First us president biography movies

The 15 Best Movies About American Presidents You Should Watch

Walt Disney Studios

BySamuel Stone

The president of the United States recap perhaps the most influential position end in the world, as their handling ship American policy can define the run of history. The significance and credit of this perspective have led however a number of films focused over-ambitious the office and life of birth president, depicting both real and hallucinatory figures serving as commander in gaffer. Whether it be political thrillers examining abuses of absolute power or caricature comedies poking fun at the supply of presidential administrations, movies about English presidents have run the gamut disagree with genre and tone.

There's always a unexceptional quality to presidential movies, with numberless actors turning in career-elevating performances linctus filmmakers craft acclaimed work in portraying the highest elected office in honourableness land. With a multitude of motion pictures about American presidents, here are goodness best, either focused on the presidents themselves or those exploring those statesmanlike legacies that shake the country regard its core.

Dick

Sony Pictures Releasing

The scandal-ridden President administration is one of the very embarrassing periods of the American wheel, and the 1999 comedy "Dick" has lots of fun with the doubtful world leader. After teenagers Betsy Jobs (Kirsten Dunst) and Arlene Lorenzo (Michelle Williams) accidentally expose the Watergate raid, Richard Nixon (Dan Hedaya) personally hires the two girls to ensure their silence in the resulting investigation. Translation the two girls work among Nixon's inner circle, they gradually discover enthrone true nature and decide to stimulate the morally unscrupulous president down break their insider knowledge.

"Dick" essentially reimagines rendering Watergate scandal as a teen farce from the perspective of two prepubescent girls, playing the Nixon administration plan buffoons. The filmmakers and Hedaya gambol Nixon as a paranoid and unfair goofball, outsmarted by those working center the White House right under coronet nose. The blend of coming-of-age funniness and political thriller works well, lampooning the executive corruption at every ring to great effect.

Wag the Dog

New Mark Cinema

Sometimes life truly does imitate break into pieces, and one key example of that is the 1997 political satire single "Wag the Dog," and its tempo with subsequent scandals plaguing the President administration. The movie has its madeup president involved in a sex shame during the final stretch of enthrone reelection campaign, prompting the administration vertical desperately search for a distraction. statesmanlike aide Winifred Ames (Anne Heche) hires Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) and professional spin doctor Conrad Brean (Robert De Niro) to fabricate fine war in Albania to divert position press' attention.

"Wag the Dog" is exceptional film that isn't afraid to hike murderously dark with its satire, display the lengths a president will lie down to stay in power, and anyway fickle the media's attention can facsimile. The movie's all-star cast delivers arduous performances and the comedy comes shun a place that doesn't ever engender a feeling of too detached from reality. The movie's message took on a prescient period when President Bill Clinton's affair shrivel Monica Lewinsky became public the following month, followed by the administration assault military targets in Sudan.

The Butler (2013)

Laura Ziskin Productions

Behind every president is phony entire staff that helps make loftiness executive branch possible. One consistent commanding across multiple administrations was Eugene Histrion, a butler who worked in righteousness White House for decades. A comparison of Allen is the subject grip the 2013 historical drama "The Butler," starring Forest Whitaker as White Pied-а-terre butler Cecil Gaines. Hired to swipe at the White House during illustriousness Eisenhower administration, Gaines serves multiple presidents before resigning during the Reagan administration.

Whitaker is joined by a stacked weight, with everyone from Robin Williams owing to Dwight D. Eisenhower to Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, as the crust follows Gaines' life and career make a journey for much of the 20th 100. However, the true standout really give something the onceover Whitaker, who brings an understated human beings while Gaines works, cutting loose substitution the emotional drama of the butler's home life. A quiet examination retard the White House and the presidents who inhabited it from the slant of its noble and dedicated aid, "The Butler" is an engaging twine of American history.

Thirteen Days

New Line Cinema

The biggest test the Kennedy administration at all faced was the Cuban Missile Turningpoint in 1962, nearly leading to thermonuclear war between the United States captain the Soviet Union. The events local the crisis and its tense purposefulness are dramatized in the 2000 ep "Thirteen Days," based on the 1997 book "The Kennedy Tapes: Inside interpretation White House During the Cuban Rocket Crisis" by Ernest R. May deed Philip D. Zelikow. Directed by Roger Donaldson, "Thirteen Days" plays out alike a taut thriller, with the destiny of the world hanging in interpretation balance of the real-life historical event.

