IMDb > The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)

The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977) More at IMDbPro »

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The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.5/10   173 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 52% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Larry Cohen
Writer:
Larry Cohen (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
December 1977 (USA) more
Genre:
Biography | Drama more
Tagline:
The files that escaped the shredder have become an incredible motion picture. From the Kennedys to Martin Luther King. From cab drivers to Congressmen. From housewives to hostesses. He had something on 58 million people. It was all in his files. Now you can see how he used it.
Plot Keywords:
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User Comments:
El stinkeroo more (9 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
USA:112 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Finland:K-16 | USA:PG | Spain:13

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Director Larry Cohen wanted to film at various authentic locations, but was repeatedly turned down for permission. However, when First Lady Betty Ford - a former dancer - found out that Dan Dailey was in Washington to make a film, she invited him and Broderick Crawford to the White House for lunch, as she had always liked Dailey's films and work. Larry Cohen then started calling locations such as the FBI's training facility in Quantico, Virginia, and said that he wanted to film there but couldn't do so the next day because the cast was having lunch at the White House; likely supposing that the film had official backing, every location soon made themselves available. more
Quotes:
Lionel McCoy: [sarcastically] Give my regards to the Wizard of Oz! more
Movie Connections:
References Manhattan Melodrama (1934) more

FAQ

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful.
El stinkeroo, 20 May 2009
3/10

I was intrigued to see this film, hitherto unknown to me, listed on one of the cable channels. Curious about the presence of some fairly reputable names - Crawford, Lloyd Nolan, Jose Ferrer, Celeste Holm, Rip Torn, Howard daSilva, I gave it a shot. I must agree with the consensus of negative opinions expressed here. The film is stunningly awful. The only decent thing about it is the technical quality of the cinematography. Broderick Crawford phones in his lines. The other big names do a decent job with the wretched material they are given, but the rest of the acting is at the high school drama club level. Particularly awful is the guy who plays Hoover as a young man. The movie also can't seem to decide on its own outlook. If Hoover is to be considered a consummate wretch and and evil person, the movie does not do enough to convey that. There is altogether too much of the "a great man gone wrong" attitude. In short, there's a reason this movie is largely forgotten.

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