Michael Haley, Michele Imperato, Jonathan D. Krane, Neil A. Machlis, Mike Nichols
Screenplay:
-
Cameraman:
-
Composer:
-
Cast:
John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Adrian Lester, Maura Tierney, Larry Hagman, Diane Ladd, Paul Guilfoyle, Rebecca Walker,...
This work is the barely fictionalized account of candidate Bill Clinton in 1992 via the character Southern Governor Jack Stanton. Joe Klein joined Newsweek as a political reporter and columnist during the 1992 US Presidential race, and followed then candidate Bill Clinton on the road. As such, Klein dutifully conveys the youthful exuberance for a new candiate, along with the sense of awe at his determination, drive, and intelligence. All along, he also displays the shocking lack of personal morals of a "natural" candidate for the office.
Further, he shows the inner deal-making that everyone connected with the campaign makes to achieve the vision they started with, no matter how ugly the cheating, talented candidate gets on his road to the election. Klein tells the story from the 1st person perspective of a sophomorish campaign manager, Henry Burton, that just happens to be a grandson of a black civil rights leader. They join the Southern Governor at a talk given on adult education, in which Gov. Stanton cries as he tells the students how they were braver than his uncle--a World War II veteran that earned the Medal of Honor, but went home and never took a job because he was too embarassed to tell anyone he was illiterate. We next find out this story is not true! Despite this, Burton decides to join the campaign, and works many of the standard issues--such as fighting off scurrilous attacks by opposing candidates, and captured and doctored cell phone conversations, etc.
Burton walks into the campaign headquarters (a hotel suite) to find the Governor coming out of a bedroom not completely dressed, and a disheveled librarian they had just met at a school they had attended. Of course, Susan Stanton, the Governor's wife, is nowhere to be found. The team flies to another destination to meet up with Mrs. Stanton, as she has been campaigning for her husband among their party elite in that state. Burton is eventually introduced to Libby Holden (Kathy Bates), whose job is to defend the President by combating the attacks from all comers. She does so with ruthless abandon, but also with a strict moral code: There apparently is something noble about stopping the attacks of others, but it is almost reprehensible about digging up the dirt on others -- essentially attacking them first. We come to know that Gov. Stanton is a philanderer of extraordinary magnitude, but an inspired genious at politics. Unfortunately, this extends to sleeping with a 17-year-old babysitter, the librarian they just recently met, a long-term affair with another woman, and the list goes on.
AWARDS:
- Academy Awards, USA
1999 Nominated "Oscar"
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Kathy Bates
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: Elaine May
- American Comedy Awards, USA
1999 Won "American Comedy Award"
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Kathy Bates
1999 Nominated "American Comedy Award"
Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role): Emma Thompson
- BAFTA Awards
1999 Won "BAFTA Film Award"
Best Screenplay - Adapted: Elaine May
1999 Nominated "BAFTA Film Award"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Kathy Bates
- Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
1999 Won "Blockbuster Entertainment Award"
Favorite Supporting Actress - Drama: Kathy Bates
1999 Nominated "Blockbuster Entertainment Award"
Favorite Actress - Drama: Emma Thompson
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards
1999 Won "Critics Choice Award"
Best Supporting Actor: Billy Bob Thornton, Also for A Simple Plan (1998).
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, Tied with Joan Allen for Pleasantville (1998).
- Casting Society of America, USA
1998 Nominated "Artios"
Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama: Juliet Taylor, Ellen Lewis, Juel Bestrop
- Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
1999 Won "CFCA Award"
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates
1999 Nominated "CFCA Award"
Most Promising Actor: Adrian Lester
- Chlotrudis Awards
1999 Nominated "Chlotrudis Award"
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates
- European Film Awards
1998 Nominated "Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema"
Emma Thompson
- Golden Globes, USA
1999 Nominated "Golden Globe"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical: John Travolta
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Kathy Bates
- Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards
1998 Won "Sierra Award"
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates
- Online Film Critics Society Awards
1999 Nominated "OFCS Award"
Best Screenplay, Adapted: Elaine May
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates
- Political Film Society, USA
1999 Nominated "PFS Award"
Democracy
- San Diego Film Critics Society Awards
1998 Won "SDFCS Award"
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates
- Satellite Awards
1999 Nominated "Golden Satellite Award"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: Kathy Bates
- Screen Actors Guild Awards
1999 Won "Actor"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Kathy Bates
- USC Scripter Award
1999 Nominated "USC Scripter Award"
Joe Klein (author), Elaine May (screenwriter)
- Writers Guild of America, USA
1999 Nominated "WGA Award (Screen)"
Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published: Elaine May