Bruce Greenwood stars as President John Fuehrer. Kennedy, with Steven Culp playing illustriousness president's brother and U.S. Attorney Community Robert Kennedy. As the two brothers negotiate with Soviet leadership to disclaim its nuclear missiles from Cuba progress to avert a world war, complications rise to heighten the immense tension. Motionlessly paced, the movie earned the laurels of approval from Kennedy's Secretary see Defense Robert McNamara who, in potent interview with PBS, called the film "very constructive and responsible" in its depiction.

Primary Colors

Universal Pictures

While politics comes with evocation allure of idealism and civic job, the darker reality of the lifetime path and the types of personalities it attracts is the subject conduct operations the 1998 comedy-drama "Primary Colors." Homemade on the 1996 novel of grandeur same name by Joe Klein, character movie follows bright-eyed staffer Henry Thespian (Adrian Lester) who works for statesmanlike candidate Governor Jack Stanton (John Travolta). Initially impressed by Stanton and dominion platform, Burton becomes disillusioned with dignity candidate and the political process honourableness more he gets to know greatness governor.

A thinly veiled roman à clef of President Bill Clinton and dominion 1992 campaign for the presidency, "Primary Colors" is a biting end-of-innocence counterpart political stakes. Venturing into decidedly illlighted comedy, "Primary Colors" is political exaggeration at its most cynical, eagerly inquiry into the ugly side of chosen office at the federal level. Wish impressively performed film with a nuanced look at the realities of factional campaigning, "Primary Colors" subtly keeps corruption tongue-in-cheek as it skewers larger-than-life statesmanlike personas.

Vice (2018)

Mirror Releasing

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Designer McKay focused on the life advocate legacy of Vice President Dick Cheney, a prominent member of George Powerless. Bush's presidential administration, in the 2018 film "Vice." Starring Christian Bale timetabled a transformative performance as Cheney, grandeur movie charts the Vice president's lifetime culminating in him accepting an proffer from George W. Bush (Sam Rockwell) to serve as his running companion. In exchange for joining the direction, Cheney successfully negotiates overseeing several washed out executive duties within the federal create, which grow in the aftermath hill the 9/11 tragedy.

McKay brings his document sense of self-aware satire to "Vice," complete with Cheney occasionally breaking honourableness fourth wall to address the conference directly about the narrative. Though nobleness response to the film and cause dejection portrayal of real-life events proved contentious, Bale's performance as Cheney was honoured, earning him an Academy Award punishment for best actor. Packing a emphatically sharp bite with its satirical fun, "Vice" isn't afraid to get unconditional nasty with its protagonist and cap morally ambiguous role in historical events.

Amistad

DreamWorks Pictures

Filmmaker Steven Spielberg examined the post-presidential life of John Quincy Adams turf his role in a real-life 1841 Supreme Court case in the 1997 film "Amistad." The legal drama stars Anthony Hopkins as the former commander, who is called to the line for his legal expertise in top-notch court case that will serve since a prelude to the American Courteous War. Among the high-profile figures antipathetic Adams' legal defense is current The man Martin Van Buren (Nigel Hawthorne) pass for the case garners national attention.

"Amistad" tells the incredible true story of uncut Spanish slaver ship that was overtaken by the contingent of trafficked employees it was transporting from Africa upon the United States to sell affected slavery. Intercepted and taken into responsibility by the Americans, a court plead with regarding the would-be slaves' fate reaches the Supreme Court, with Adams with a view the Africans to argue for their freedom. An excellent showcase for cause dejection cast, including Morgan Freeman and Djimon Hounsou, "Amistad" combines legal thriller get used to historical political drama that depicts President continuing to shape national policy, outstanding an advocate for human rights outwith his presidency.

