All the President’s men (1976)
The loud and unmistakeable clacking of a typewriter sinks its teeth into paper and audience in this wonderful movie’s opening scene. We see some real footage of the veritable pageant surrounding Richard Nixon’s confident acceptance of the Republican Party nomination for the 1974 presidential race, which hints at this story’s ultimate result. The camera pauses briefly, looks on and as if playing the part of history silently pans out from the television.
Richard Nixon is however, a bit player in Alan J.Pakula’s “All the President’s men”, which I recently saw for the first time in an age. The story focuses on the partnership of journalists Bob Woodward (Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Hoffman) and their efforts to uncover what turned out to be the biggest political scandal of 20th century American politics.
Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffmann are actors at the top of their profession here. Playing the roles of the Washington Post’s most (in) famous hacks in a beautifully understated fashion.
There is little sentiment in their relationship, which could inevitably lead to a degree of macho-coolness. However, neither actor allows himself become overly slick, meaning the movie stays centred on the story and not the stars.
The monumentality of that story is alluded to in a scene close to the start of the movie when Woodward and Bernstein find themselves working through a mass of library cards in search of a lead.
We see an overhead shot of the two as they begin their task. The camera gradually pulls up towards the ceiling revealing the huge ornate floor of the central library. There, just as the Woodstein partnership begins, the pattern on the floor reminds the audience of the maze of intrigue and danger awaiting the reporters.
On this occasion music is used to amplify their isolation. In general, however, Pakula deliberately allows the noisy and bright newsroom of the Washington Post to contrast with the dark and quiet scenes in which the journalists meet their understandably nervous sources.
Music, although understated, is again used on each of the occasions Woodward goes to meet his mysterious contact “Deep throat”. Added tension is subtly created by the odd bang and clatter amongst the shadows of the stark and echoey car park, where Woodward discusses the crumbs of information he has with the phantom that many have seen as the key to this whole story.
“Deep throat’s” part, however, is justifiably overshadowed by the work of the journalists. They move from contact to contact, often hitting dead ends but are stirred by their conviction and the support of their editor Ben Bradlee, played in Oscar winning fashion by Jason Robards.
After a series of perceived breakthroughs and definite failures their moment comes and the dominoes start to fall.
We go back to the clacking typewriter, which confirms what we already know and the movie ends with a single shot.
In the foreground we see a television on which a re elected Nixon accepts his latest appointment while in the background the focussed journalists load guns with their fingertips.
We see guns fire into the air celebrating Nixon’s return but so clearly symbolising his downfall. Woodward and Bernstein remain focused on the story while history looks on.
