#77 All the President's Men

A.F.I. Ranking: 77

Director: Alan J. Pakula

Starring: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards, Hal Holbrook

Release Year: 1976

Brief Synopsis: Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward are reporters at the bottom of the food chain at The Washington Post when they are sent to investigate a burglary at the National Democratic Headquarters. Little did they know that this would lead them to spend the next two years uncovering the biggest political controversy in American history that would eventually lead to the resignation of President Nixon.

My Thoughts: I first saw this movie in my freshmen journalism class and immediately decided I wanted to be a journalist (as many did after seeing this film). I’ve long since grown out of that dream, but have not grown out of my love for this movie. I really enjoy movies that teach its audience something about history, and that is precisely what this movie does. What makes this movie so interesting is its dimensions. It is a movie that teaches its audience about what happened behind the scenes of the Watergate scandal, but this movie really isn’t about Watergate. It is about what newspaper reporters Woodward and Bernstein went thorough to get the story, and that is what makes it such an interesting film. Hoffman and Redford give outstanding performances in this. They are so likable that when they face an upset in this movie you feel it right along with them, and when they succeed you cheer for them.

These days I rarely so get so wrapped up in the lives of characters in films, which is why in my opinion their haven’t been many great films to come out in the past couple of years. Definitely check out All the President’s Men if you haven’t seen it (and get the two disc version to watch the cool special features.

“If you're gonna do it, do it right. If you're gonna hype it, hype it with the facts. I don't mind what you did. I mind the way you did it.”

Rating: Top of the List!