henry fonda Tagged Articles at Cinematical

We've got two portrayals of U.S. Presidents vying for Oscars this year: Josh Brolin as W in W. and Frank Langella as Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon. I've yet to see either one, though I did see Langella in the Broadway play, which I hear the movie faithfully replicates. On the eve of W.'s release, it seemed like a good time to get a discussion going on Best Screen Presidents, real or fictional. Here's my list, which is surely missing some obvious choices -- but that's part of the fun.

1. President Jackson Evans (Jeff Bridges) - The Contender
For the past couple of elections, pollsters have asked people which of the two presidential candidates they would rather "have a beer with." Inevitably it is pointed out that the person you would rather have a beer with is frequently not the person you would want to run the country. Jeff Bridges's President Jackson Evans, though, wins at life: he's the guy I'd want to have a beer with, and the guy I'd want running the country. Seriously, I would vote for Jackson Evans over either John McCain or Barack Obama. He's charming, and funny, and a bit of a jerk when called for, but he stands up for what's right and gives the best Rod Lurie Speech to date. My favorite movie president -- though for the record, I think The Contender is only pretty good.

Today is Henry Fonda's birthday -- it's been 101 years since he was born, although he died in 1982. It's the perfect excuse for me to post a wonderful photo from one of my favorite movies: The Lady Eve. The 1941 comedy was written and directed by Preston Sturges and is an absolutely delightful romp, one of the last great Thirties-style comedies. An amazingly young Fonda plays a beer-brewing magnate's heir who isn't interested in beer or in any of the lovely ladies trying to ensnare him into marriage -- he is obsessed by his study of snakes. However, before he is even aware of it, the slipperiest female around manages to hook him. That would naturally be Barbara Stanwyck, playing the cynical daughter of a master con artist. And that's only the beginning of the odd and hilarious plot. The dialogue is priceless -- I love the line is "I need him like the axe needs the turkey," and I get a kick out of Stanwyck's character's attempts to act British. The cast includes some of my favorite Thirties character actors, including Eric Blore, Charles Coburn, and Eugene Pallette.

Criterion has released a very nice DVD of The Lady Eve, and if you're looking for a slightly askew comedy, this would be an excellent rental choice. If nothing else, you can marvel at how Fonda looks almost babyish in appearance, especially compared to his later roles in Mister Roberts, 12 Angry Men, and On Golden Pond. I found the above image on The Palace, a site devoted to classic Hollywood films that includes a number of other lovely stills from Thirties and Forties comedies.