Author Topic: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents  (Read 2576 times)

1SO

  • FAB
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 36129
  • Marathon Man
Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« on: September 18, 2014, 10:33:14 PM »
Doing research for an upcoming project. Looking for worthwhile portrayals of U.S. Presidents.

1. They have to be actual U.S. Presidents who actually may have been involved in the events portrayed. In other words, no science fiction. No Air Force One. No X-Men. No Superman II. I would even say no Primary Colors.
2. The film doesn't have to take place during the persons Presidency. So Young Mr. Lincoln is definitely in, as is Lincoln and Abe Lincoln of Illinois.
3. The President doesn't need to be the central character. So John Adams is a great choice for Adams, but also worth considering for George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. However, he should play a part in the drama of the film. So, The Missiles of October or Thirteen Days is great, but JFK is iffy.
4. I'm fine with TV Movies, Mini-series and foreign language films, but I'm trying to stay away from documentaries.

Thank you for your help.

Junior

  • Bert Macklin, FBI
  • Global Moderator
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 28709
  • What's the rumpus?
    • Benefits of a Classical Education
Re: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2014, 12:23:05 AM »
You're saying no Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, then? Horse throwing!

1776 is an obvious choice. Kevin Kline as Grant in Wild Wild West? Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt in the Night at the Museum movies? Ossie Davis as JFK in Bubba Ho-Tep? These are all sci-fi...

On a more serious note, I did kind of like The Special Relationship. It's like a sequel to The Queen, or something. I also kinda liked W. That's all I got, beyond Young Mr. Lincoln, which is fantastic.
Check out my blog of many topics

“I’m not a quitter, Kimmy! I watched Interstellar all the way to the end!”

don s.

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2025
  • You had me at "Hello, here's $50."
    • my movie collection
Re: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2014, 09:27:27 PM »
I've never seen it, but Amistad features two presidents: John Quincy Adams and Martin Van Buren. And there's an old Joan Crawford movie called The Gorgeous Hussy that features Andrew Jackson. So that covers the presidents from 1825-41.
My TV ain't HD / that's too real

Teal | Green | Lime Green | Orange | Red

1SO

  • FAB
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 36129
  • Marathon Man
Re: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2014, 11:27:45 PM »
Looks like this is as difficult as I feared. I thought there'd be at least one recommendable, serious film about Teddy Roosevelt. I remember a good miniseries about FDR, but I can't find it. I used to own a movie about LBJ starring Randy Quaid. I also remember Gary Sinise in Truman, but I don't know if anyone recommends it.

Thanks don, I forgot about Amistad.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2014, 11:57:16 PM by 1SO »

heisenbergman

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 643
  • Hey.
Re: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2014, 11:58:19 PM »
Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincon in Lincon and Frank Langella as Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon are the two that come to mind easily.

don s.

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2025
  • You had me at "Hello, here's $50."
    • my movie collection
Re: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2014, 02:01:05 PM »
I remember a good miniseries about FDR, but I can't find it.

"Eleanor and Franklin," perhaps? Mid-1970s. Jane Alexander and Edward Herrmann starred. I note that Herrmann was tapped to provide the voice of FDR in the recent Ken Burns documentary. Damn, 40 years later and still typecast!
My TV ain't HD / that's too real

Teal | Green | Lime Green | Orange | Red

Antares

  • Godfather
  • *****
  • Posts: 5013
Re: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2019, 06:00:20 PM »
I must have been on one of my sabbaticals when you created this thread Chuck. Have you ever seen the PBS mini-series The Adams Chronicles? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073952/

Not only do you get John, but also John Quincy's story too. The first 6 episodes deal with those two presidents.
Masterpiece (100-91) | Classic (90-80) | Entertaining (79-69) | Mediocre (68-58) | Cinemuck (57-21) | Crap (20-0)

1SO

  • FAB
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 36129
  • Marathon Man
Re: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2019, 10:26:41 PM »
I've never even heard of that one. I've had The Roosevelts: An Intimate History on my radar, but it's hard for me to get fired up for a documentary mini-series.

This is a good place to link to my review of Tennessee Johnson with Van Heflin as President Andrew Johnson.

Antares

  • Godfather
  • *****
  • Posts: 5013
Re: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2019, 01:23:45 PM »
You should try and find it, the first 6 episodes are very good. Once you get past John Quincy Adams, it kind of loses steam.
Masterpiece (100-91) | Classic (90-80) | Entertaining (79-69) | Mediocre (68-58) | Cinemuck (57-21) | Crap (20-0)

philip918

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4580
Re: Top 5 Portrayals of U.S. Presidents
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2019, 03:22:57 PM »
Have a feeling DiCaprio will make a pretty good Teddy Roosevelt if the Scorsese pic happens.