Author: Wyatt Sanderman Day | Published: May 12th, 2009

    
It is Either Up or Down in the Redemptive Process

    And in Richard Millhouse Nixon long political career, he has known both. Unfortunately, the redemption he so desperately sought after the fiasco of Watergate evaded his grasp. His desire to use his interviews with former talk show host David Frost to explain his administration's orchestrated burglary attempt of the Democratic National Committee's headquarters as a misguided adventure, that was beyond his knowledge, ultimately developed into an admission of guilt, which resulted in an apology to affected members of his ill fated staff, who took the fall, and ultimately an apology to the American People.

    As most of you know, the phrase Watergate evolved from the Nixon administrations illegal activities that began that ill fated late spring evening, June 17, 1972, at The Watergate - the mega office / residential complex, in Washington, D.C. near Georgetown. Sadly, the beak-in, and the subsequent multilayered cover up, defined his presidency for many, although it was not the sum of who President Nixon was and what he accomplished. The president that began the normalized relations with China and the former Soviet Union, resigned in disgrace on August 9, 1974.

    David Frost on the other hand was a smart young man in the prime of his professional career, but lacked the journalist gravitas to pull off an interview of this magnitude. There were few investors in this production, and even less commercial sponsors to pay the two million dollar production cost of the interviews. While the interviews were being taped, none of the networks would touch Frost's syndicated product. What began as a bullish endeavor from the Frost production team had degenerated into a possible ruinous conclusion near the end of the interview process. The story became as much about David Frost's near certain failure as much as it was about the interviews with the disgraced former president.

    At this point, David Frost could only find redemption in success. Second place would have been no better than a kiss from one's proverbial ugly sister on one's short journey to the ash heap of history and certain bankruptcy. The stakes were high for both parties, and only on party could win: they both new that.

    Director Ron Howard was excellent in his interpretation of this standoff between two great egos and how they were effected by the outcome of these four interviews. For great men, there is no greater loss than their credibility and Director Howard captured the essence of that mood for both participants - Frost and President Nixon.

    "Frost / Nixon," as implied by its title, would need to be a character driven drama to succeed. Weak actors in any of the significant roles would have compromised the film to the point of ruination, unless actors: Frank Langella, usually a character actor, stepping into the lead role as Richard Nixon and Michael Sheen as the mercurial David Frost excelled, and excel they did. Frank Langella was nominated for the Oscar for the Male Leading Role, and lost to Sean Penn in "Milk." Michael Sheen as David Frost, unlike Langella as Nixon, was nothing like Frost, yet he brought the duality of a man at the threshold of despair, with the confident perseverance to yet pull his own butt out of the proverbial fire. Other important characters were Kevin Bacon as the efficient and loyal Chief of Staff Jack Brennan and Sam Rockwell as the Nixon hating researcher James Reston, and each were rather efficient in their respective roles.

    Peter Morgan wrote the script of his original play that told a fine story of a dark political period in the history of the United States. Was it a sensitive portrayal of Richard M. Nixon? Probably not. Morgan did represent him as a smart man, who just could not be understood. Considering the former President's level of intelligence and work ethic, love of country and family, this story of redemption lost and redemption gained has all the trappings of a Greek tragedy.

    The story was; however, an American tragedy. It wasn't the first and it will not be the last, but "Frost / Nixon" is one best told tales draped in the certainty of the realty of true events. A must see for all who enjoy history told well, and, at a compact 122 minutes, well worth your time.

    Rated R. Released on DVD April 21, 2009.

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