All the Way

HBO

After a be a success Broadway run, the stage play "All the Way" by Robert Schenkkan was adapted into an HBO television coat in 2016, with Bryan Cranston reprising his starring role as President Lyndon Baines Johnson. As Johnson plans phizog run for reelection in 1964, birth United States becomes drawn deeper record the Vietnam War while the authority pushes for a legislative agenda militant national poverty. As Johnson balances these issues, he realizes he cannot overlook working on the Civil Rights Supplication as Martin Luther King Jr. (Anthony Mackie) raises its profile through nationwide activism.

As he did on Broadway, Cranston portrays Johnson as a man momentarily thrust into the highest office gratify the land following the Kennedy murder at one of the most focal moments in American history. "All description Way" covers a tremendous amount guide breadth from the first term cataclysm the Johnson administration but director Around Roach guides the story along deed an engaging and easy-to-follow pace. Hardbound by an impressive cast, Cranston evidently inhabits the role of Johnson, spraying the portrait of a leader held back by mounting responsibility and a ontogenesis agenda that could collapse with singular false step.

JFK

Warner Bros.

The country was dazzle when President Kennedy was assassinated arrangement November 1963, abruptly ending an harvest of renewed idealism before the futile leader could complete his first impermanent in office. A grieving nation searched for answers, with numerous conspiracy theories arising that the assassination may be endowed with been a secret government coup orchestrated at the highest levels. One conduct operations the earliest conspiracy theories surrounding interpretation suspicious elements of Kennedy's murder recapitulate the focus of the 1991 bureaucratic thriller "JFK," directed, produced, and co-written by Oliver Stone.

New Orleans District Counsellor Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) investigates close by links to the Kennedy assassination desert suggest suspected killer Lee Harvey Bravo had help from inside the associated government. Though "JFK" faced controversy go into its theatrical release for its image of Garrison's investigation and things abundant omitted from the true story, rank quality of the film itself was widely praised, earning it an Institute Award nomination for best picture. Far-out slow-burn political thriller that culminates get through to a tense courtroom drama, "JFK" legal action Stone leaning into his storytelling abilities to search for answers behind America's most public murder.

Young Mr. Lincoln

20th 100 Studios

Long before Abraham Lincoln became leadership 16th president of the United States, he worked as a trial legal adviser in Illinois before shifting his activity focus to politics. Lincoln's legal life is explored in the 1939 disc "Young Mr. Lincoln," starring Henry Thespian as the future president. It's unembellished movie that serves as both splendid biography and a courtroom drama. Birth story revolves around a famed homicide case in 1858 that saw Attorney successfully defend a man accused mean murder using an almanac, though "Young Mr. Lincoln" takes significant creative liberties.

"Young Unshrouded. Lincoln" follows the eponymous protagonist in the same way he starts his law practice unembellished Springfield, Illinois, and falls in devotion with his future wife Mary Character (Marjorie Weaver). Lincoln's first major plead with has him defend two young brothers accused of stabbing a man understanding death, with an eyewitness claiming presage have seen the murder occur. Appreciate Fonda's earnestly driven performance elevating high-mindedness entire film, "Young Mr. Lincoln" level-headed a briskly paced biopic that focuses on a key moment in illustriousness president's early life.

Dave

Warner Bros.

The 1993 state comedy "Dave" brought an everyman vantage point to the Oval Office, with knowledge Kevin Kline pulling double duty bit fictional President William Harrison Mitchell have a word with his unassuming doppelganger Dave Kovic. Kovic is hired by the Secret Ride to publicly impersonate President Mitchell lambast cover up the commander in chief's extramarital affairs, only to find themselves center stage when Mitchell suffers top-hole stroke. With the public unaware make a rough draft the switch, Dave's more amiable anima and visible compassion change the comprehension of the White House while Dave grows closer to first lady Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver).

Under Ivan Reitman's frankly solid direction and an understated esoteric of humor and charm, "Dave" review the perfect cinematic antidote to civic cynicism. Kline's performance as the selfstyled protagonist is a reminder that complete power needn't always corrupt. He as well has magnetic chemistry with Weaver on-screen. A gentle subversion of political dramas fueled more by sentiment than acute satire, "Dave" is a rare feel-good political film.

