Advise and Consent (1962) Director: Otto Preminger
“Are you loyal to the United States?”
Based on Allen Drury’s classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Advise and Consent (1959), Otto Preminger’s film adaptation of the novel delivers a splendid story of democratic debate, senatorial minutia, and political betrayal. It features an all-star cast –Henry Fonda, Charles Laughton, Don Murray, Walter Pidgeon, Peter Lawford, Gene Tierney, Franchot Tone, Lew Ayres, Burgess Meredith, Eddie Hodges, Paul Ford, George Grizzard, Inga Swenson, Betty White. In some ways, Advise and Consent reminds me of another classic film from the same era, 12 Angry Men (1957). Both films portray an intimate political/legal drama with numerous complex characters carefully weighing the pros and cons of difficult situation, but who nevertheless manage to carry themselves in a dignified manner. These are eminently reasonable, suit-wearing gentlemen who take the burden of governance seriously. The image is so foreign to our own that one cannot help but feel a bit of nostalgia. However, politics is shown to be a dirty business and lurking just beneath this well-mannered veneer is a vicious, cutthroat hunger for power.
Closely matching the plot of the novel, the President of the United States (Franchot Tone) has made a sudden, controversial appointment for Secretary of State, Robert A. Leffingwell (Henry Fonda), a government bureaucrat accused of being a former communist. The situation is reminiscent of Alger Hiss. During his appointment hearing, Leffingwell perjures himself when a surprise witness appears (Burgess Meredith), and causes all manner of headaches for the President’s party, led by Senate Majority Leader Robert “Bob” Munson of Michigan (Walter Pidgeon). The nomination is vociferously opposed by the aging curmudgeon, Senator Seabright “Seab” Cooley (slyly played by Charles Laughton), who has a personal grudge against Leffingwell from a minor committee hearing years ago. In the ruckus, the junior senator from Utah –a family man named Brigham “Brig” Anderson of Utah (Don Murray)—becomes caught in the fray. He is betrayed and blackmailed by his own allies. Dirt is then dug up on a homosexual encounter Brig had while stationed in the army. Whereas in the book, Brig merely has a phone call with this mystery man from years ago (“Ray”), in the movie he tracks down Ray to a gay bar where the innocent young man confesses to needing money hence why he fed the story to Brig’s enemies. Still, with his life in ruins, Brig refuses to back down on the Leffingwell nomination, and a note is sent to his wife containing an incriminating photo and a lover’s letter written by Brig to Ray.
With this in mind, director Otto Preminger was known to challenge standing film production codes as well as the Hollywood blacklist system at the time. He pushed forward the narrative of a U.S. senator being blackmailed for a homosexual affair despite the censors objections (this was the first Hollywood film after WWII to depict a gay bar scene), and Preminger was also known to cast left-wing actors in prominent roles despite many being blacklisted –for example, he cast cinematic legend Burgess Meredith (who will forever be imprinted in my mind for his roles in The Twilight Zone). Another example is Gene Tierney as the Washington hostess, who has an open affair with Bob Munson while discussing crass things. At the time, actress Gene Tierney was fresh out of rehabilitation after suffering a nervous breakdown (this was her comeback film in Hollywood). Whereas Allen Drury’s original novel strikes a considerably more conservative tone, Preminger’s film adaptation features many memorable jabs at the easy allure of traditionalist proclivities.
At any rate, Brig is later found dead in his senate office –he kills himself by slicing his own throat. Meanwhile, the President’s health seems to ailing (he is dying) and the recent tragic death of Brig sends shockwaves throughout the senate. Seab Cooley is soon revealed to be the culprit of this vindictive machination. Later, on the floor of the senate, Senator Cooley delivers a somber, apologetic speech though he still intends to oppose the nomination of Leffingwell. The final vote tally involves some wrangling and it ultimately remains tied, leaving the decision down to the Vice President, who surprisingly decides not to vote in the affirmative for Leffingwell, sinking the whole nomination battle. At the same time, the President has suddenly died while in the White House listening to the radio announcement of the hearing. It is an abrupt and unexpected end to this chaotic confirmation battle. The ending to this film is understandably surprising for many viewers, though it is still not quite as explosive as in the novel (in the book, the President is actually the mastermind behind Brig’s suicide, and there are several other deaths and resignations, including Senate Majority Leader Bob Munson’s resignation before later being reinstated when the Vice President delivers a rousing speech upon assuming the presidency –and above all, the final senate vote is overwhelmingly against Leffingwell in the book). At any rate, as a general fan of political tales, I found both the novel and the film to be wonderful.
Interestingly enough, there were some notable cameos in this film: the 87-year-old Henry F. Ashurst, who was one of the first elected senators in the state of Arizona (he served five terms), plays the deeply slumbering Senator John J. McCafferty who must be forcibly awoken in his senate seat in order to shout “Opposed, sir! Opposed!” This little bit of satire was truly delightful (and these senate scenes were apparently shot on the same set used in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington). Betty White also makes her film debut in Advise and Consent as the lone female senator from Kansas (in the novel, there was also only one female senator portrayed). Martin Luther King Jr. was uniquely offered a part in the film (though there were no African American senators in the U.S. at this time) so he declined the offer, and Richard Nixon was also offered the role of Vice President in the film, though he apparently grumpily declined, complaining about various errors and holes in the script, namely that the Vice President could not have legally broken the tie in the Senate since, upon the President’s death, he automatically assumes the role of President. Lastly, renowned historian David McCullough appears as a young extra in the film. And sadly, this was Charles Laughton’s final appearance in a film. Both he and Ashurst died shortly before the film’s release.
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