Presidents in the Movies

Cinematic depictions of real U.S. presidents from Abraham Lincoln to George W. Bush explore how Hollywood movies represent American history and politics on screen. Morgan and his contributors show how films blend myth and reality to present a positive message about presidents as the epitome of America's values and idealism until unpopular foreign wars in Vietnam and Iraq led to a darker portrayal of the imperial presidency, operated by Richard Nixon and Bush 43. This exciting new collection further considers how Hollywood has continually reinterpreted historically significant presidents, notably Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, to fit the times in which movies about them were made.

"The collaborators of this volume have focused on how real/actual presidents have been depicted in motion pictures and how those portraits have contributed to the historical reputation and image of the office holders. There is no end to the study and interest in the presidency in film. Every possible perspective on the topic of the presidency is of value these days as the chief executive s power increases beyond traditional boundaries." - Peter C. Rollins, Regents Professor, Emeritus of English, Oklahoma State University and Winner of the 2011 Oklahoma Humanities Award

Auteur
Iwan W. Morgan is a Professor of US Studies and Head of US Programmes at the Institute of the Americas, University College London, UK.

Contenu
Transition: The Making of Screen Presidents; I.Scott D. W. Griffith's Lincoln; M.Stokes The 'Picture Man:' The Cinematic Strife of Theodore Roosevelt; B.Neve Darryl F. Zanuck's Wilson (1944); M.Wheeler The 'Confidence' President: Franklin D. Roosevelt in Film; H.Keyishian The Cinematic Kennedy: Thirteen Days and the Burnishing of an Image; M.White The President Impeached: Tennessee Johnson and Nixon; I.Morgan Oliver Stone's Improbable ' W. '; K.Marshall