Elect a Movie

Tired of the current political rhetoric?  Check out movies about politics, the presidency, and elections.  Includes everything from documentaries to comedy to drama.

	1776 A musical celebration of the founding of The United States of America. The story centers around historical characters as they organize a movement for independence from England. All events lead up to July 4, 1776 , when the Declaration was signed. Directed by Peter H. Hunt. Starring William Daniels, Howard Da Silva, & Ken Howard. Based on the book by Peter Stone & Sherman Edwards. PG
	Air Force One An uncompromising U.S. President has just told the world he will not negotiate with terrorists. But when Russian terrorists hijack Air Force One , the world's most secure and extraordinary aircraft, the President is faced with a nearly impossible decision-- give in to terrorist demands or sacrifice not only the country's dignity, but the lives of his wife and daughter. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen. Starring Harrison Ford. R
	All the King's Men A political demagogue governor of a southern state believes that every man has his price and that the end justifies the means. Inspired by the rise and fall of southern bigwig Huey P. Long, the infamous "Kingfish" who was Louisiana's governor and one-time senator. Directed by Robert Rossen. Starring Broderick Crawford & John Ireland. Based on the book All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren. NR
	All the President's Men The true story of how Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncovered the White House involvement in the Watergate break in. Directed by Alan J. Pakula. Starring Dustin Hoffman & Robert Redford. Based on the book All the President's Men by Carl Bernstein & Bob Woodward. PG
	American President Ten part documentary on the American presidency from Washington to Clinton.  Directed by Philip & Peter Kunhardt. NR
	American President Andrew Shepherd is a consummate politician and a man of integrity, who also happens to be a widower, ready to start dating again. He is swept off his feet by a lobbyist, Sydney Ellen Wade. His critics rant that it is immoral and his friends proclaim that it's romantic, but one thing is certain, all that stands between true love and re-election is the approval of the American public. Directed by Rob Reiner. Starring Michael Douglas & Annette Bening. PG-13
	Being There When a simple minded recluse whose only reality is television comes into contact with the real world, his literalness leads him to a position of great influence. Directed by Hal Ashby. Starring Peter Sellers & Shirley MacLaine. Based on the book Being There by Jerzy Kosinski. PG
	Bob Roberts A radical folksinger becomes a senatorial candidate and American politics will never be the same. Directed by and starring Tim Robbins. R
	Born Yesterday A corrupt millionaire junk dealer, embarrassed by his girlfriend's lack of social sophistication, arranges to have her trained in a crash course in "culture." He is surprised and outraged when after becoming aware of her role as pawn in his crooked business deals, she refuses to cooperate. Directed by George Cukor. Starring Judy Holliday & William Holden. Based on the play Born Yesterday by Garson Kanin. NR
	Bulworth Believing his career is over, Senator Jay Bulworth takes out an enormous insurance policy and a contract on his own life. But his impending death fills him with an ourtageous desire to break the rules and tell it like it is. Suddenly the Senator is the surprise political favorite and falls hopelessly in love with Nina, a beautiful, young activist from the inner city. Now that Bulworth has found a new reason to live, he must also find the hit man who's out to kill him! Directed by & starring Warren Beatty. R
	The Candidate While Richard Nixon is on his way to re-election by a landslide, a young, honest, idealistic lawyer begins to learn the truth about running for office. Directed by Michael Ritchie. Starring Robert Redford. PG
	Citizen Kane Regarded as one of the finest films ever made, Citizen Kane tells the story of idealism corrupted by wealth. Prominant publisher, William Randolph Hearst, saw the film as a thinly disguised version of his career and attempted to suppress it. The controversy has faded, but not the film's power and brilliance. Directed by and Starring Orson Welles. PG
	The Contender The Vice President of the United States is dead, and as the President makes his choice for a replacement, a secret contest of wills is being waged by a formidable rival. When Senator Lanie Hanson is nominated as the first woman in history to hold the office, hidden agendas explode into a battle for power. Directed by Rod Lurie. Starring Gary Oldman & Joan Allen. R
	Dave Dave is an uncanny presidential lookalike who's recruited by the Secret Service to become a momentary stand-in for the President of the United States. However, things don't turn out exactly as planned and Dave finds himself continuing his masquerade as Chief Executive indefinitely. Directed by Ivan Reitman. Starring Kevin Klein & Sigourney Weaver. PG-13
	Dick The year is 1972, and, like most high school students. Betsy Jobs and Arlene Lorenzo just want to have a good time. But when, during a class field trip to the White House, they cluelessly wander into a behind-closed-doors, top-secret shredding session, it's time to both wag the dog and walk it. Seeking to uncover just how much the witless duo discovered, the Commander-in-Chief appoints them "Official White House Dog Walkers," and it isn't long before the girls go from taking out Checkers to taking out Tricky Dick , in this fun-raising comedy of historic distortions. Directed by Andrew Fleming. Starring Kirsten Dunst & Michelle Williams. PG-13
	The Distinguished Gentleman A small-time con man wins a Congressional seat and uses the perks and power of his new position to con for cash and bamboozle the big bucks without breaking the law. Directed by Jonathan Lynn. Starring Eddie Murphy. R
