The Celluloid President
We're presidential history buffs and former aides to top politicians, and we're here to discuss movies on American presidents. Each podcast focuses on what Hollywood is trying to tell us about America by using a president as a lead character. Join us for provocative insights, opinions and recommendations as we examine the celluloid president.
Episodes
27 episodes
Forrest Gump
Gary and Jim discuss the 1994 Tom Hanks film "Forrest Gump," which looks at the social history of the 1950's through the 1980's through the eyes of a low-IQ but wise soldier, runner, ping-pong player and all-around keen observer of human nature...
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1:02:59
Dennis Quaid in "Reagan"
Jim and Gary actually went to a couple of movie theaters to watch "Reagan," the new biopic of our 40th President. They use this episode to discuss the movie, their own personal experiences with Reagan, and a recent field trip they took to...
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1:15:31
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Talking With Ken Khachigian, a Top Nixon Aide and President Reagan's Favorite Speechwriter
Jim and Gary take a break from discussing movies and have a chat with Ken Khachigian, a former top aide to President Nixon and then President Reagan's favorite speechwriter. Ken has written a fascinating book called "Behind Closed Doors: ...
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1:04:52
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Gary and Jim talk about "Lee Daniels' The Butler," the slightly true story of a White House butler who served and interacted with eight U.S. presidents. The White House scenes are counterpointed by highlights from the real-life Civi Rights move...
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1:09:22
Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar
Jim and Gary discuss "J. Edgar," Clint Eastwood's 2011 biopic of J. Edgar Hoover, who was arguably the most powerful bureaucrat in history. Several American presidents feared him; others used him as an ally. The movie says a lot about the rise ...
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1:10:13
Jerry Seinfeld's "Unfrosted"
Jim and Gary discuss Jerry Seinfeld's homage to 1960s business and political culture, including his hilarious take on JFK. But do only Baby Boomers find this movie funny?
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1:05:39
Martin Scorcese's Killers of the Flower Moon
Jim and Gary discuss Martin Scorcese's epic movie about one of the most disturbing incidents in U.S. history -- the systematic murder of Osage Indians during the 1920's to steal their oil rights. And believe it or not, there is an appeara...
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1:20:41
Barbie
Jim and Gary don't agree about much when it comes to Barbie, except that people who criticize it for political reasons should get a life. Gary thought the movie had surprising philosophical depth and Jim just didn't like the execution.&nb...
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1:07:08
The Wind and The Lion
Jim and Gary take a look at the 1975 action/adventure movie "The Wind and the Lion," which stars Brian Keith as an overly energetic Theodore Roosevelt, Sean Connery as the last of the Barbary Pirates, and Candice Bergen as a kidnapped American ...
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1:04:34
Oppenheimer
When President Harry S Truman dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, thereby ending World War II, he was able to do so because J. Robert Oppenheimer had successfully led the effort to build it. In this episode Jim and Gary discuss Christopher Nolan'...
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1:15:04
The Celluloid Beatles
In advance of the 60th anniversary of the Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, Jim and Gary take a break from U.S. presidents to discuss movies by, for and about the Fab Four. And in the process they even discover a few connections...
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1:07:41
Stephen Spielberg's "Amistad"
With "Amistad," Steve Spielberg gives us two presidents for the price of one -- John Quincy Adams and Martin Van Buren, who battle over the fate of a group of kidnapped Africans that has revolted against their captors on the Amistad slave ship....
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1:12:40
All The President's Men
Gary and Jim discuss whether the producers of "All The President's Men" were justified in turning The Washington Post's Watergate coverage into a political thriller before deep-diving into the making of the film and questioning whether it...
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1:16:06
Oliver Stone's "JFK"
Jim and Gary don't see eye-to-eye on Oliver Stone's verdict on the Kennedy assassination, although they do agree that it is a masterpiece of movie making. They also reminisce about the time they visited Dealey Plaza, give some half-baked ...
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1:12:41
Selma
Gary and Jim discuss the movie "Selma," in which Martin Luther King manipulates President Lyndon Johnson into supporting the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The movie is a testament to the power of non-violent civil disobedience and the toll that it...
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1:11:28
Ron Howard's "Frost/Nixon"
Jim and Gary discuss Ron Howard's movie about the 1977 interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon. Did Nixon finally get the trial that the American people were denied or is that a lot of media hype?
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1:20:04
"Jefferson In Paris"
Gary and Jim wonder what in the world Merchant and Ivory were thinking when they made this movie and speculate if it could get them cancelled retroactively.
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1:15:35
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Darkest Hour
We take a look at Winston Churchill at the beginning of World War II. He's not an American president but he's half American and a great leader. In this movie he drinks a lot of brandy, takes a ride on the Tube, and saves Western Civilization.&n...
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1:06:42
Oliver Stone's "W"
Oliver Stone's "W" is a two for one opportunity, with two presidents in one movie: George W Bush and George H.W. Bush. Gary and Jim try to unpack their complicated feelings about the Bushes and discuss whether George W. Bush should have invaded...
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1:14:43
Mike Nichols' "Primary Colors"
Gary and Jim chew on Bill Clinton's character and talents when discussing "Primary Colors,' a highly fictionalized account of the 1992 Democratic primary race in which Clinton evades one trap after another of his own making. They wonder whether...
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1:12:49
Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove"
Jim and Gary discuss one of the greatest comedies ever made -- and that's not just their opinion. "Dr. Strangelove" is on The American Film Institute's list of 100 best films of all time. The film concerns the efforts of a fictional...
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1:16:33
Kevin Costner's "Thirteen Days"
Gary and Jim debate JFK's leadership during the Cuban Missile Crisis and bemoan Kevin Costner's bad Boston accent.
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1:06:34
Hyde Park on Hudson
Jim and Gary talk about the most famous hot dog in U.S. history and ponder how many mistresses FDR really had in this 2012 movie about our 32nd president, his good friend Daisy Suckley and the king and queen of the United Kingdom.
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1:19:17
