IMDb > Primary Colors (1998)
Primary Colors
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Primary Colors (1998) More at IMDbPro »

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Primary Colors (1998) -- US Theatrical Trailer from Universal
Primary Colors (1998) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   14,658 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 5% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Joe Klein (novel)
Elaine May (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Primary Colors on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 March 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
What went down on the way to the top. more
Plot:
A man joins the political campaign of a smooth-operator candidate for president of the USA. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 15 nominations more
User Comments:
Much better than I was expecting more (144 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Mit aller Macht (Germany)
Perfect Couple (Japan: English title)
Primary Colors (France)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for strong language and sexual references.
Runtime:
143 min
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This film was the opening film of the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. more
Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: During Thanksgiving at Jack's home, his mother asks everyone to sing "You Are My Sunshine" "in honor of all the southern governors" but her mouth says something completely different. more
Quotes:
Richard Jemmons: I'm blacker than you are. I got some slave in me, I can feel it. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
ON THE ROAD AGAIN more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
20 out of 24 people found the following comment useful.
Much better than I was expecting, 17 February 1999

I thought "Primary Colors" (1998:***) was pretty good. It appears to be a lot easier on "Jack Stanton," the Clinton surrogate played by John Travolta, than the book reportedly was. The movie presents "Stanton" as flawed but essentially decent (at least as decent as any politician running for high office can be). Travolta's imitation of Clinton is OK for a "Saturday Night Live" sketch, but it sometimes gets in the way of his performance over the 2-1/2 hour length of the film. However, he's often effective, and Emma Thompson is first-rate as "Susan Stanton", by turns pragmatically worldly-wise and fiercely supportive. Actually, the focal point of the film is not that of the Stantons but the young, black grandson of a highly regarded civil rights leader, who gets sucked into Stanton's roller-coaster campaign and has his idealism sorely tested. He's well-played by an actor named Adrian Lester. There are also great turns by Kathy Bates, Larry Hagman and Billy Bob Thornton, among many others.

For me, the only big drawback of the picture was the melodramatic suicide of a key player in the drama (I won't say who). I thought it was something this particular character would never do. Otherwise, "Colors" is absorbing and funny and moving nearly all the way. Good moment: The Stantons do a "60 Minutes"-like reaffirmation of their marriage, but as soon as the cameras are turned off, she yanks her hand out of his in a flash.

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the 2008 primaries could make a great sequel caramind93
Why did Daisy leave the campaign? eYeDEF
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