In Hollywood film history, the U.S. president has had many images - a brave leader, an incompetent fool, a lovable hero. One thing is for certain: No matter what era, Presidents, whether fictional or real, are frequent fodder for filmmakers. After Vietnam and the revelations of Watergate, however, the number of films with presidential portrayals steadily decreased, and the depictions that did appear generally cast a corrupt or inept Chief Executive. It is therefore more than surprising why filmmakers today have decided to produce such an incredibly large number of films as compared to the last two decades. Presidents have been portrayed as minor characters in dozens of Hollywood films, either for inspirational purposes or simply to keep the plot moving. Lately, not only the number of President films has increased significantly, but there is also a clear tendency to let the Presidents move towards center stage, and they are now often pictured as the protagonists. This phenomenon opens up a whole range of questions: How are the Presidents depicted? Is there a certain trend in the portrayals? Or are those portrayed all different from each other? Are there differences or similarities to older characterizations? What does this tell us about Hollywood’s view of the Presidency? Has it suddenly changed? And what are the reasons for such a sudden boost in the number of films?
By taking a closer look at a selection of Hollywood productions, this paper provides an attempt to find answers to these questions. Of the string of fictional Presidents that American filmmakers have recently created, some are more loathsome than their real-life counterparts, others more heroic. Both types seem designed to connect with audiences’ hopes and fears - what the Hollywood dream factory does best. Interestingly, the portrayals have been all over the map: genial, kind-hearted impostor (Dave); reluctant, alien-fighting hero (Independence Day); pompous, delusional incompetent (Mars Attacks!); sympathetic, romantic widower (The American President); distracted, workaholic father (First Kid); promiscuous, murderous hypocrite (Absolute Power); tough defender of family and country (Air Force One), to name only a few.
By discussing a selection of presidential films, this thesis examines Hollywood’s portrayal of the American Presidency.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. History of Presidents in Films
III. Characterization of the Presidency in Recent Hollywood Movies
1. The Substance and Narrative Logic of the Films
1.1. Absolute Power (1997)
1.2. Air Force One (1997)
1.3. The American President (1995)
1.4. Clear and Present Danger (1994)
1.5. Dave (1993)
1.6. Independence Day (1996)
1.7. Mars Attacks! (1996)
2. Characterizations of Movie Presidents
2.1. The Screen President as Politician
2.1.1. Handling the Job of a Movie President
2.1.1.1. Foreign and Domestic Policy Issues
2.1.1.2. Crisis Situations
2.1.1.3. Public Appearances
2.1.1.4. Presidential Style
2.1.2. Party Affiliation
2.1.3. The Fictional Importance of Popularity
2.1.4. The Political Power Struggle
2.1.5. Portrayal of the White House Staff
2.2. The Fictional First Family
2.3. Personal Traits of Movie Presidents
2.3.1. The Corrupt Version
2.3.2. The President as a Hero
2.3.3. The Dual Character: Presidents in Public and in Private
2.3.4. Hollywood’s Everyman President
3. Hollywood’s Conception of the American Presidency
3.1. The Film Industry’s Humanization of the Presidency
3.2. Characterization of The Presidency as a Symbol of America
3.2.1. America’s Reverence of the Presidency
3.2.2. Hollywood’s Symbolic Treatment of the Oval Office
3.2.3. Illustration of the Conflict between the Man and the Office
3.3. Fictionalization of the Crisis of Political Leadership
3.3.1. The Status of Politics in Film
3.3.1.1. The Public Contempt for Politics
3.3.1.2. The (A)political Functions of Presidents in Films
3.3.2. Portrayal of the Limitations of Presidential Political Power
3.3.3. The Problem of Meeting Public Expectations
3.3.4. Moral Leadership and the Importance of Character
IV. Reasons for the Current Abundance of President Films
1. Film as Reflection of the Public Mood
1.1. Presidential Portrayals as a Mirror of the Social Climate
1.2. The Modern Presidency as a Celebrity
1.3. Clinton’s Adjacency to Hollywood
2. The Commercial Success of Presidential Movies
V. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the representation of the American Presidency in Hollywood films produced between 1993 and 1997. It explores how the depiction of fictional Presidents reflects societal values, public anxieties, and changing perceptions of political power, while analyzing whether these cinematic portrayals conform to established historical trends or signify a shift in the cultural landscape.
