All the President's Men (1976)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Alan J. Pakula

Writers:

Carl Bernstein (book) &
Bob Woodward (book) ...

Release Date:

9 April 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Thriller

Tagline:

At times it looked like it might cost them their jobs, their reputations, and maybe even their lives.

Plot:

Reporters Woodward and Bernstein uncover the details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Nixon's resignation.

Plot Keywords:

Nixon | Watergate | Reporter | Journalist | White House

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Dustin Hoffman	...	Carl Bernstein
Robert Redford	...	Bob Woodward
Jack Warden	...	Harry Rosenfeld
Martin Balsam	...	Howard Simons
Hal Holbrook	...	Deep Throat
Jason Robards	...	Ben Bradlee
Jane Alexander	...	Bookkeeper
Meredith Baxter	...	Debbie Sloan
Ned Beatty	...	Dardis
Stephen Collins	...	Hugh Sloan
Penny Fuller	...	Sally Aiken
John McMartin	...	Foreign Editor
Robert Walden	...	Donald Segretti
Frank Wills	...	Frank Wills
F. Murray Abraham	...	Arresting Officer #1

Runtime:

138 min | Spain:125 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:12 | USA:R (original rating) | USA:PG (re-rating after appeal) (certificate #27119) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:12 | Brazil:10 | Sweden:Btl | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Finland:S | Iceland:L | Norway:12 (1976) | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | UK:AA (original rating)

Filming Locations:

2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

At the time of filming in Washington D.C., Robert Redford stayed in the Watergate hotel.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After Bernstein and Woodward talk to Dean about why he revoked his statement, you can see people walking into the hallway, startling when they see the camera and then walk past the wall as if they could keep out of the shot.

Quotes:

John Mitchell: [on phone] You tell your publisher, tell Katie Graham she's gonna get her tit caught in a big wringer if that's published.
Ben Bradlee: [later] He really said that about Mrs. Graham?
Carl Bernstein: [nods]
Ben Bradlee: Well, I'd cut the words "her tit" and print it.
Carl Bernstein: Why?
Ben Bradlee: This is a family newspaper.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes & Villains (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Concerto in C for two trumpets

Second time's a charm

The first time I saw this film, I was suitably impressed but found I couldn't enjoy it completely. In order to keep up with the relentless pace of the plot, I didn't pay as much attention to the writing and the performances as I should have. When it was over, I felt the breakneck pace of the story overshadowed the screenplay and acting, rendering the film an accomplished reprisal of fact but not much else.

What a difference a second viewing made. My familiarity with the plot allowed me to appreciate all the finer details of the film. Watching Redford and Hoffman's disciplined performances as Woodward and Bernstein, for instance, is like watching two expert tennis players work in tandem with one another. When they act together, there is a delightful give-and-take, two masters working their way into a wonderful groove. While they appear steady and reserved on the surface, the two actors radiate a noticeable undercurrent of excitement and dread, as if underneath their stern countenances they're screaming, "Holy sh*t! I can't believe we're doing this!!" Redford, not the strongest dramatic actor, finds his normal-guy niche here and gives one of his best performances. Hoffman is equally strong, making even the simplest scene seem like a masterpiece (the "count to 10" phone scene comes to mind).

Throughout the film, Pakula communicates the idea of these two reporters being completely outnumbered by the people responsible for the Watergate break-in. I loved the numerous overhead shots of Woodward and Bernstein that pull up, up, up, until they're nothing more than specks in the dirty streets of DC. (This technique is also used in the classic scene where the two guys are searching through old records and the camera pulls up to the ceiling and shows them seated along the edge of a circular series of desks.)

The film rockets right along, leaving the viewers as excited over the reporters' discoveries as they are. William Goldman's script helps in this regard, I think, sticking straight to the meat and cutting out any unnecessary roughage. The dialogue gets right down to business while working in realistic vocal habits and the like. Redford really captures this well (listen to his stammering and self-corrections when he talks on the phone to sources - great stuff!).

I can't recommend "All the President's Men" enough. It's tightly-structured, fiercely-paced, and captivating as all get-out. If necessary, watch it twice: once to find out who's who, the second time to savour the handiwork. If you want to talk more about it, leave a red flag on the potted plant on your balcony.