying to get back home — to a white house, wasn’t it? The hero in “Casablanca” warns, “Either lay off politics or get out.” And, at the risk of squeezing a long-wrung-out subject, “Out of Africa” is about a woman with a husband described in a 1985 review as “an ebullient, unashamed philanderer.”
We’re guessing that Mrs. Clinton chose those splendid films for different reasons.
Presumably, the other politicians have their own favorites. A spokeswoman for Mr. Giuliani said she did not know what his were. But the former mayor said years ago that “The Godfather” topped his list, and one of his shticks was to do a raspy Don Corleone imitation. (If Mr. Giuliani does announce his candidacy, he could stay true to form by saying, “Just when I thought that I was out, they pull me back in.”)
Mr. Bloomberg allowed to a couple of scribblers one night that his cinematic tastes run along the lines of “National Lampoon’s Animal House.” As for the others, “The Man Who Would Be King” is a suitable title for Mr. Sharpton, and Mr. Pataki could make do with a 1970s British film called “Who?”
To the degree that movies shape perceptions of the world, the New Yorkers who are goggle-eyed about the White House could do worse than to study presidents in film. Forget biopics. We’re talking about fictional characters worthy of emulation — and in movies only. So, “West Wing” fans, that rules out the estimable Josiah Bartlet.
There is no shortage of films with presidents, nearly all of them men. Brothers have held the office: Dennis Quaid in “American Dreamz” and Randy Quaid in “Mail to the Chief.” We also had a son and his father: Jeff Bridges in “The Contender” and Lloyd Bridges in “Hot Shots! Part Deux.”
Some film presidents can safely be eliminated as role models. None of our New York contenders are likely to take cues from the corrupt Dan Aykroyd in “My Fellow Americans,” the morally deficient Donald Moffat in “Clear and Present Danger,” the murderous Gene Hackman in “Absolute Power,” the bullying and lecherous Billy Bob Thornton in “Love Actually,” or the wimpy Ronny Cox in “Murder at 1600.”
But they might want to think about the guts that Charles Durning showed in “Twilight’s Last Gleaming” (even though he does end up dead). Wouldn’t every president want to snarl something like “Get off my plane” to a terrorist, as Harrison Ford did in “Air Force One”? Jeff Bridges showed in “The Contender” that a president can have both a cast-iron stomach and a steely backbone.
Best film president of all time? Some are partial to Henry Fonda in “Fail-Safe.” But we don’t see the New Yorkers modeling themselves on someone who nuked our city because of a teeny mistake like an American plane’s dropping the bomb on Moscow.
Our vote, for what it’s worth, goes to Morgan Freeman in “Deep Impact.” It’s not a great film, but he is a most admirable president — thoughtful and reassuring, but tough when the hardest of decisions must be made.
It’s something for the contenders from New York to consider. Or would you rather that they draw inspiration from mobsters, frat house louts and characters in search of brains, heart and courage?
E-mail: haberman@nytimes.com
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