Morgan Bell
Kynaston
TOP TEN American Movie Presidents
October 4th 2008 09:28
With the upcoming USA Election dominating conversation, internet blogs, and the TV news I find myself wondering which man will be best for the job.
Personally when I reflect on the qualities that make up the ideal President I tend to think of Martin Sheen from the long running TV political drama The West Wing.
However, the movies have presented some accurate and memorable characterisations of what the President is, has been, should be, and never will be. There have been affectionate portrayals glamorising the role and presenting the President as having superior integrity and ethics. There are the super-hero presidents of action films who are fighting for good over evil, or fighting corruption, or fighting for their owns life or reputation. Perhaps my favourite of all is the flawed President who may be selfish or sleazy or misguided.
Heres TEN of the the most memorable American Movie Presidents . . . they may not be the ones that would be best for the job but they are the ones that stick in my mind!
Billy Bob Thornton
Love Actually (2003)
A British perspective on how the USA President is perceived as a disrespectful bully.
Kevin Kline
Dave (1993)
A look at how an everyday man with simple accounting and common sense could improve the government.
Dennis Quaid
American Dreamz (2006)
A sympathetic take on Bush-esque President who is bullied by his advisors and used as a puppet but is dreadfully unhappy on the inside.
Michael Douglas
The American President (1995)
The story of a single President trying to date - examines the intrusiveness of the media into the personal lives of politicians.
Harrison Ford
Air Force One (1997)
The action hero President who refuses to negotiate with Russian terrorists and then finds his own plane gets hijacked.
Bill Pullman
Idependance Day (1996)
The President who has to deal with a hostile alien invasion - of course the USA would be selected to represent the entire world, we all know hostile aliens would refuse to deal with anyone else and all the other countries would be lost without directions from the USA!
Morgan Freeman
Deep Impact (1998)
The President who has to facilitate mass evacuations due to a comet hurtling towards Earth.
James Cromwell
The Sum Of All Fears (2002)
The President embroiled in serious foreign affairs, missing nuclear weapons, spies, espionage and the CIA.
Tim Robbins
Austin Powers - The Spy Who Shagged Me(1999)
The 60s President who laughs at Dr Evils request of $100 billion dollars ransom, he and his boys-club buddies dissolve into hysterics saying that amount of money doesnt even exist!
John Travolta
Primary Colors (1998)
The Clinton-esque President during his campaign for election.
Personally when I reflect on the qualities that make up the ideal President I tend to think of Martin Sheen from the long running TV political drama The West Wing.
However, the movies have presented some accurate and memorable characterisations of what the President is, has been, should be, and never will be. There have been affectionate portrayals glamorising the role and presenting the President as having superior integrity and ethics. There are the super-hero presidents of action films who are fighting for good over evil, or fighting corruption, or fighting for their owns life or reputation. Perhaps my favourite of all is the flawed President who may be selfish or sleazy or misguided.
Heres TEN of the the most memorable American Movie Presidents . . . they may not be the ones that would be best for the job but they are the ones that stick in my mind!
Billy Bob Thornton
Love Actually (2003)
A British perspective on how the USA President is perceived as a disrespectful bully.
Kevin Kline
Dave (1993)
A look at how an everyday man with simple accounting and common sense could improve the government.
Dennis Quaid
American Dreamz (2006)
A sympathetic take on Bush-esque President who is bullied by his advisors and used as a puppet but is dreadfully unhappy on the inside.
Michael Douglas
The American President (1995)
The story of a single President trying to date - examines the intrusiveness of the media into the personal lives of politicians.
Harrison Ford
Air Force One (1997)
The action hero President who refuses to negotiate with Russian terrorists and then finds his own plane gets hijacked.
Bill Pullman
Idependance Day (1996)
The President who has to deal with a hostile alien invasion - of course the USA would be selected to represent the entire world, we all know hostile aliens would refuse to deal with anyone else and all the other countries would be lost without directions from the USA!
Morgan Freeman
Deep Impact (1998)
The President who has to facilitate mass evacuations due to a comet hurtling towards Earth.
James Cromwell
The Sum Of All Fears (2002)
The President embroiled in serious foreign affairs, missing nuclear weapons, spies, espionage and the CIA.
Tim Robbins
Austin Powers - The Spy Who Shagged Me(1999)
The 60s President who laughs at Dr Evils request of $100 billion dollars ransom, he and his boys-club buddies dissolve into hysterics saying that amount of money doesnt even exist!
John Travolta
Primary Colors (1998)
The Clinton-esque President during his campaign for election.
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Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Great selection of film portrayals!
Exactly. It's really very amusing.
Excellent job - you got my vote.
Michaelie
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Movie Train
haha jinx!
i was just over praising your latest movie list!
must be a "list writing" kind of day!
maybe i could use this list as a qualification to enter into the current US Presidential race?
i kind of wish Hillary was still in the running, either her or Geena Davis from TV haha
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I loved Geena Davis as the President. I wonder what happened to that show?
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Michael Douglas is my favourite American president.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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yes we all look to President Pullman on Independence Day, we discard our our leaders and adopt the exact views of a suave looking dude in the USA lol
im quite partial to Dennis Quaid, both in general, and in his treatment of the mentally vacant Prez
hi Michaelie,
i dont know what happened to Commander In Cheif, i think it might be on an indefinate break . . . apparently Geena wasnt winking into the camera enough, they wished they could get someone more "folksy" haha
Comment by Anonymous
Great list...I really like Morgan Freeman and Michael Douglas.
One of my favourites would have to be Peter Sellers Merkin Muffley in Dr Strangelove..
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Not a big fan of most of those films, though the actors are OK...none are the ones I would have spring to mind as top movie Presidents though.
A few of my faves that spring to mind: (In no order)
Henry Fonda in Fail-Safe
Jack Warden in Being There
Donald Sutherland in Escape From New York
Anthony Hopkins as Nixon
Jack Nicholson in Mars Attacks
Jeff Bridges in The Contender
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i can always count on you to have a completely different list to mine!
out of those films ive only seen Mars Attacks and i didnt think much of it so i dont even really remember it properly . . .
great list of actors though!
thanks for an alternative opinion!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i notice Morgan Freeman is in the background of the President in The Sum Of All Fears - must have been before his promotion to the top dog in Deep Impact haha
Peter Selles is a great suggestion!
thanks for the comment!
Comment by Cheryl J
Rhythmatism
Budget Centsability
Comment by Morgan Bell
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haha Hot Shots!
thats a good one!
sometimes the absurd comedy Presidents are the best, Tim Robbins in Austin Powers is only on screen for about 20 secs but he has one of the most memorable scenes!