MichaelBA

I know this is an extremely delicate subject on HTF, so if this thread needs to be closed before it's even open, I completely understand.

But I will try to word my question carefully:

What films depict politicians or politics in a wholly or even mostly "positive" light?

Lots of negative depictions of both, veering from total corruption of the system and those participating in it to maybe at best showing a few singularly exceptional untainted individuals, e.g., Lincoln in YOUNG LINCOLN or only perhaps the Founding Fathers in 1776.

I think a television program like THE WEST WING shows politics and politicians, overall, quite positively.

Any films that do that?

He's got the bit between his teeth... all right!

Matt Czyz

Shouldn't this be in the "Movies" forum?

Thommy...M

DAVE starring Kevin Kline portrays a politician the way a politician should be.

MattHR

TEAM AMERICA. (Just kidding, but I still love it!)

Good question. It should be able to be discussed as long as the focus stays on the films, without member's injecting their own politics...which would lead to other members' attacks...which would lead to your thread being shut down.

I would also be interested in seeing some suggestions. Although, Hollywood movies about politics without politics wouldn't be very...well,..."Hollywood"...if you know what I mean.

MichaelBA

TEAM AMERICA! That's great!

I don't think DAVE qualifies because there's too much overall corruption of the political system and the political players, with only a good and pure outsider, non-politician able to set things straight for the good and pure, but previously shunted aside, vice-president.

But this thread should have been in Movies.

Sorry!:b

He's got the bit between his teeth... all right!

Paul McElligott

The American President was a fairly positive film, with the same sort of idealized President that Martin Sheen plays in The West Wing.

Jesse Blough

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

MattHR

Within this discussion, could we could also include suggestions for movies that take shots at politicians in general, for laughs, without taking sides or making statements? Eddie Murphy's THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN came to mind, but there are countless others. No doubt this list would be much longer.

Jeff Gatie

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, of course. The dramatization of the Cuban Missle Crisis - Thirteen Days.

george kaplan

Air Force One - not a political movie per se, but showing the president and vp in a very positive light.

Seven Days in May - positive portrayal of the president and other politicians, though a negative portrayal of a general wanting to be president.

"Movies should be like amusement parks. People should go to them to have fun." - Billy Wilder

"Subtitles good. Hollywood bad." - Tarzan, Sight & Sound 2012 voter.

"My films are not slices of life, they are pieces of cake." - Alfred Hitchcock

"My great humility is just one of the many reasons that I am vastly superior to everyone else." - Ramrod Clerk