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Top 10 Political Dramas

By Noelle Buffam · November 2, 2011

I once had a teacher tell me that the best way to get inspiration for filmmaking is to watch the news. He declared that there is simply nothing more complex and critical than a political system and the people affected by it. In essence, politics is drama. Think about it. In the American political system alone, we have any kind of drama you could wish for: sex scandals, secret alliances, cheating accusations, mass conspiracies, and of course war. It’s like the political world is wearing a huge “been there, done that” t-shirt when it comes to controversies.

Not only do political dramas cover some very… ahem, interesting subjects, but they do so in a captivating way. As any screenwriter knows, the higher the stakes in a given situation, the more dramatic the outcome… and in the political world, the stakes are always high.

Remember, politics is the process of a group of people making collective decisions that determine how millions of people will live.  In this way, a selected group of people holds the future of a nation, and sometimes even the world, in the palm of their hands. It just doesn’t get any more dramatic than that.

Below are the Top 10 Political Dramas. From Watergate to assassinations, brainwashing to nuclear war, these films have helped define a sub-genre of dramatic films. While they often cross into many sub-genres (Thriller, Dramedy, Biopic, etc.), they are always rooted in the dark and nasty world of politics.

These films have become a staple in Hollywood filmmaking, and it’s easy to see why. Quick, cerebral, and always thrilling, political dramas definitely get my vote.

Honorable Mentions:

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

A former Korean War POW is brainwashed by communist to become an assassin. While it is considered more of a mystery/thriller film, The Manchurian Candidate is as suspenseful as it is horrifying.

All the King’s Men (1949)

While the film takes a candid look into a corrupt politician who aims to make his friends richer while retaining his power, it is truly a story of the effects of power on a human being.

10. The Last Hurrah (1958)

An adaptation of the book of the same name, The Last Hurrah tells the story of Frank Skeffington (Spencer Tracy). Skeffington is a veteran politician, preparing for a new election campaign for mayor of an unnamed American city. When civic leaders and local newspapers back an opposing candidate, Skeffington uses whatever means necessary in order to win the election. After all, he has decided that this is the last time he will run for office. The film, directed by John Ford, delves into the world of Irish-American politicking, and delivers a punch.  The Last Hurrah portrays the complexity of politics, wherein nothing is ever black and white. Tracy and Ford combined, along with an outstanding supporting cast makes The Last Hurrah a solid political drama.

9. Wag the Dog (1997)

In a 29-day shoot, Barry Levinson filmed this $15 million movie. It’s a conspiracy theorist greatest dream.  A political spin-doctor, Conrad Brean (Robert DeNiro) is brought in just days prior to the presidential election to distract from a sex scandal involving the President. The solution? Brean constructs a fake war in Albania. It’s a full out production with costume pieces, actors, and stages. Now technically, Wag the Dog is a political dramedy, but with a well-paced script and strong character performances, the film stands out as a great satire. The dark humor in the film is set against the corruptness of the political system in just the right way. Even better is how the political world and entertainment world are woven together, as the audience sees an unnerving similarity.

8. II Divo (2008)

Since mainstream Hollywood is pretty egocentric, it’s not often that a foreign film can break through and be recognized. Enter: II Divo. The film, directed by Paolo Sorrentino, is based on the former Italian Prime Minister, Giulio Andreotti. It is a stunning film that chronicles the time from Andreotti’s seventh election in 1992 to his trial in 1995. Andreotti, who is famous for his Mafia ties, proves to be a riveting subject for the film.  Not only that, but his story is told in an amazingly entertaining way. Its no wonder the film took home the Jury Prize at Cannes. II Divo would make even the most un-politically minded people fascinated by Italian politics and its country’s infamous leader.

7. The Candidate (1972)

The 1976 film, The Candidate, stars the great Robert Redford as Bill McKay, as a candidate running for the U.S. Senate.  Left-wing McKay is enlisted by Marvin Lucas (Peter Boyle) to run against the Republican incumbent. Though he has no hope of winning, McKay only agrees to run if he can say whatever he wants during the process. The film explores many criticisms of American politics.  Mainly, media manipulation and the “image“ of a candidate is highlighted throughout the film.  Furthermore, the film chronicles the corruption of the once idealistic candidate.  While the film has its light moments, it never fails to deliver its intended message: campaigns are not won through ideals or merit, but rather by the image a political candidate can portray.

