Advise & Consent

Year: 1962

Grade: B

Country: USA

Director: Preminger

Review

starts off slow and far too full of names and positions. preminger is trying to give us the impression of energy and movement, but it’s just overwhelming, especially for someone like me who isn’t very good with names. after the first 30 minutes, though, the film settles into the political thriller/commentary film that it is. it gets into the red scare stuff that was big at the time as well as gay scare (?) stuff that is more relevant today. plenty of big names in the cast. pidgeon, fonda, and charles laughton are all very good. laughton was an actual homosexual, but was playing a southern senator who was using mccarthy-esque tactics against fonda in the hopes that he wouldn’t be approved as secretary of state. good film if you can get through the first 30 minutes.