Nixon

Unlike "JFK," in which director Oliver Stone was climbing uphill to convince a public that he was presenting the truth, "Nixon" opens with a disclaimer that this is a historical interpretation. This film admits it's not completely accurate, and it is ironic that the opening footage of a self-help video concludes by telling us that "nothing sells like sincerity," for it seems that that was a trait Richard Nixon could never convince the public he had. That, and honesty.

The film opens with a rainy zoom-in of the White House at the height of the Watergate scandal, and with its operatic score by John Williams, one gets the impression that a production of "Macbeth" is taking place--there are even crazy horses. Here in this White House is Richard Nixon (Anthony Hopkins), isolated, vulnerable, and drunk. If he is the traditional archetype of a tragic hero, then he is at his downfall, not yet to his redemptive stage, but we are now to view his humble beginnings, ambitious climb, and arrogant rule.

With Hopkins is a terrific cast: James Woods (H.R. Helderman), Joan Allen (Pat Nixon), J.T. Walsh (John Ehrlichman), Bob Hoskins (J. Edgar Hoover), Powers Booth (Alexander Haig), E.G. Marshall (in his last performance as John Mitchell) and others. Nixon in the movies has been a fascinating character: a bad guy you can't help but cheer and root for, and his failure feels like our failures. "When they look at you, they see what they want to be," he says to a portrait of Kennedy. "When they look at me, they see what they are." He's arrogant, telling a campaign donor that his "friends call me Mr. President." He's humble, breaking down, not understanding why he has done what the people wanted--peace with Russia, opening China, and ending Vietnam--and yet they still hate him.

There's frequent Oliver Stone traits--black-and-white cinematography, archival footage, rapid dialogue, cursing, and controversy. He wants to cover every topic of the Nixon legacy--his dismal debate performance against JFK, his assurance that the press "won't have Nixon to kick around anymore," Vietnam and Watergate. It's as if Stone wants to cover every aspect of the Nixon mythology and then speculate some. There are even little "wink-wink" references to the Kennedy assassination and conspiracy, with Williams' military drum tap. There are too many unnecessary scenes of Nixon's childhood and his fights with the CIA (originally taken out but put back into the Director's Cut). It's too theatrical--to the point where it's hyperbolic--and Stone is having way too much fun in the editing room; this is more "Natural Born Killers" than it is "JFK," playing like an experimental college film. Stone has fallen for one of the greatest mistakes a director can make: trying too hard.

The Watergate scenes are where the silliness reaches its highest. Stone has not moderated Hopkins' rapid flapping about of his arms, and Nixon's odd grin becomes snakelike, morphing the character into Hannibal Lector. Throughout most of the film, Hopkins does not look or sound much like Nixon. But Paul Sorvino is very good, sounding and looking exactly like Kissinger.

The American public seems to view their presidents as mythological figures. Some were insecure and some were supremely confident. Some were cool, and some were a bit dorky. One was a peanut farmer, another was an actor, and another had virtually every job in Washington. And some were perfectly villainous. "Nixon" is Shakespearean, but that doesn't automatically make it good. LBJ had the Great Society, but he also had Vietnam. Nixon had Vietnam, but he also had Watergate. Stone had "JFK," but he also had "Nixon."