Whether you’re an American anxious about the upcoming U.S. election results or a Canadian watching intently to see the impact from our neighbouring country, the race to be elected president has always been an intriguing playground for filmmakers. Blending the real with fiction, several films have been inspired by American elections, and its candidates, for years.
As we wait for the outcome of race between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, some may prefer to shift their attention to more stylized version of U.S. elections. That’s where movies come into play.
An absolute classic, the movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford is widely considered one of the greatest journalism films ever made. In Alan J. Pakula’s film, Hoffman and Redford play Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, working to reveal the truth of the Watergate scandal, leading up to Richard Nixon’s resignation.
Where to watch All the President’s Men: Available to put or rent on sites like Apple TV
Leaning into the deceit of politics is George Clooney’s film The Ides of March. Ryan Gosling plays Stephen Meyers, a campaign staffer for Democratic presidential candidate Governor Mike Morris (Clooney). Meyers ends up getting wrapped up in scandal and lies, in the journey to survive Morris’ political race.
Where to watch The Ides of March: Prime Video
Adapting Joe Klein’s novel, the film from Mike Nichols has a stacked cast, including John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Adrian Lester, Kathy Bates and Billy Bob Thornton. Released during the Monica Lewinsky-Bill Clinton scandal, the film follows presidential candidate, Governor Jack Stanton (Travolta), running for office with his wife and First Lady, Susan Stanton, by his side. And Henry Burton (Lester) joins Stanton’s campaign. It’s a particularly interesting film to watch knowing the history of Clinton’s indiscretions.
Where to watch Primary Colors: Available to buy or rent through sites like Apple TV
While there was a 2004 remake with Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep, let’s take it back to 1962 with the Frank Sinatra film, directed by John Frankenheimer. An adaptation of the novel by Richard Condon, the political thriller is about U.S soldiers who were captured and brainwashed during the Korean War. While Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) is seen as a hero, Bennett Marco (Sinatra) starts having nightmares where he recalls what happened in Korea, uncovering a terrible plot.
Where to watch The Manchurian Candidate: Free on Tubi
Alexander Payne’s Citizen Ruth is one of his films that certainly doesn’t get as much love as his other movies, but the 1996 film starring Laura Dern is a great political satire centred around differing opinions on abortion rights. When Ruth Stoops (Dern) is pregnant, after already having four children who are in foster home, she finds herself in the middle of activists on both sides of the debate.
Where to watch Citizen Ruth: Available to buy or rent on sites like Apple TV
While we’re on the topic of Payne, we can’t forget about a film that’s more widely discussed, Election. Starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick, high school teacher Jim McAllister (Broderick) rigs the student election in favour of the school jock, played by Chris Klein, over Witherspoon’s Tracy Flick. The film was referenced extensively in a number of articles comparing the circumstances of the movie to Hilary Clinton’s 2016 presidential run.
Where to watch Election: Available to buy or rent on sites like Apple TV
Based on Robert Penn Warren’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, inspired by Louisiana Governor Huey Long, the Oscar-winning film All the King’s Men is another essential film in the history of political dramas. Directed by Robert Rossen, starring Broderick Crawford as Willie Stark, it’s a classic look at power and corruption in politics. While the film was remade in 2006 with Sean Penn, there’s something particularly impactful about Rossen’s version.
Where to watch All the King’s Men: Buy or rent on sites like Apple TV