- Cinematic portrayal of political authority and power.
- The intersection of real-world politics and Hollywood’s "Dream Factory."
- Genre-specific conventions in depicting the Oval Office and the Executive branch.
- Humanization versus idealization of the Presidency.
- The impact of public mood and the celebrity status of modern Presidents on film production.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. Absolute Power (1997)
The political thriller Absolute Power shows a master jewel thief whose careful plans for one last break-in are interrupted after he witnesses a murder caused by the U.S. President. By escaping with a piece of evidence, a simple thief suddenly ends up with more power than the President of the United States. While the story is clearly centered around the burglar, the President is a crucial character to the plot, as the story plays on the power of the Executive Office.
Absolute Power is mainly the story of Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood). Close to retirement after having spent years in prison, he has decided to end his career as a professional master thief with the plunder of the mansion of a wealthy Washington D.C. philanthropist, Walter Sulllivan (E.G. Marshall), who has planned to be out of town with his wife for the weekend. Whitney is among the very best at what he does because he is well versed in the art of deception. He has the benefit of experience and he is an expert at disguise. Well prepared to the very last, seemingly insignificant detail, he breaks into the house and penetrates a hidden vault filled with jewels and cash. In the middle of his work, however, Luther Whitney is interrupted.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the research focus on the surge of "President films" in the 1990s and the methodology used to analyze how Hollywood reflects public sentiment regarding the American Presidency.
II. History of Presidents in Films: Traces the evolution of presidential representation in cinema from early, reverent portrayals to the complex, often pessimistic, and cynical depictions following the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal.
III. Characterization of the American Presidency in Recent Hollywood Movies: Provides a deep-dive analysis of seven selected films, categorizing Presidents into corrupt versus heroic figures, and discussing the impact of genre, staff, family, and the "everyman" trope on these characterizations.
IV. Reasons for the Current Abundance of President Films: Discusses the socio-cultural and economic factors behind the 1990s boom of political films, attributing it to public mood, the celebrity status of the President, the Bill Clinton era, and the box office success of big-budget action spectacles.
V. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, noting that while Hollywood frequently satirizes the political system, it simultaneously preserves the Presidency as a sacred American symbol.
Keywords
American Presidency, Hollywood, Film Studies, Political Cinema, Political Thriller, Executive Power, Public Opinion, Presidential Portrayal, Watergate, Humanization, National Symbol, Cultural Studies, Media Representation, Leadership, Presidential Style.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this research project about?
This thesis investigates the portrayal of the American Presidency in Hollywood movies released between 1993 and 1997, aiming to understand how filmmakers represent the executive office and its occupants.
What are the central thematic areas?
The research explores the characterization of movie Presidents, the symbolic meaning of the White House, the role of political staff and the First Family, and the influence of the political climate on the film industry.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The main goal is to identify trends in presidential characterization and to determine how Hollywood’s depictions of the executive branch mirror or influence public perceptions of political power and moral leadership.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a comparative content analysis of seven successful Hollywood films, combining film studies perspectives with political science theories on the Presidency.
What aspects are covered in the main section?
The main section analyzes plot structures, genre conventions (thrillers, comedies, action movies), the moral qualities of fictional Presidents, and the contrast between the private man and the public office-holder.
Which terms best characterize this work?
Key terms include political cinema, humanization of power, the Presidency as a national symbol, the influence of public mood on pop culture, and the "impossible" Presidency.
How does the film industry balance political corruption with the reverence for the office?
The research notes a consistent trend: even in films where the President is a villain or corrupt, the office itself remains protected. Filmmakers typically ensure that unfit incumbents are removed by the end of the narrative, thus preserving the sanctity of the institution.
Does the author conclude that these films educate the public?
No, the author suggests that these portrayals do not educate the public about realistic politics, but rather cater to cultural myths and the public's desire for heroic, "larger-than-life" leaders who possess the personal traits of an "everyman."
- Citar trabajo
- M.A. Marie Axland (Autor), 1998, The Representation of the American Presidency in Recent Hollywood Movies, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/120901
