Primary Colors (1998)

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers (WGA):

Joe Klein (novel)
Elaine May (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 March 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

What went down on the way to the top.

Plot:

A man joins the political campaign of a smooth-operator candidate for president of the USA.

Plot Keywords:

Candidate | Governor | Politics | Philanderer | Campaign Manager

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

John Travolta	...	Governor Jack Stanton
Emma Thompson	...	Susan Stanton
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Richard Jemmons
Kathy Bates	...	Libby Holden
Adrian Lester	...	Henry Burton
Maura Tierney	...	Daisy Green
Larry Hagman	...	Gov. Fred Picker
Diane Ladd	...	Mamma Stanton
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Howard Ferguson
Rebecca Walker	...	March
Caroline Aaron	...	Lucille Kaufman
Tommy Hollis	...	William McCullison (Fat Willie)
Rob Reiner	...	Izzy Rosenblatt
Ben Jones	...	Arlen Sporken
J.C. Quinn	...	Uncle Charlie

Also Known As:

Mit aller Macht (Germany)
Perfect Couple (Japan: English title)
Primary Colors (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and sexual references.

Runtime:

143 min

Country:

France | UK | Germany | USA | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS | DTS-Stereo

Certification:

Denmark:7 | Australia:M (re-rating after appeal) | Australia:MA (original rating) | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:13 | Finland:K-3 (new rating: 2001) | Argentina:13 | Belgium:KT | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Award Entertainment

Trivia:

The lead was originally offered to Tom Hanks, who turned it down because of his friendship with then-President 'Bill Clinton'.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Norman Asher suggests going on talk shows, his lips say, "Oprah," but the soundtrack says, "Montel."

Quotes:

Richard Jemmons: I'm blacker than you are. I got some slave in me, I can feel it.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Sudden Impact (1983)

Soundtrack:

Over There

Primary Flaws: A Modern Tragedy

As (I think it was) Yogi Berra said, "It's deja vu all over again!" On this, the weekend after the release of the Starr report, the movie rings so true. Travolta was great in por- traying the manic pathology of Stanton/Clinton.

And of course, Kathy Bates was superb as Libby, who in the end was unable to reconcile her loyalty to Stanton with her loyalty to the truth. If Stanton was flawed by his weakness of the flesh, Libby was flawed by her strength - by her inability to give up the best part of herself to the moral malaise that so pervaded the Stanton candidacy.

How ironic that the film ends with the inauguration ball, with Stanton and wife whirling in triumph across the ballroom floor, without a hint of what was to come... I have seen this film labeled a comedy. I cannot see it as anything other than a tragedy, in the Greek sense - a man who with the best of in- tentions, but whose flaws finally undo him.