Who's Your Favorite Movie President? (Part I: Real-Life Portrayals)
We're getting ready to hold our own election here at Amazon, but there won't be any national conventions, mudslinging or even (gasp) hanging chads here. Nope, we're putting together our brackets for the ultimate showdown: Best President on DVD ever.
For our first bracket, portrayals of real-life presidents we need your help: Who would you nominate as a worthy candidate? The condition is the president has to have a major part of the movie or TV miniseries (no cameos or archive footage here). Here's our shortlist:
Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon in Nixon
Paul Giamatti as John Adams in John Adams
James Brolin as Ronald Reagan in The Reagans
Bruce Greenwood as JFK in Thirteen Days
Gary Sinise as Harry Truman in Truman
Michael Gambon as Lyndon B. Johnson in Path to War
Since we're focusing on movies that took place during the presidency, as opposed to before or after, the following were left off, but we could be talked into letting them back in:
Henry Fonda as Abe Lincoln in Young Mr. Lincoln
Nick Nolte as Thomas Jefferson in Jefferson in Paris
Kenneth Branagh as Franklin D. Roosevelt in Warm Springs
Tom Berenger as Teddy Roosevelt in Rough Riders
Give us your nominations; they may just make it to the final bracket. -- Ellen
Debora Louks on September 05, 2008 at 01:43 PM
Tom Berenger as Teddy Roosevelt! He was remarkable!
Sam on September 05, 2008 at 01:50 PM
Brian Keith as TR in The Wind and The Lion -- to my mind, an easy choice.
Eddie on September 05, 2008 at 01:58 PM
James Whitmore as Harry Truman in "Give em Hell Harry"
Cover Me, Porkins on September 05, 2008 at 01:59 PM
E.G. Marshall from Superman II.
Kidding, kidding.
chrisa798 on September 05, 2008 at 02:02 PM
Great thread. Very funny.
I mean what are the chances the guy playing Millard would be named Millard? That almost sounds made up.
Carol O'Connor played a great Cleveland? The mere idea is funny.
I agree with Ben, Dan Hedaya was the best Nixon--not even close, really.
I just hope Jolie doesn't end up playing Palin after she's done destroying Taggart.
Fûz on September 05, 2008 at 02:18 PM
Brian Keith as TR, the Wind and the Lion
LJC on September 05, 2008 at 02:20 PM
Someone has to mention Polly Bergen as POTUS in Kisses for My President, and John Lithgow doing that guy FDR in the TV movie about the Tehran conferance.
Joanna on September 05, 2008 at 02:20 PM
Kevin Kline in Dave (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0106673/). Whenever I'm channel surfing and come across that movie, I have to stop and watch.
Frank0234 on September 05, 2008 at 02:23 PM
David Morse as George Washington in the "John Adams" series. No actor ever has looked that believable as George Washington. In fact, he should come back with Washington series of his own.
Conrad Bibby on September 05, 2008 at 02:26 PM
Fred Thompson played U.S. Grant in "I Left My Heart at Wounded Knee" (HBO). Not that I'd vote for him as best movie president -- terrible casting decision!
I'd probably go with Bruce Greenwood as JFK.
Born Free on September 05, 2008 at 02:29 PM
Is it too early for nominating actors for their portrayals of fictional presidents?
Frederich March, as Jordan Lyman, "7 Days in May"
Henry Fonda, as The President, "Failsafe"
kem on September 05, 2008 at 02:39 PM
Brian Keith as TR or Garry Sinise as Truman
kem on September 05, 2008 at 02:39 PM
Brian Keith as TR or Garry Sinise as Truman
kem on September 05, 2008 at 02:39 PM
Brian Keith as TR or Garry Sinise as Truman
LJC on September 05, 2008 at 02:39 PM
Edward Hermann did FDR in Annie, and even sang Tomorrow with her. And way way back Van Heflin played Andrew Johnson in a real clunker called Tennessee Johnson, I saw a long time ago.
kem on September 05, 2008 at 02:39 PM
Brian Keith as TR or Garry Sinise as Truman
kem on September 05, 2008 at 02:40 PM
Brian Keith as TR or Garry Sinise as Truman
Geoff on September 05, 2008 at 02:42 PM
James Cromwell in The Sum of All Fears..
and he also played an ex-Pres in an episode of The West Wing.
But the best PAIR, would be James Garner and Jack Lemmon in My Fellow Americans...
Pity no one has done a movie using James Garner as John Nance Garner...
Sulik on September 05, 2008 at 02:45 PM
I agree with the above:
Brian Keith as Teddy Roosevelt in THE WIND AND THE LION.
LJC on September 05, 2008 at 03:07 PM
James Earl Jones in The Man
Richard Fagin on September 05, 2008 at 03:09 PM
Henry Fonda as a fictitious president in "Fail Safe." He ordered the H bomb dropped on New York. Enough said. (I borrowed that last line from Lewis Grizzard, may he rest in peace.)
A Smith on September 05, 2008 at 03:11 PM
I'd like to second Flap Jackson's nomination of Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt.
Barbara Skolaut on September 05, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Even though it was pre-presidency, Tom Berringer as TR in Rough Riders. He gave a remarkable performance - Tom Berringer himself disappeared and Roosevelt came alive before our eyes.
Leland Pinkerton on September 05, 2008 at 03:36 PM
I'm partial to Fred D. Thompson as President Ulysses S. Grant in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.
Robbins Mitchell on September 05, 2008 at 03:39 PM
Frederick March as President Jordan Lyman in 'Seven Days in May'...and James Earl Jones as President Douglass Dilman in 'The Man'...Gene Hackman as President Allen Richmond in 'Absolute Power'.....Tod Andrews as President Jeremy Haines in 'The President's Plane is Missing'