Welcome to the Great Debate, a feature that asks you to
argue for or against one of two opposing film-related elements. You will make your case for why you think one
element is better than the other. Let
the debate begin!
Frank Langella was completely lost inside the character of
the disgraced former President during a 30-minute interview with British
personality David Frost three years after he left office. Frank Langella delivers a scene-stealing
performance. The film’s make-up artist
deserves credit for transforming Langella uncannily into Nixon, but it’s
Langella’s assumption of Nixon’s trembling, bunched face, intonation, heady
stare and sly smile that is the real feat.
Langella doesn’t just mimic Nixon; he embodies him.
Anthony Hopkins – Nixon
Richard Nixon is played by another Hollywood heavyweight in Nixon.
Like Frank Langella, Anthony Hopkins doesn’t just impersonate Nixon; he
delivers a deep and believable performance.
Unlike Langella, though, he only looks and sounds generally like Nixon. Still, Hopkins is no less than impressive in
his depiction of Nixon’s unhappy and awkward early years to his bitter,
conspiratorial and evasive years before and during his presidency.
My argument is for Frank Langella. With two formidable actors playing the title role,
it was very hard to give one an edge over the other. For me, what tipped the scales in Langella’s
favour was the range of emotions he depicted under one circumstance during a
single event: the interview. Langella
goes from calm, to enraged, to evasive.
He digresses, attempts to distract with anecdotes, and at times turns
the interview around to Frost. Eventually,
cornered by Frost, Nixon admits his involvement in Watergate, a futile
admission because everybody already knew about what he had so vehemently denied. Langella (as Nixon) is fantastic as Nixon the
character’s final catharsis at the interview’s end is the conclusion to a
wonderful, powerful and memorable performance.
Can I be a contrarian and suggest Philip Baker Hall?
ReplyDeleteOr Nixon's head in a jar from Futurama? "Riddled with phlebitis" is probably the #1 thing that pops in my head when I think of Nixon now.
DeleteI've never seen Secret Honor, but it sounds like an interesting film and I imagine Philip Baker Hall doing a fine job portraying Nixon.
DeleteWhat say you about Frank Langella vs. Anthony Hopkins though?
Of the two, I'd take Langella. Hopkins was more than a little hammy, even in the heightened/operatic Oliver Stone context.
DeleteThat said, I do have mostly decent recollections of Nixon despite it being... yikes! 192 freakin' minutes. Geez, heckuva cast, too, now that I'm looking over it again. I forgot that half those people were in there.