Realistic and captivating, All The President’s Men covers a literal hunt for the truth after five men are arrested for breaking into the Watergate complex during the Nixon era.
I watched the movie Nixon recently, and I really enjoyed it, but when I was finished, I still had questions about the specifics of the Watergate break-in and how Nixon was involved. What better way to get my questions answered than to watch THE movie about the story. And I know that this was released in 1976, but I had never gotten around to watching it.
All The President’s Men begins with the burglary at the Watergate complex, where five men are arrested. Bob Woodward of The Washington Post is assigned to go to the courthouse and cover the trivial story. Noticing that these men seem to have a high powered attorney and connections with the CIA, he feels that there is more to this siyuation. Soon, he and Carl Bernstein, another reporter at the paper, are assigned to dig into what is happening, and slowly, they unleash an unbelievable web of lies, payoffs, and connections.
Like me, you may be familiar with Woodward and Bernstein from their appearances on new shows now. They are extremely well-respected older gentlemen who have rich histories as reporters and authors, having written many books and countless articles. So seeing them portrayed as bright new reporters here is pretty cool.
Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman are excellent as the excited young men. Every new tip brings a flurry of conversation and movement – and there are so many tiny moments that make this feel real. For example, in one scene, Hoffman is smoking, and Redford reaches towards him to instinctively brush something away while they are sitting with their editor. Plus, they are constantly talking over each other and building on the last words the other would say.
There is some gorgeous cinematography in this film, with lots of extended shots in the newsroom as well as “Deep Throat” being partially cloaked in the darkness of an empty parking garage. The opening and closing scenes are also exciting bookends, with the first thing you hear being what sounds like gun shots, but it’s only a typewriter. You then conclude with Nixon’s inauguration, at which there are gun shots, and Woodward and Bernstein typing on their typewriters. It’s lovely.
Also, look for a few entertaining facts that help you focus on how heavily dated this time period is. Other than the fabulous clothes and hair styles, the design of the Burger King containers are very 70s and every single person answers their telephone and opens the door for strangers. Think about that for a moment.
Along with real footage from the news media and newspapers of the time, All The President’s Men does a fantastic job of helping you experience the fear and anxiety around the unknowingness of the time as well as the subtle threats all of the office laypeople just doing their jobs must have encountered. It also, finally, helped me answer my questions about Watergate.
Runtime: 138 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I watched the movie Nixon recently, and I really enjoyed it, but when I was finished, I still had questions about the specifics of the Watergate break-in and how Nixon was involved. What better way to get my questions answered than to watch THE movie about the story. And I know that this was released in 1976, but I had never gotten around to watching it.
