The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
While there have been many on screen portrayals of J. Edgar Hoover, I urge you to watch Broderick Crawford’s version. As a veteran actor of tough guy roles, it was great casting for Broderick Crawford to play the immovable J. Edgar Hoover. However, there are a couple of scenes that go against his gruff persona, and he’s so vulnerable, it feels like we’re eavesdropping on a private conversation – pun intended. The “private” insinuation of the title is correct, as we see him battling his inner demons. As he looks down on sin, he has secret urges of his own.
James Wainwright plays the young Hoover, and he’s very good as well. He had to act both as young Broderick Crawford and J. Edgar Hoover, and he blended both into his onscreen performance. There’s a large supporting cast in this movie, so as the years tick by, keep your eyes peeled for different cameos. Dan Dailey and José Ferrer are Brody’s loyal sidekicks – but will they always be? Rip Torn is a young upstart at the bureau, whose loyalty does not lie with his boss. Celeste Holm is a female friend who has a lot of history with Brody, and friendship is all she’ll get out of him. As for notable historical figures, you’ll see Howard Da Silva as FDR, George Wallace as Joseph McCarthy, William Jordan Raymond St. Jacques as Martin Luther King, Andrew Duggan as LBJ, and James LaRoe as Nixon. I’d never seen (or heard of, I admit) Michael Parks before this movie, and now I always say, “Oo! The Robert Kennedy guy!” when I see his name in the opening credits. He’ll always be the fellow who played RFK, to me, because he was so convincing.
I have great admiration for writer and director Larry Cohen’s screenplay. It was very daring, and not only in its portrayal of the title character. When you keep in mind this movie was made in 1977, it’s remarkable that the Kennedys and FDR were not written to be perfect. Tons of real records were referenced while he wrote his story, and authentic filming locations were used as well. If you like taking a peek inside Pandora’s Box while watching this movie, try another 1970s political drama Tora! Tora! Tora! It’s even more shocking.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More José Ferrer movies here!
James Wainwright plays the young Hoover, and he’s very good as well. He had to act both as young Broderick Crawford and J. Edgar Hoover, and he blended both into his onscreen performance. There’s a large supporting cast in this movie, so as the years tick by, keep your eyes peeled for different cameos. Dan Dailey and José Ferrer are Brody’s loyal sidekicks – but will they always be? Rip Torn is a young upstart at the bureau, whose loyalty does not lie with his boss. Celeste Holm is a female friend who has a lot of history with Brody, and friendship is all she’ll get out of him. As for notable historical figures, you’ll see Howard Da Silva as FDR, George Wallace as Joseph McCarthy, William Jordan Raymond St. Jacques as Martin Luther King, Andrew Duggan as LBJ, and James LaRoe as Nixon. I’d never seen (or heard of, I admit) Michael Parks before this movie, and now I always say, “Oo! The Robert Kennedy guy!” when I see his name in the opening credits. He’ll always be the fellow who played RFK, to me, because he was so convincing.
I have great admiration for writer and director Larry Cohen’s screenplay. It was very daring, and not only in its portrayal of the title character. When you keep in mind this movie was made in 1977, it’s remarkable that the Kennedys and FDR were not written to be perfect. Tons of real records were referenced while he wrote his story, and authentic filming locations were used as well. If you like taking a peek inside Pandora’s Box while watching this movie, try another 1970s political drama Tora! Tora! Tora! It’s even more shocking.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More José Ferrer movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Supporting Actor of 1977: Michael Parks
Best Dramatic Screenplay
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Actor: Broderick Crawford