Spring Break
10 movies to watch before Election Day
Kip Mooney
Issue date: 10/21/08 Section: OPINION
"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939)
Directed by Frank Capra.
Not cheesy inspirational like many sports films, this movie goes all-in as it follows an inexperienced but good-hearted senator during his first term. It's part of a long line of great collaborations between Jimmy Stewart and Frank Capra.
Why you should see it now: It proves that a glimmer of honesty can have a profound effect on corruption.
"The Candidate" (1972)
Directed by Michael Ritchie.
See if this sounds familiar: A fresh-faced, hard-working, liberal lawyer takes on a cold, wrinkly, conservative career politician. Though it's as dry as a cracker, the movie features a fantastic performance from Robert Redford.
Why you should see it now: Besides the timeliness, "The Candidate" shows the behind-the-scenes of campaign management - the good, the bad and the ugly - and how candidates have to make compromise after compromise to win.
"All the President's Men" (1976)
Directed by Alan J. Pakula.
Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman play Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two real-life Washington Post reporters who brought down the Nixon administration.
Why you should see it now: It explains why no one trusts the president or the media anymore, and why the "gate" suffix is added to every scandal.
"The Crucible" (1996)
Directed by Nicholas Hynter.
When Arthur Miller wrote this play about the Salem witch trials, I'm sure he hoped the witch hunts of his day would be put to an end. Unfortunately, the same ruthless paranoia still thrives today. The mere fact that Joan Allen and Daniel Day-Lewis share screen time is worth the rental alone.
Why you should see it now: The unbelievable fear-mongering of the film (based on McCarthy's insistence of discovering Communist leanings) still rings true in this age of fear, where even folk singers can be placed on terrorist watch lists.
"Bulworth" (1998)
Directed by Warren Beatty.
Probably the lightest film on this list, Warren Beatty plays a disillusioned senator who decides to put a hit out on himself and spends the last week of his life speaking his mind instead of giving stump speeches.
Directed by Frank Capra.
Not cheesy inspirational like many sports films, this movie goes all-in as it follows an inexperienced but good-hearted senator during his first term. It's part of a long line of great collaborations between Jimmy Stewart and Frank Capra.
Why you should see it now: It proves that a glimmer of honesty can have a profound effect on corruption.
"The Candidate" (1972)
Directed by Michael Ritchie.
See if this sounds familiar: A fresh-faced, hard-working, liberal lawyer takes on a cold, wrinkly, conservative career politician. Though it's as dry as a cracker, the movie features a fantastic performance from Robert Redford.
Why you should see it now: Besides the timeliness, "The Candidate" shows the behind-the-scenes of campaign management - the good, the bad and the ugly - and how candidates have to make compromise after compromise to win.
"All the President's Men" (1976)
Directed by Alan J. Pakula.
Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman play Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two real-life Washington Post reporters who brought down the Nixon administration.
Why you should see it now: It explains why no one trusts the president or the media anymore, and why the "gate" suffix is added to every scandal.
"The Crucible" (1996)
Directed by Nicholas Hynter.
When Arthur Miller wrote this play about the Salem witch trials, I'm sure he hoped the witch hunts of his day would be put to an end. Unfortunately, the same ruthless paranoia still thrives today. The mere fact that Joan Allen and Daniel Day-Lewis share screen time is worth the rental alone.
Why you should see it now: The unbelievable fear-mongering of the film (based on McCarthy's insistence of discovering Communist leanings) still rings true in this age of fear, where even folk singers can be placed on terrorist watch lists.
"Bulworth" (1998)
Directed by Warren Beatty.
Probably the lightest film on this list, Warren Beatty plays a disillusioned senator who decides to put a hit out on himself and spends the last week of his life speaking his mind instead of giving stump speeches.
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