Season Of The Flicks - All The President's Men review

Season of the Flicks

With the spring fantasy season in full bloom, the movie industry is booming with a profusion of new flicks hitting the mass entertainment market. Local theatres are having a field day with all the heavy action on the screen, and the Sun sent out its force of eye-level observors to give you a few brief views of what's happening in this over-hyped artistic arena. Their reports follow, in no particular order, for your amusement and possible edification.

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN
By David Fenton

The scene is a Washington, D.C., courtroom. Standing before the judge, five men charged with second degree burglary are asked their names and occupation.

"Bernard Barker. Anti-communist."

"James McCord. Central Intelligence Agency."

Washington Post cub reporter Bob Woodward's mouth drops. Called to cover a routine breaking and entering, Woodward has stumbled onto the journalistic coup of the decade – the toppling of Richard Nixon through the process of investigative Journalism.

It is this process which is the star of the very fine movie "All the President's Men," a meticulously accurate recounting of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's reporting job.

The faithfulness of the representation and the lack of emotional/sensational distortions typical of Hollywood is the lifeblood of the movie. We are not treated to Redford and Hoffman cavorting in romance on the side or playing cops and robbers. Instead the suspense builds as we watch the two start from minute detail, search out leads, thrust themselves into the homes of CREEP secretaries and battle it out with Post editors, making the movie a 150-minute spellbinder.

The film brings the cast of Watergate characters to life in a manner far more penetrating than that assumed by the mass media at the time. John Mitchell screams "Jesus. Jesus. Tell [Washington Post Publisher] Katherine Graham if that story runs her tit will get caught in a ringer.” CREEP secretaries warn "Woodstein" they're being watched while trembling in fear. Nixon Communications Director, Ken Clawson calls Post Editor Ben Bradlee (well portrayed by Jason Robards) to beg him not to reveal that Clawson was at

continued on page 17

ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN

continued from page 13

a lover's home because "I have a wife and a family and a dog and a cat . . ."

Robert Redford, the film's producer, obviously intended "Men" to intersect with the '76 Presidential campaign, especially through the use of historical news footage. We see Gerald Ford officiating at Nixon's nomination, McGovern backing Eagleton "1000%" as Woodstein uncovers the covert disruption of the Democratic primaries. History is sorely lacking from the mass media; this film is a welcome relief. (Ford is now "upset" over the inclusion of his segment. Guess it didn't really happen, right Jerry?).

The film narrows in on the uncovering of corruption in the Nixon White House, yet it fails to examine the political origins of the dishonesty and its replication of standard business and government practice in America. Nixon, after all, just got caught. The film's glorification of the newspaper industry also goes beyond what would be perceived from its pallid daily offerings.

Still, you have to hand it to Redford and the rest. The movie could have been about as intriguing as last night's sitcom on tv. The proceeds from each opening night didn't have to go to public-interest and anti-nuclear power groups. In the cash-oriented world of mass Communications, such sincerity is a welcome development.