Being There

Hal Ashby (1979)

Peter Sellers stars in this biting satire as a dim-witted gardener mistaken for a political genius. As Chance is propelled into the White House, his senseless utterings are seized upon by those around him as proof of his profundity. It may be frighteningly easy for an idiot to become president, but as Chance would say “as long as the roots are not severed all will be well in the garden.”

JFK

Oliver Stone (1991)

JFK may have only recouped a third of its production costs at the box office, but it made up for it in notoriety. Stone’s re-examination of the John F Kennedy assassination sees Kevin Costner as a New Orleans district attorney determined to expose the truth. Was the director suckered by the conspiracies or blinded by the establishment? Stone’s interpretation garnered as many reactions as there are theories. JFK also stars Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon and Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald.

Nixon

Oliver Stone (1995/6 )

Anthony Hopkins explores the dark psyche of Richard Milhouse Nixon is Stone’s three hour plus bio-epic. From his stern Quaker childhood to his rise to power and disgrace following Watergate, America’s 37th president is portrayed as solitary, pained, paranoid and alcoholic - a figure to be pitied as much as despised.

Primary Colours

Mike Nichols (1998)

Nichols adaptation of the novel by Anomymous (later revealed to be Washington journalist Joe Klien) stars John Travolta as presidential candidate Jack Stanton. Loosely based on Bill Clinton’s early campaign, it follows the fortunes of charming adulterous Stanton and his put upon wife played by Emma Thompson.

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