In the history of cinema, certain filmmakers have provided audiences with films centering around presidential elections, whether they are true or untrue in reality. With Election Day underway, let’s look at a few of the best films covering a stressful day on the U.S. calendar.
“The Ides of March” (2011)
George Clooney stars as Gov. Mike Morris alongside Ryan Gosling in Clooney’s feature, “The Ides of March.” Gosling plays Morris’ idealistic press secretary, Stephen Meyers. Stephen believes in Morris’ integrity and the whole democratic process. After meeting with a campaign manager for the opposing candidate and a dalliance with a young female intern, Stephen’s perception of Morris changes in the worst way possible.
“The Ides of March” has a good leading man in Gosling’s Stephen and is the perfect modern film about a shady politician at odds on what to do next.
The film is easily one of Clooney’s better films, and it features one of Gosling's more underrated performances. There are plenty of films about corrupt political figures, but this one tells the story in a novel way and keeps people on the edge of their seats.
“All the President’s Men” (1976)
Who knew making a film about a pair of young journalists using their skills in order to take down the president would result in a classic film? The late Alan J. Pakula did, and he, along with Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, created a great film due to its timeliness and presentation of the subject matter.
The film is based off of the book of the same name by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. In 1972, the two journalists gathered information about the Watergate Scandal, which led to one of the biggest and most shocking discoveries in U.S. history.
The film is simply fantastic, and no other duo could play Woodward and Bernstein better than Redford and Hoffman, respectively. The duo embodies the hard-nosed nature of the real Woodward and Bernstein.
The film is classic in all the best ways, and it is a cornerstone for why films in the 1970s will always be awesome.
“The Manchurian Candidate” (1962)
From the mind of John Frankenheimer comes perhaps one of the most tense political thrillers of all time in “The Manchurian Candidate.” The film follows a platoon of U.S. soldiers captured by communists before they are brainwashed, following the end of the Korean War.
The platoon is then returned home. Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) is praised by many for being a hero and saving his platoon while the platoon commander, Major Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra) begins to experience bizarre nightmares on the race to uncover a horrible plot.
“The Manchurian Candidate” is an unexpected film for U.S. audiences for its time. It is a very effective, clever and intense political thriller, and viewers unaware of its existence should definitely give it the flowers it deserves.
There are other films covering elections, and these three films are only a small sample of an abundance of political-themed movies.
