Presidents in the Movies: American History and Politics on Screen (The Evolving American Presidency)

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. Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction....Pages 1-25 Transition: The Making of Screen Presidents....Pages 27-44 D.W. Griffith’s Abraham Lincoln....Pages 45-63 The “Picture Man”: The Cinematic Strife of Theodore Roosevelt....Pages 65-86 Darryl F. Zanuck’s Wilson....Pages 87-108 The “Confidence” President: Franklin D. Roosevelt in Film....Pages 109-129 The Cinematic Kennedy: Thirteen Days and the Burnishing of an Image....Pages 131-150 The President Impeached: Tennessee Johnson and Nixon....Pages 151-176 Oliver Stone’s Improbable W.....Pages 177-191 Back Matter....Pages 193-198 Introduction / Iwan Morgan -- Transition : the making of screen presidents / Ian Scott -- D.W. Griffith's Lincoln / Melvyn Stokes -- The "picture man" : the cinematic strife of Theodore Roosevelt / Brian Neve -- Darryl F. Zanuck's Wilson (1944) / Mark Wheeler -- The "confidence" president : Franklin D. Roosevelt in film / Harry Keyishian -- The cinematic Kennedy : Thirteen days and the burnishing of an image / Mark White -- The president impeached : Tennessee Johnson and Nixon / Iwan Morgan -- Oliver Stone's improbable "W." / Kingsley Marshall