Friday, September 22, 2017

Advice and Dissent

I am getting kind of tired of films or TV shows being called topical, timely or prescient.Witness, for example, "The Handmaid's Tale" - the excellent Sci-Fi-ish dystopian series on Amazon. It is 'eerily prescient' if you are anti-Trump, and not, if you are not. And a lot of people are not.

So, while my way in to Advise and Consent would be to say, watching it I am reminded of the last decade or so of American politics, I refuse to call it timely, or eerily prescient. Well, it can't be because it was made a long time ago. What this outstanding Otto Preminger helmed political thriller is, is, well, outstanding.

Staring a virtual laundry list of A and B list American (and non American) actors -- which seems to be what Preminger could command -- the long-ish film concerns the confirmation hearings for a Secretary of State candidate (played with usual deft assurance by Henry Fonda), and attempts by both sides to play the politics in order to effect the outcome they desire. The screenplay by Wendell Mayes, based on a popular novel by Alan Drury, takes what could be a tiresome and overly complicated exercise and focuses on the people involved, not the politics. That, I think, is the starting point for why Advise and Consent is such and excellent genre film, along the lines of the under-appreciated "State of Play", the more thriller-ish "All the President's Men" and the outstanding, and of-a-kind Rod Lurie film "The Contender".

With so many cast members, it might be sufficient to just say everyone is excellent. Which they are. Standout performances from Fonda, Gene Tierney, and many others make this a master class of ensemble acting. But, as often happens in these types of films, the late, great Charles Laughton nearly steals the show as a cantankerous, crafty Senator from the South who clearly does not want Fonda's candidate -- from the opposing Party, natch - to be confirmed. When I watch Laughton perform, as I have often recently, I am reminded of how effortless his acting was. There is a long history of British Actors doing American parts and vice-versa (recent examples are plentiful) but seeing the same man who played English kings so expertly nail a the mannerisms, accent and general comportment of a mid-century Southern politico is a great pleasure.

The plot is probably not that important, as it primarily serves as a vehicle for the actors and actresses. The primary question is not, will Fonda's Secretary of State candidate be confirmed, but how low will both parties go to achieve their ends, and watching that evolve is one of the many pleasures of Advise and Consent. The location photography in Washington is remarkable, especially considering many of the scenes were shot in actual Senate chambers and offices. Perhaps that is (or was, then) more common than I am aware, but the verisimilitude lent is striking.

If you like political thrillers that don't lean Left or Right, just hew excellent, check this one out. On Amazon Prime the print and transfer to SD are excellent. The video quality is "DVD like" but on a good quality TV with a good sound system it is still a very satisfying experience.

Enjoy.