Movies About American Politics

From Frank Capra, starring James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold
Rated Passed

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a 1939 classic comedy-drama directed by Frank Capra. The movie follows Jefferson Smith (played by James Stewart), a naive and idealistic man who is appointed to fill a vacant seat in the US Senate. Upon his arrival in Washington DC, Smith quickly finds himself in the middle of a political scandal involving corrupt senators who are trying to profit from a dam-building project. Smith courageously attempts to expose the corruption and protect the project, but his efforts are met with strong opposition from the other senators and the media. Despite the pressure, Smith perseveres and eventually succeeds in bringing the truth to light. In doing so, he proves what can be achieved by integrity, courage, and tenacity.

From Alan J. Pakula, starring Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam
Rated PG

All the President's Men is a 1976 political thriller directed by Alan J. Pakula. It is based on the 1974 book of the same name by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward and stars Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as Woodward and Bernstein, respectively. The film follows the two Washington Post reporters as they investigate the Watergate scandal involving President Richard Nixon, and their resulting discoveries that lead to the resignation of the President. The film was a critical and commercial success, and won four Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay. It is often seen as the definitive cinematic portrait of the Watergate scandal, and is considered one of the greatest films of all time.

From Ron Howard, starring Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell
Rated R

Frost/Nixon is a 2008 drama directed by Ron Howard and based on the 2006 play of the same name by Peter Morgan. The film stars Frank Langella and Michael Sheen as former President Richard Nixon and British talk-show host David Frost, respectively. The film chronicles the 1977 post-presidential televised interviews between Frost and Nixon that marked the beginning of a public rehabilitation of the former president's image. Frost attempts to get Nixon to apologize for his role in the Watergate scandal, while Nixon refuses to do so. The interviews get increasingly heated and intense, as Frost and his team dig deeper into Nixon's past, exposing his lies and cover-ups. In the end, both men are changed by the experience.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jim Broadbent
Rated R

Gangs of New York is a 2002 American epic period drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. Set in the mid-19th century in the Five Points district of New York City, the film tells the story of an Irish-American street gang and its struggles against a rival nativist gang, set against the backdrop of the Civil War. The leading characters are Amsterdam Vallon, the son of a slain gang leader, and Bill the Butcher, the leader of the nativist gang and Amsterdam's personal nemesis. Amsterdam seeks revenge against Bill for killing his father, and his struggle to gain power in the area leads to a climactic confrontation between the two gangs. The film also features Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, and Leonardo DiCaprio. The film won the Oscar for Best Cinematography and was nominated for several other awards.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Rated PG-13

From Mike Nichols, starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
Rated R

From Warren Beatty, starring Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, Kimberly Deauna Adams, Vinny Argiro
Rated R

From Oliver Stone, starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Ioan Gruffudd, Colin Hanks
Rated PG-13