Sadly enough sins of the flesh have been used to bring down rising political
figures since the dawn of time. 10 years ago my local Assemblyman was caught
having an affair with an intern and faced a primary over it. Since in my opinion
he did a good job in representing me and what I want quite frankly he could have
had affairs on the state capital steps with 100 interns. I just don't care about these things. Still sadly enough people do and we've seen in fiction Charles
Foster Kane brought down by his affair with Susan Alexander and in real life
Charles Parnell in Ireland by his affair with Kitty O'Shea.
In a portrayal so obviously based on the Clintons they ought to sue, John Travolta and Emma Thompson play a southern governor and his Yankee born wife who is running for president. As Henry Kissinger said "power is the ultimate aphrodisiac and the groupies do buzz around Travolta, more than he can handle.
And because of that he's got this trail of women who are ready to exploit his new found celebrity as a presidential candidate. His presidential bid just might get derailed before he's out of the station.
All this is seen through the eyes of Adrian Lester whose granddad was a noted civil right activist who is considering signing on. He watches how Travolta deals with the various accusations, how his best defense is a good offense.
It saddens me that we lose a lot of potentially good public officials through these sins of the flesh. I've always hated politicians who having nothing else to offer make someone else's so called moral failings their main issue. We'll all be better off once as a society we're past that. Ironically the last presidential election may have been a game changer for the wrong reasons.
Primary Colors got two Oscar nominations, for best adapted screenplay based on Joe Klein's novel and Best Supporting Actress for Kathy Bates. Bates is a tough political infighter, but loyal to Travolta/Thompson having history going all the way back to the Vietnam war protests. She dominates when she's on screen and her very loyalty carries the seeds of self destruction.
Current Oscar contender Alison Janney has a really great part as a school administrator who has a drinking problem and misses no opportunity to put her issue across with Travolta. She's at the beginning of the film, but you remember her throughout.
Primary Colors, another in the pantheon of great political films.
In a portrayal so obviously based on the Clintons they ought to sue, John Travolta and Emma Thompson play a southern governor and his Yankee born wife who is running for president. As Henry Kissinger said "power is the ultimate aphrodisiac and the groupies do buzz around Travolta, more than he can handle.
And because of that he's got this trail of women who are ready to exploit his new found celebrity as a presidential candidate. His presidential bid just might get derailed before he's out of the station.
All this is seen through the eyes of Adrian Lester whose granddad was a noted civil right activist who is considering signing on. He watches how Travolta deals with the various accusations, how his best defense is a good offense.
It saddens me that we lose a lot of potentially good public officials through these sins of the flesh. I've always hated politicians who having nothing else to offer make someone else's so called moral failings their main issue. We'll all be better off once as a society we're past that. Ironically the last presidential election may have been a game changer for the wrong reasons.
Primary Colors got two Oscar nominations, for best adapted screenplay based on Joe Klein's novel and Best Supporting Actress for Kathy Bates. Bates is a tough political infighter, but loyal to Travolta/Thompson having history going all the way back to the Vietnam war protests. She dominates when she's on screen and her very loyalty carries the seeds of self destruction.
Current Oscar contender Alison Janney has a really great part as a school administrator who has a drinking problem and misses no opportunity to put her issue across with Travolta. She's at the beginning of the film, but you remember her throughout.
Primary Colors, another in the pantheon of great political films.