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CLASSIC WATCH

Movie: All the President’s Men (1976)

Cast: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards

The film begins with a completely white screen; suddenly the words “July 1st, 1972” appears boldly as if being typed on to the screen. “All the President’s Men” is a perfect example of intense political drama and good journalism. Not many movies have been made in this genre and it is really good.

Plot

The movie deals with the infamous Watergate Scandal of 1972 which led to the resignation of the then-American President Richard Nixon. The story covers the lives of two upcoming journalists — Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) of the Washington Post — who uncovered this scandal. What begins as a case of arrest of five burglars trying to bug the National Democratic Committee Headquarters at Watergate complex deepens into a larger web of deceit and conspiracy, all this in the midst of the Republican Party’s campaign to re-elect Nixon. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman are a treat to watch and the film also gives an outline of how journalism works in the United States. It is to be noted that Woodward and Bernstein shared a Pulitzer for their groundbreaking work. The film was directed by Alan. J. Pakula known for his conspiracy movies like “The Parallax View” (1974) and “The Pelican Brief” (1993) and adapted to screen by the legendary William Goldman (“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, “Marathon Man”) from the book written by Bernstein and Woodward.

Miss at the awards

Jason Robards who essayed the role of Editor Ben Bradley won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. But it’s a pity the movie didn’t make it in the best film category (it lost to “Rocky”). One of the enduring works that still remains a must watch. 

ANIRUDDH, Sairam Engineering College, Chennai

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