Fun films with a presidential theme
By Barb Pert Templeton
For many just the thought of politics can bring on the yawns so as the 2025 Presidential Inauguration Day looms, on Monday, Jan. 20, maybe movies about the White House crowd that are humorous are in order.
Sure, there have been some epic films produced about real-life commander n chiefs like ‘JFK’ by Oliver North and ‘Lincoln’ my Steven Spielberg that are worth watching. Or if lots of action and excitement are preferred there’s ‘In the Line of Fire” with Clint Eastwood as a secret service agent trying to save the president from an assassination.
Still amid the wide variety of films with a presidential flare, my preference remains those that are comedic, light hearted and offer a look inside the White House life style minus a heavy storyline.
Here are my casual and humorous picks:
The cover for the box of the film “The American President” shows off stars Michael Douglas and Anette Bening.
The American President – 1995 Director Rob Reiner
Storyline: Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) is the widowed U.S. President and Syndey Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) a lobbyist who meet under not so ideal circumstances. As they develop a relationship, which isn’t without its hitches, Shepherd’s popularity for a second term begins to wane when his opponent uses his new love story to attack him which props a dip in the post-election polls. The star-studded cast also includes Martin Sheen as the White House Press Secretary A.J. MacInerney, Michael J. Fox as Lewis Rothchild, a speechwriter for the president and Richard Dreyfuss as the president’s political rival.
Behind the Scenes:
· Director Rob Reiner spent two days at the White House with President Bill Clinton following him around as he went through his day in preparation for filming.
· The lead role with Michael Douglas was originally meant for Robert Redford, who co-produced the film, but he was replaced after an argument with Rob Reiner. He was still one of the producers of the film.
· The phone number given to Syndey so she can call the president is the actual number to the White House. It was 456-1414 with the area code 202.
Movie Quote: “Lewis, we’ve had presidents who were beloved, who couldn’t find a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight. People don’t drink the sand because
they’re thirsty. They drink the sand because they don’t know the difference.” President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas).
Dave – 1993 – Director Ivan Reitman
The film “Dave” had Kevin Kline standing-in for the U.S. President after he suffered a stroke.
Storyline: The current President of the United States Bill Mitchell is a detached philanderer who utilizes a regular guy who happens to look just like him, Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline), to fill in when he’s out and about. As Dave is filling in for him one day, not something he’s happy about, Mitchell has a massive stroke and the look alike must stay in place to keep things calm in the country. Dave starts to enjoy his role as the leader of the free world while winning the hearts of Americans and falls in love with the first lady, Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver) along the way too.
Behind the Scenes:
· Kevin Kline got the role after Kevin Costner and Warren Beatty turned it down.
· Dave’s last name is Kovic, the same as Ron Kovic, the Vietnam veteran who became an anti-war activist and was the subject of the film Born on the Fourth of July.
· Many Hollywood personalities, U.S. Congressmen, and political commentators appeared in this movie as themselves.
Movie Quote: “I think there are certain things you should expect from your president. I had to care more about you than I do about me. I had to care more about what’s right than I do about what’s popular.” Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline).
My Fellow Americans – 1996 – Director Peter Segal
This film is a rollicking farce that has two popular actors, Jack Lemon and James Garner, teaming up despite their political differences and disdain for one another.
Storyline: Two former presidents, Russell P. Kramer (Jack Lemon) and Matt Douglas (James Garner) who were rivals and at different ends of the political spectrum team-up to save their reputations being trashed by the current president. In a comic farce they travel across the country hiding from the secret service and meeting up with a variety of characters and end up marching in a gay pride parade.
Behind the Scenes:
· Except for one brief horse-riding scene, Jack Lemon did all of his own stunts for this movie. · The film cast includes one Oscar winner: Jack Lemmon; and three Oscar nominees: James Garner, Dan Aykroyd, and Lauren Bacall.
· The train used in the movie is a functioning tourist train located outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
Movie Quote: “Let’s stop talking. We’re about to bond. It’ll make me vomit.” Matt Douglas (James Garner).