6. All The President’s Men (1976)

It’s a film that is as memorable as the scandal. In 1976’s All the President’s Men, two reporters uncover the Watergate scandal.  Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) discover a sordid trail of deception that leads all the way to the White House. Despite pressure, the two reporters refuse to stop pursuing the story. Eventually, they uncover the truth and set into motion a chain of events that end with President Nixon’s resignation.  Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, All the President’s Men proves that sometimes the greatest stories are the ones that are real. With a handful of Academy Awards to boot, the film is recognized as one of the best political thrillers out there.

5. Frost/Nixon (2008)

Ron Howard is not new to Hollywood. With hits like A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13, he has gone a long way from his days as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show.  In 2008 he released Frost/Nixon, a film that dramatizes the Frost/Nixon interviews of 1977.  The British talk-show host David Frost (Michael Sheen) goes up against the former President, Richard Nixon (Frank Langella). Based on the play by the same name by Peter Morgan, the film is a tantalizing view of the interview and the behind the scenes controversy.  Believing the interview will be a way to win back the hearts of the American people, Nixon agrees to do an all-inclusive interview with the jet-setting television personality.  However, although Frost’s team doubts his ability to challenge the former President, the two men prove to be quite the match for one another.  Sharp, witty, and completely captivating, Frost/Nixon is an outstanding example of a character driven political drama.

4. JFK  (1991)

In the United States, I would say there are three huge conspiracies that fascinate the public: Roswell, New Mexico (we’ll group Area 51 in with that one), Elvis Presley’s death (or rather his faked death), and the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.  Oliver Stone’s 1991 film JFK portrays the events leading to the assassination, and the alleged cover-up that took place. The film centers on Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner), the New Orleans district attorney who filed charges against Clay Shaw (Tommy Lee Jones) for his involvement in the assassination. JFK still stands as one of the most controversial films of all time. It has been attacked for taking liberties with historical facts, mainly the implication that the assassination was part of a coup d’état by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Regardless, the film earned $205 million worldwide, and was nominated for eight Academy Awards. JFK no doubt pushed the limits, and in return has become one of the most celebrated political dramas of all time.

3. The Queen (2006)

I know. I know. What can Helen Mirren not do? The actress who can challenge the likes of Betty White plays the title character in 2006’s The Queen. The film depicts the immediate events after the death of Diana, Princess of Whales in 1997.  The story chronicles the differing views on handling the death of Diana. The newly appointed Prime Minister, Tony Blair (Michael Sheen), and Prince Charles (Alex Jennings) wish to make it an official expression of grief, while the royal family would like to see it handled as a private affair.  The film shows both grief and humor, all while providing an intimate look into the inner lives of the Royal Family.  No doubt, it is Helen Mirren’s most celebrated role, as she portrays being a human with the weight of a nation on her shoulders.  Somehow, The Queen manages to capture both the political and the personal, each on their deepest levels.

2. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Dr. Strangelove, also known as the movie with the best title ever, is the 1964 satirical film by Stanley Kubrick.  The film tells the story of a crazy United States Air Force general who orders the first nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. The film then chronicles not only the President of the United States, but his advisors, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a Royal Air Force officer, as they try to prevent a “nuclear apocalypse”.  Satirical films just don’t get better than this. While the entire film takes aim at the Cold War, it mainly focuses on the theory of mutual assured destruction (MAD)- a theory where each opposing side is supposed to be deterred from using nuclear weapons because of the likelihood of mutual mass destruction. I know what you are thinking. Dr. Strangelove is one of the best dramedys out there. However, Kubrick originally intended the film to be a serious drama. It wasn’t until he looked into MAD that he started to see the inherent comedy of it all. In his words, he found that “in trying to put meat on the bones and to imagine the scenes fully, one had to keep leaving out of it things which were either absurd or paradoxical.”  This is perhaps the best thing about Dr. Strangelove- Kubrick shows that the politics of war is just as funny as it is terrifying.

1. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

It’s the most beloved, celebrated, and hailed political drama of all time. Not only that, but Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is commonly recognized as one of the greatest films of all time. It tells the story of Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), an honest, hardworking man. As a true embodiment of patriotism, Smith meets political corruption head on and refuses to back down at any cost.  Upon the film’s release, Congress declared it  “anti-American” and “pro-communist” with its depiction of American political corruption. During its premiere, Senators who were invited even walked out in protest. However, the film’s message has lasted the test of time. While political dramas often shed light on the huge machine of corruption, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington holds onto the belief that one man can triumph over adversity if his motives are pure and good.  Yes, in a sub-genre brought down by the harsh realities of politics, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a beacon of hope.