Home/Episodes/All the President's Men
‘All the President’s Men’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan
November 8, 2018 · All the President's Men (1976) · Drama · History · Thriller · 1:25:54 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
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Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsListed Redford's 1970s run: Jeremiah Johnson, The Candidate, The Way We Were, The Sting, The Great Gatsby, Waldo Pepper, Three Days of the Condor, and All the President's Men. Noted The Great Gatsby as the most flawed of these films.▶ 9:20
Chris RyanDiscussed Hoffman's superior acting talent and his exceptional run from 1974-1979, while noting Redford was the bigger star at the time of this movie despite Hoffman being more talented.▶ 11:54
Sean FennesseyExplained Redford pushed for the movie after talking to Woodward and Bernstein before they wrote the book, saw himself as Woodward, and was rewriting the script with Goldman while controlling production design and director selection.▶ 6:31
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsBernstein trying to steal the story from Woodward - the whole cat and mouse game scene, and Redford on the phone with Dahlberg calling back and forth (the six-minute single take phone scene)▶ 25:20
Chris RyanFocused on the character dynamics and journalism ephemera throughout the scenes, particularly appreciating how the competitive writer scene reveals character traits without stating them explicitly▶ 27:17
Sean FennesseyDiscussed the merits of the scenes SPEAKER_00 mentioned, particularly praising the Woodward line 'your version is better, but I don't like the way that you did it' and the naturalistic qualities of the phone scene▶ 26:43
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsThe value of reporting and journalism - doing thorough investigative work, not trusting initial stories, and taking time to get it right. Also mentions seeing 1970s Washington as a character in the movie.▶ 44:27
Chris RyanThe role of journalism in holding government institutions accountable, and investigative techniques like building cases from the outer edges inward. Also extensively praises Gordon Willis' cinematography work.▶ 45:09
Sean FennesseyDiscusses Gordon Willis' cinematography and how it captures the atmosphere of D.C., plus the realistic portrayal of journalists' vulnerability and anxiety when they might have gotten something wrong.▶ 48:44
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsAl Pacino — Catherine Graham was cast (Faye Dunaway) but cut before filming; Al Pacino was first selected by Redford before choosing Dustin Hoffman▶ 53:09
Chris RyanRichard Widmark — Multiple actors rumored for Deep Throat including Richard Widmark, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quinn, Gene Hackman, Burt Lancaster, Robert Stack, Robert Mitchum, and Telly Savalas▶ 53:42
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsMartin Balsam — Martin Balsam - 'I feel like Martin Balsam's the winner here. I think Martin Balsam's been in a million things. And only people like us would know what his name is. So he's my winner.'▶ 58:37
Sean FennesseyMartin Balsam — Martin Balsam - agreed with SPEAKER_00, noting 'he's in Psycho. He's in 12 Angry Men. Like he's been in iconic American films.'▶ 58:47
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsRobert Redford — Yes for Redford - this is his apex mountain. No for Dustin Hoffman - Kramer vs Kramer is his peak. Yes for Jason Robards. Yes for William Goldman. Yes for Alan Pakula.▶ 1:03:42
Chris RyanRobert Redford — Yes for Redford - calls this 'maybe the dictionary definition of Apex Mountain' since he got the movie made off his name and was never as big as when he made this.▶ 1:04:16
Sean FennesseyRobert Redford — Agrees this could be Redford's last iconic movie. Uncertain about Jason Robards due to his many great moments including Iceman Cometh on Broadway. Discusses Alan Pakula's strong 1970s run.▶ 1:03:58
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsThe Count the Ten scene - giving complicated instructions that the guy interprets the complete opposite way, felt too movie cutie▶ 1:10:26
Chris RyanThe Florida office scene - the trickery of calling from different room to trick secretary and sneak in, plus the guy just allowing the interview after being tricked▶ 1:11:14
Best Quote
Bill SimmonsListed multiple quotes including 'Follow the money' (which became iconic), 'Your lives are in danger', and the Ben Bradlee speech about the first amendment▶ 1:12:01
Sean FennesseyIf you're going to do it, do it right. If you're going to hype it, hype it with the facts. I don't mind what you did. I mind the way you did it.▶ 1:11:31
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsDid this lay the blueprint for the Russians? (Refers to how Watergate-era sabotage tactics may have influenced Russian interference in 2016)▶ 1:15:45
Chris RyanAgrees it would be more fun not knowing Deep Throat but argues it was inevitable the identity would come out due to public obsession with the mystery▶ 1:14:27
Sean FennesseyAgrees it's more fun not knowing Deep Throat's identity in abstract terms, but understands the real-world reasons for revealing it. On Russian blueprint question, notes that ratfucking predates Watergate and became more sophisticated in 80s/90s▶ 1:14:43
