Episode Information

WWL: Presidential Movies
Where We Live - with John Dankosky
Aired:
01/16/2009
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In this episode:

Freezing temperatures and an upcoming inauguration--a perfect excuse to stay in and watch movies about presidents.

 

Host:
John Dankosky
Guest(s):
Contributor(s):
Libby Conn
Episode Audio

49:00 minutes (23.53 MB)
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Next Tuesday, Barack Obama becomes the 44th president of the United States and maybe, a few years from now, some movies will be made about his story. 

The Presidency has prompted some of Hollywood's best - and most overblown movies but either way, the way we portray our leaders on film can tell us a lot about our mood as a nation.

Today on Where We Live, our movie guru Hank Paper of Best Video in Hamden, joins us - to talk about some of his favorite Presidential movies. Making the cut are classics and thrillers, as well as romantic comedies, starring everyone from Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn to Dustin Hoffman and Annette Benning.

From Old Blue Eyes to Deep Throat, to why we should stop worrying and love the bomb - we'll be going through our favorites, and we'd love to hear yours.  Leave your Comments below.

Hank's Top Ten:

Fail Safe

Dr. Strangelove

Seven Days in May

Gaurding Tess

Nixon

All the President's Men

The American President

State of the Union

Warm Springs

The Manchurian Candidate

 

Let us know--are we forgetting your favorite?  Leave your comments below.


 
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On the comedic side, a great

Submitted by Eileen (not verified) on January 16, 2009 - 9:46pm.

On the comedic side, a great president movie is "Dave" starring Kevin Kline who plays a man who looks identical to the sitting president and "subs" in for the president when he has a stroke at an inopportune time. 

Listener email from Robin

Submitted by lconn on January 16, 2009 - 11:56am.

My favorite presidential campaign movie is State of the Union with, of course, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn where she reminds him he's too ethical to finish out the campaign!

Listener email frm Bryan.

Submitted by lconn on January 16, 2009 - 11:55am.

An implausible one, but a great soundtrack and some very funny moments is My Fellow Americans with Jack Lemmon, 'Maverick', Dan Ackroyd and Ben Kingsle--all portray a President.

Listener email from Helder

Submitted by lconn on January 16, 2009 - 11:54am.

I came late to the show, but just in time as you were discussing one of the greatest movies ever, DR. STRANGELOVE. While I wouldn't want that man as president, Sellars as the president was an amazing performance. To this day, nothing can entertain me as much as his phone call to the Russian Premier...

"Hello, Dmitri..."

Listener email from Colin

Submitted by lconn on January 16, 2009 - 11:53am.
You may have already covered this but Cherry Jones makes an interesting president on 24. I believe her name is Alison Taylor.  24 is always kind of ahead of the curve and, in this case, Jone has a stilted crispness that seems more than faintly modeled on Hillary Clinton.The best woman president is Mary McDonnell as the president of the human race on Battlestar Galactica where she combines humanity and ruthlessness in an irresistable package.

Comment from Bruce Barber on Facebook

Submitted by lconn on January 16, 2009 - 11:49am.

In the "Documentary" category - DA Pennebaker's "The War Room" and Andrea Pelosi's "Journeys With George".