All the Presidents Men - Movie Review Example

Just as the blockbuster about the shark succeeded precisely because it jettisoned all but the spine of the story on which it was based, so does this real-life suspense thriller benefit from narrowing its focus. The two reasons that the film stops at the midway point of the book are that time constraints simply would not have allowed the entire book to be filmed and, more importantly, because although the film is directed in the style of a mystery, the ending is already known by most filmgoers.

As a result, most of the bulk of the second half of the book which details the downfall of the President's men would be viewed as little more than an anticlimax if put on film. The filmmakers made the brilliant decision to not only end their story before it devolved into a numbing lesson on what at the time was very recent history, but they also chose to end the film on a downbeat note for the reporters. The central setting of the story is the offices of the Washington Post; there are only brief and cursory visits to the home life of these reporters.

That is essential toward showing that the story is bigger than they are. Even though they grow throughout the film in stature, they are constantly dwarfed by their surroundings, from the huge set of the Post offices to the monuments and landmarks in Washington. This effect of showing that these two really were very little men attempting to break through the walls of a massive system against which few would have thought they could win is most effectively portrayed in the memorable shot in the Library of Congress.

The scene begins at the level of the characters as they begin flipping through book borrowing cards. The camera then slowly ascends upward and the two reporters almost get lost as they become as small as ants in the massive maze of corridors and tables of the Library of Congress as seen from its ceiling. The shot is a metaphor for the process of both investigative journalism in general, and the investigation the most powerful man in the country in particular. Equally effective is the style of editing that contributes to an overpowering sense of isolation from power.

The very idea of contemporary editing effects with shots lasting only a few seconds would be counterproductive. The film is primarily a collection of long shots and extended scenes of dialogue punctuated by appropriate moments of silence. What this method accomplishes is creating a sense of dread and fear. Paranoia runs throughout the film, especially in the scenes involving Deep Throat. Deep Throat in the book was, as he had to be, merely a cipher; he had no real personality, existing more as a talking head.

Hal Holbrook infuses the character of Deep Throat with a snide and even derisive quality that pumps electricity and humanity into scenes that ran the risk of falling flat. Since Deep Throat's real identity was a mystery when the film was made, the character could have suffered by being characterized too generically. Paradoxically, Deep Throat comes off as one of the most human of all the characters and this is partly due to the shadowy atmosphere in which he is filmed. Even a scene as simple at the reporters pulling out a parking lot on the roof and disappearing into the vast expanse of Washington, DC is imbued with hidden horrors.

All the President's Men does not just stand as one of the