President Nixon Liked Movies --- Complete List Of Every Film He Saw As President (1 Viewer)

[Gordon McMurphy]

In January of 1943 Roosevelt showed Casablanca Churchill during their secret conference overlooking the actual Casablanca.

DeGaulle also showed Casablanca to his staff.

Eisenhower disliked Robert Mitchum. He is quoted as saying that this was because Mitchum "got tangled up with drugs" and that he would never watch a movie with him in it. A screening of a Mitchum Western was once arranged and as soon as Mitchum came on screen, Eisenhower walked out!

But he did enjoy The Bridge Over the River Kwai, High Noon, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Angels in the Outfield.

Kennedy didn't watch many movies but when Spartacus opened in 1961 the president requested a white House screening. But a 70mm projector was needed (the White House was equipped with a 35mm projector; strange, as Spartacus was shot in Technirama and anamorphic 35mm reductions were also released - maybe they had not been made yet). So Kennedy and some secret service goons headed on down to to local house of magic. On the way out of the theater Kennedy told the theater manager, "It was the best movie I have ever seen - better than Ben-Hur!". A reporter overheard this and ever since, any movie requested for viewing by a president is delivered to the White House by the MPAA with any customized projection equipment it may need. I believe the White House now has a 70mm projector.

Nixon did indeed love movies and Dark Victory (1939) was a one of his favourites. But Patton was his all-time favourite. He watched it the night before he ordered the secret bombing of Cambodia.

Reagan watched most of his movies at Camp David. He loved Hitchcock, apparently. He watched a lot of Westerns.

Clinton's favorite film is High Noon. He watched Enchanted April and Strictly Ballroom at the White House. Clinton kept up with the latest blockbusters: "We read the entertainment pages like everyone else and watch the hottest first-run films." Clinton is said to have loved Shine and Billy Bob Thornton's Slingblade who was also born in Arkansas.


Good thread!

Information from article by Paul Fischer, White House Projectionist (1953-1986) which appeared in Photoplay magazine.

There was an epic TV documentary based on Fisher's knowledge called All the Presidents' Movies: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0413671/
But I haven't seen it.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Interesting info Gordon!

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

The first film the current President screened was Thirteen Days! Eek! He also loves Field of Dreams (as do I) but Saving Private Ryan is his favourite film (I can't stand it!).

High Noon is actually the most-screened movie by U.S. Presidents. Ironically, all-American Hero, John Wayne called it the "most un-American thing I have ever seen in my life".

 

[David Von Pein]

Lots of interesting trivial tidbits there. Thanks Gordon.

Gordon, did that same article happen to confirm my earlier post -- re. JFK's last watched film being 1963's "Tom Jones"? Someone, above, seemed to think I had that wrong. Perhaps I do; but I'd heard that somewhere -- in fact, I believe that it's on a "Trivial Pursuit" card. "T.P." cards wouldn't have "bad data", now would they?? :frowning:

 

[RobertR]

So far no one has expressed envy at the fact that presidents had "home theaters" (using real film projectors!) decades before the average citizen could have such a thing. What a treat!

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Kennedy saw Tom Jones on Tuesday the 12th of November. He was a huge fan of Fleming's Bond novels (his championing of them made them best-sellers) and it is quite likely that he would have wanted to see From Russia with Love. Whether did or not is unknown.

 

[Seth Paxton]

I heard the current projectionist (or perhaps just retired) on the radio being interviewed a year or so ago. Nixon truly looked for inspiration from his films as did many presidents.

I think he mentioned that the moral code of John Ford and the Americanism of it were part of the appeal, which also applies to Patton. He screened some films pretty repeatedly, especially as the days became more stressful.

Didn't Nixon also do a lot of bowling, or is that something I've just made up in my head?


Anyway, I think there is a great point here on how important the film arts are to modern society. There is a connection to films, a presentation of morals and ideals, and an expression of emotion and thought that really connect across many social boundries. Film is a lot bigger than just "2 hours of escapism".

Its not just what we escape from but where we like to escape to that is telling. This is one reason why I love film study/theory.

 

[David Von Pein]

No, you haven't gone crazy. You didn't make it up.

Nixon was an avid bowler. There was a bowling alley right at the White House even.

Golly Neds, between bowling, 500+ movies, and bugging certain hotels, it's a wonder Mr. Nixon had time enough left to run the U.S. of A.




http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whoweare/ex...4/gmu/gmu5.htm

 

[Rob Tomlin]

He was also an avid golfer, and a very good one.

In fact, he once shot a 69! When he did that, he basically gave up golf, knowing that he would never be able to match that score again.

 

[Stephen*B]

An under rated President then? Read Stephen Ambrose second volume of Nixon's biography for the low-down on his rise from losing California's Govenorship in 1962, and being written off as a result, to his election as President in 1969. His appreciation of these movies points to that side of his character very strongly. There are obviously other sides to his character that contributed to his downfall, but even after his resignation he still sort-of redeemed himself as a statesman.

 

[SteveJKo]

There was never a second version of Midnight Cowboy. The film was simply given a new rating of "R" at it's rerelease.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Stephen, the point of the thread is the films that various presidents screened, not the political issues surrounding the 37th president. Stay out of that area (and reread the HTF posting guidelines). Thank you. (Also, Mr. Nixon was elected in 1968; he assumed office in 1969.)

 

[DavidPla]

According to the commentary on "Back to the Future", Ronald Reagan had a screening of said movie playing and when the scene where Doc questions Marty about who the President of the United States is in 1985 and responds with the line "Ronald Reagan... the actor?", Reagan laughed so hard that he asked to stop the movie and play the scene again.

 

[Stephen*B]

Jack, sorry.

I was speaking of an individual's character, not his politics.

I know he was elected in 1968, he assumed office in 1969.

I'll stick to movies next time.

Sorry once again.

 

[PatH]

I read somewhere that Kennedy did not see From Russia with Love, but that those members of his staff who weren't on the road with him for the Dallas trip screened it on the 21st and predicted that he would love it. Hard not to love it, as it's before Broccoli and co. screwed up the character . . . but that's another thread.

PatH