Hoffman— Bernstein, Redford— Woodward, the go-to journalism movie— All the Presidents Men. I often hear that people become obsessed with journalism through this movie. It's pretty enticing: a sterile-looking news room, the skinny reporter's note books, the high-level political intrigue, Hoffman smoking like a chimney...these things called phonebooks.
Conspiracy-loving director Alan J. Pakula made a good film, but through no fault of his own it has overshadowed others. President's Men uses Jason Robards and Martin Balsam as Executive Editor Ben Bradlee and Managing Editor Howard Simmons perfectly, heroes who run with the story in the face of government. You have to appreciate the portrayals on the flip side: Kirk Douglas as a manic-for-copy Chuck Tatum in Ace in the Hole and Burt Lancaster's poison-penned JJ Hunsecker in Sweet Smell of Success are both scathing news writers. Tatum's reputation taking precedent over human life and Hunsecker wielding his reputation as a columnist like a thug, something I think is lost on modern audience when they watch the 1955 film.
Certainly the heroics of photo journalists never goes overlooked, one of the best is the visualizations of 70s Cambodia in The Killing Fields. Haing Ngor, who in his first acting role portrayed NYTimes journalist/interpeter Dith Pran, was a survivor of the Khmer Rouge himself. Apparently the government liquidated the journalist at the end of Z, a Greek political thriller from Costa-Gavras in 1969 that was nominated for best Foreign Film and Best Picture at the academy awards. Another favorite of mine is the perfect Broadcast News, the smoky Good Night and Good Luck, and, from the PR side of the spectrum, Wag the Dog.
Of course, as I write this blog, sitting just clicks away from spellings of town officials' names and their phone numbers and emails, the days of Watergate seem a far cry away. And did you see how big that newsroom was? Well, there's always Season 5 of The Wire to get our hopes down, yet more up-to-date and an excellent, heart breaking mini-doc Final Edition on the demise of the Rocky Mountain News, which you can view for free.
As for other movie occupations: the astronaut, the firefighter, the ballplayer. Would you believe me if I said I once met a girl who wanted to be volcanologist after viewing Dante's Peak? Which might be like becoming a taxi driver after watching Taxi Driver. And how cool did tornado chasers seem after Twister? Even Cameron Frye does it!
Anyway, I'm sure I'd like to have someone covering a Selectmen's meeting after watching President's Men rather than, say, Almost Famous. But I put it to you, dear reader, did you ever watch a movie and want to be something when you grew up? Has a movie ever inspired you to get into a hobby? Comment below.