	Election Tracy Flick is a straight-A go-getter determined to be president of Carver High's student body. Popular teacher Jim McAllister decides to derail Tracy's obsessive overachieving by recruiting an opposition candidate. Mr. M. never imagines that stopping Tracy is like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. Directed by Alexander Payne. Starring Reese Witherspoon & Matthew Broderick. Based on the book Election by Tom Perrotta. R
	A Face in the Crowd Lonesome Rhodes is a drifter and conman who, due to a chance encounter, is skyrocketed to fame as a television star. His smiling, folksy image masks his plunge into a behind-the-scenes world of booze, sex, used-up people, torn up dreams and finalyy a corrupt grab for political power. Directed by Elia Kazan. Starring Andy Griffith & Patricia Neal. NR
	The Farmer's Daughter Katie Holstrom, a young, headstrong Swedish girl, decides to leave the farm to pursue a nursing career in Capitol City. There she takes a job as a maid in the Morley household, immediately winning over Congressman Glenn Morley, his mother and their butler. Morley runs for re-election and wins, but soon after taking office, the congressman's colleague dies, and the party nominates a political hack named Finley to replace him. But the Morleys are stunned when Katie is asked by the opposition to run for the same office. Directed by HC Potter. Starring Loretta Young & Joseph Cotton. Based on the book by Juhani Tervapää. NR
	Head of State When a presidential candidate is needed just a few weeks before the election, Washington picks Mays Gilliam, a powerless politician they plan to use as their pupet, certain that he will lose. Buy Mays won't go down that easy. If he is going to run, he is going to do it his way and have fun doing it that way as well. Directed by Chris Rock. Starring Chris Rock & Bernie Mac. PG-13
	Inside the White House Discover the human side of this legendary house in candid interviews with every living President and First Lady, and peek inside the families' rarely-seen private living quarters. Follow along as a small army of employees whirls behind the scenes in a frenzy of activity surrounding a major state visit and dinner. National Geographic Production. NR
	Journeys with George An unprecedented, all access pass to candidate George W. Bush in the months before he won the closest and most controversial presidential election in history. The documentary looks at the contradictions and seductions of big-time political reporting. Directed by Aaron Lubarsky & Alexandra Pelosi. NR
	The Manchurian Candidate Ask Major Bennett Marco and he'll say that Sergeant Raymond Shaw is a hero worthy of the Medal of Honor. But despite what he says, Marco suspects otherwise. A bizarre, recurring nightmare gives him the uneasy feeling that Shaw is something far less heroic and far more insidious. Is it possible that Shaw is a traitor? Can Marco convince the Army of his suspicions? How does Shaw's power-mad mother figure into all of this? So many questions. So precious little time. Directed by John Frankenheimer. Starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, & Janet Leigh. Based on the book The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon. PG-13
	Meet John Doe Reporter sends faked letter to newspaper, purportedly from man planning to commit suicide. When it creates a sensation, newspaper gets down-and-out fellow to pose as the letter-writer, and he becomes the flagbearer of the common man. Directed by Frank Capra. Starring Gary Cooper & Barbara Stanwyck. NR
	Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Framed by ruthless politicians out to destroy him, a young idealist takes on the entire U.S. Senate. Directed by Frank Capra. Starring Jimmy Stewart. NR
	My Date with the President's Daughter The fun begins when shy guy Duncan meets Hallie and asks her out. When Duncan pulls up to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he thinks she's played a trick on him because he's sitting in front of the White House. To his surprise, he's ushered into the Oval Office to meet Hallie's father - the President of the United States. Directed by Alex Zamm. Starring Dabney Coleman, Will Friedle, & Elisabeth Harnois. NR
	My Fellow Americans They used to run the country. Now they're running for their lives! Two former Presidents are framed in a scandal by the current President and pursued by armed agents. The two squabbling political foes plunge into a desperate and delightfully frantic search for the evidence that will establish their innocence. As they scramble through the real America, they get an unexpected crash course in how their policies affected the citizens. Directed by Peter Segal. Starring Jack Lemmon & James Garner. PG-13
	Nashville Set in Tennessee, Nashville interweaves the stories of 24 characters during five days in the capital of country music. More than a portrait of these 24 people, the film is a penetrating commentary on America at a particular time. Directed by Robert Altman. R
	Primary Colors Jack Stanton is a virtually unknown Southern govenor on a quest for the White House with his strong, savvy and equally ambitious wife, Susan. Running against all odds, the Stantons need all the help they can get from their extremely colorful political team. Together, they take off on a hilarious, heart-wrenching and ultimately history-making roller coaster ride to the top. Directed by Mike Nichols. Starring John Travolta & Emma Thompson. Based on the book Primary Colors by Joe Klein. R
	Running Mates The media stalks every move Michigan governor James Pryce makes. His life is a hectic circus of photo ops, policy wonking, campaign funds and heated speculation over his possible VP choice. And sharing center ring with him is his smiling wife and an entourage of ex-lovers who are all women of power, all hoping to wield more power by putting Pryce in the Oval Office. Directed by Rob Lagomarsino. Starring Tom Selleck. NR
	Wag the Dog When the President is caught in a sex scandal less than 2 weeks before the election, the White House sends for "Mr. Fix-it." Washington spinmaster Conrad Brean needs a war to distract the public's attention, and he calls on Hollywood's top producer Stanley Moss to create it. Directed by Barry Levinson. Starring Dustin Hoffman & Robert De Niro. Based on the book American Hero by Larry Beinhart. R