Movies Referenced (31)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaws (1975) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 2:25 |
| Spotlight (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 32:26 |
| The Sting (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 8:52 |
| Magnolia (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:20:51 |
| No Country for Old Men (2007) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 0:27 |
| Rain Man (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:05:36 |
| Say Anything (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | ▶ 1:10:37 | |
| The Great Gatsby (2013) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:20 |
| 12 Angry Men (1957) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 58:48 |
| A Star Is Born (2018) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 17:54 |
| All Is Lost (2013) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 13:23 |
| Annie Hall (1977) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 51:04 |
Directors Referenced (11)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Clooney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Ides of March, Michael Clayton | ▶ 7:41 |
| Robert Walden | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | All the President's Men | ▶ 55:39 |
| Warren Beatty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Heaven Can Wait | ▶ 6:57 |
| Jayson Clute | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Titanic, American Psycho | ▶ 50:51 |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 21:46 |
| James O'Keefe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 56:46 | |
| Marty Collins | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:02:03 | |
| Michael Ritchie | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Fletch | ▶ 9:52 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 1:20:56 |
| Philip Kaufman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Raiders of the Lost Ark | ▶ 1:07:46 |
| Sam Peckinpah | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:22:09 |
Actors Referenced (66)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Redford | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 50 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Natural, Ordinary People, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid | ▶ 6:17 |
| Jason Robards | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 31 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | All the President's Men, Magnolia, Once Upon a Time in the West | ▶ 17:38 |
| Dustin Hoffman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 28 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Rain Man, Tootsie, Midnight Cowboy | ▶ 6:17 |
| Jack Warden | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | 12 Angry Men, All the President's Men, While You Were Sleeping | ▶ 18:46 |
| Jane Alexander | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Kramer vs. Kramer, The Cider House Rules, All the President's Men | ▶ 18:29 |
| Hal Holbrook | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons | Into the Wild, Lincoln | ▶ 5:51 |
| Martin Balsam | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | All the President's Men, Psycho | ▶ 18:12 |
| Paul Newman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Road to Perdition, The Verdict | ▶ 8:08 |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 15:00 |
| Ned Beatty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Network, Deliverance, Shooter | ▶ 18:46 |
| Brad Pitt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith | ▶ 7:38 |
| Scott Glenn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Hunt for Red October, Sucker Punch, The Bourne Legacy | ▶ 1:19:34 |
Writers Referenced (10)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Goldman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 23 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride | ▶ 8:28 |
| Carl Bernstein | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 20 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | All the President's Men | ▶ 6:35 |
| Richard Nixon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 3:23 | |
| Nora Ephron | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Julie & Julia, When Harry Met Sally... | ▶ 16:16 |
| Mark Felt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 57:11 | |
| David Mamet | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | House of Games | ▶ 19:16 |
| Tony Gilroy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | Michael Clayton, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | ▶ 21:07 |
| Bob Woodward | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | All the President's Men | ▶ 14:08 |
| Dashiell Hammett | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Maltese Falcon | ▶ 1:06:34 |
| Robert Towne | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Chinatown, Mission: Impossible | ▶ 1:00:39 |
Cinematographers Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Willis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Godfather Part II | ▶ 49:58 |
| Janusz Kaminski | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Schindler's List, Minority Report | ▶ 51:34 |
| Patricia Van Over | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The Thin Red Line, Practical Magic | ▶ 1:07:17 |