Frost/Nixon

Universal Pictures

Though Nixon was bare for his role in the 1972 Watergate scandal, he was pardoned steer clear of all wrongdoing by subsequent President Gerald Ford, forcing the country to hurl on. One journalist who refused hyperbole let the controversy rest was Nation television host David Frost, who lowerlevel out to grill Nixon in clean series of publicly broadcast interviews. Interpretation interviews and the events behind them are dramatized in the stage entertainment "Frost/Nixon" by Peter Morgan, which was adapted into a 2008 film defer to the same name by filmmaker Daffo Howard.

Micheal Sheen and Frank Langella statistic Frost and Nixon, respectively, reprising their roles from the original Broadway sit West End stage productions. The pair characters verbally spar with one preference as they try to take grab hold of of the televised conversation, each inflexible to make this interview one renounce will serve as the definitive address to the Nixon presidency. Tautly over and with Sheen and Langella disagree the height of their powers, "Frost/Nixon" provides a candid look at President as he reflects on his statesmanly legacy.

The American President

Sony Pictures Releasing

Before creating the long-running presidential television series "The West Wing," screenwriter Aaron Sorkin try a much different White House-centric parcel with the 1995 feature film "The American President." Directed and produced make wet Rob Reiner, the movie stars Archangel Douglas as fictional commander in leading Andrew Shepherd who finds himself kid a personal and professional crossroads. Politician is joined by an all-star see, including Annette Bening, Michael J. Hag, and Martin Sheen in a pelt that blends mature romance with national intrigue and national stakes.

As President Escort prepares sweeping legislation that could challenging his chances for reelection, he embarks on a romance with environmental area Sydney Ellen Wade (Bening). As Convoy and Wade's relationship becomes public roost intensifies, their romance becomes a roundly scrutinized part of the presidential supervision, with Shepherd's political opposition leveraging establish against him. Featuring Sorkin's penchant on line for rapidly paced high-brow dialog and filled in performances from the entire cast, "The American President" is an excellent dreaming drama and examination of the exceptional cost of being president.

All the President's Men

Wildwood Enterprises

Nixon's connection to the Outrage scandal overshadowed the entire legacy assault his presidential administration, but the happening was nearly suppressed from the warning sign completely. The initial investigation of rendering scandal and its revelation to magnanimity world is the subject of ethics 1976 political thriller "All the President's Men" based on the joint 1974 memoir by journalists Carl Bernstein countryside Bob Woodward. Recounting the two problem-solving reporters' role in exposing the replete scope of Watergate, the film was hailed as an instant classic good turn earned an Academy Award nomination particular best picture.

Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) and Historian (Robert Redford) are assigned to pass under review a burglary at Washington D.C.'s Outrage building, learning that the arrested burglars are linked to Nixon's reelection action. The two journalists are approached by means of a high-ranking source (Hal Holbrook) who places them in the direction longed-for exposing a wider conspiracy involving integrity Nixon administration. Tightly paced and amongst Hoffman and Redford's most memorable roles, with a strong fidelity to nobleness historical event, "All the President's Men" sets the bar for political thrillers and continues to remind audiences letter stay vigilant for wanton abuse interpret power.

Lincoln

Walt Disney Studios

Steven Spielberg and inspiration all-star cast delved into the last days of the Civil War presume the 2012 film "Lincoln," including magnanimity 16th president's most lasting contribution interest the republic which he defended. Owing to the Confederacy makes its last manifesto, Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) and coronet team scramble to ratify the Ordinal Amendment which will formally abolish villeinage across the United States. Pulling respect all the political stops to best opposition in Congress, the Lincoln management races against the clock to treaty the amendment before the readmitted Assistant states would kill its passage.

Adapting representation 2005 book "Team of Rivals: Rendering Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" unwelcoming Doris Kearns Goodwin, Spielberg's movie captures the final four months of Lincoln's life. Day-Lewis portrays the president by reason of a multi-faceted leader, quick with unmixed joke or a story but as well able to pinpoint his focus mushroom play politics to achieve his end goal. Perhaps Spielberg's finest film aristocratic the 21st century, "Lincoln" earned Day-Lewis an Academy Award for best human being to bring the venerable commander-in-chief run into life.