The sound of paper rustling and the snap of a pen uncapping fills the air. Seated on a floral-patterned couch is Dustin Hoffman, sporting long hair and a strikingly bold collar, exuding an intense focus. Facing him is Jane Alexander, dressed in a blue button-down dress, appearing tense under the warm glow of a nearby lamp. In this tightly wound and intimate acting lesson, every minor detail is significant.<\/p>\n
Alexander fondly recalls a moment from the filming: \u201cThe makeup team rushed in because sweat was dripping off Dustin’s face,\u201d she chuckles. \u201cGordon Willis, our cinematographer, insisted, \u2018Don\u2019t touch that, I\u2019m lighting off his sweat!\u2019 I just love that.\u201d<\/p>\n
This interaction took place during a crucial moment in “All the President\u2019s Men,” often referred to as the quintessential journalism film, which made its debut at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts exactly 50 years ago. The movie is adapted from the book published in 1974 by Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, detailing their investigation into the Watergate scandal that ultimately led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.<\/p>\n
Directed with precision by Alan Pakula and featuring Robert Redford as Woodward and Hoffman as Bernstein, “All the President\u2019s Men” achieved commercial success and garnered eight Academy Award nominations, winning four, including Best Adapted Screenplay for William Goldman and Best Supporting Actor for Jason Robards, who played Ben Bradlee, the editor of the Post.<\/p>\n
Alexander received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Judy Hoback, nicknamed \u201cthe Bookkeeper\u201d in the screenplay for the Committee to Re-elect the President. Although her screen time totals just over five minutes, she reflects on it as a standout achievement of her career.<\/p>\n
Prior to filming her scenes, Alexander had just finished a performance in “The Great White Hope” alongside James Earl Jones. She made her way from the Kennedy Center, a short distance from the site of the Watergate scandal, to shoot her brief scenes in a small home on a sweltering summer afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cI recall arriving and thinking I was slightly late,\u201d Alexander, now 86, shares during a Zoom call from Purchase, New York, with her dog Romeo by her side. \u201cWe headed straight to the set, and Alan Pakula looked at me and said, \u2018Oh God, you look fantastic, let\u2019s shoot now!\u2019 I replied, \u2018But I haven\u2019t done hair and makeup yet.\u2019 He insisted, \u2018I love how you look \u2013 let\u2019s go as is!\u2019 I said, \u2018This is just my summer outfit, a little blue thing.\u2019 He responded, \u2018Perfect.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went directly into the house to rehearse in that small space. Alan set the scene so brilliantly. I don\u2019t think it would have been possible to fail in that moment because he positioned me right in the corner with a light that created a suffocating atmosphere. It was a hot day, and even hotter inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDustin was leaning forward from the couch, and there was this massive Panavision camera, as big as a Volkswagen. Gordon Willis was up there operating it, and I felt overwhelmed. I could only see Gordon, the camera, and Dustin. I couldn\u2019t even see Alan. The setup was designed to heighten the tension.\u201d<\/p>\n
The scene serves as a powerful exploration of persistence and the emotional strain of whistleblowing. Bernstein relentlessly presses the bookkeeper, who is torn between her sense of duty and her fears, eventually becoming the first source to confirm the existence of a clandestine slush fund within the Committee to Re-elect the President.<\/p>\n
Alexander recalls the experience with clarity. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely one of my favorite scenes I\u2019ve ever performed,\u201d she states. \u201cI always felt that Alan directed it beautifully, and I\u2019ve heard from various acting instructors that they use that scene in their classes for analysis.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt appears to be shot in a single take; however, there are numerous cuts. The focus is solely on the two of us, with only two angles utilized. Dustin was always leaning forward. It was tight and tense. I questioned why I even let him into the room. I needed to share this story, but with Bernstein being so direct, I wasn\u2019t sure if I could do it or if he was the right person. I might have found it easier to open up to Woodward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexander makes another brief appearance later when Woodward and Bernstein return to find her on her porch. \u201cWhen Bob comes into the scene, I\u2019m much more prepared, though we never hear everything I say, but I\u2019m ready to reveal everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Upon watching the premiere at the Kennedy Center, attended by an audience of 1,100, Alexander was left in awe. \u201cIt was remarkable. I still believe it\u2019s one of the greatest films ever made. It\u2019s the only film I rewatch every couple of years that I\u2019ve been part of. It endures.\u201d<\/p>\n
“All the President\u2019s Men” is celebrated alongside classics like “His Girl Friday,” “Citizen Kane,” “Ace in the Hole,” “Sweet Smell of Success,” “The Killing Fields,” “The Paper,” and “Spotlight” as one of the finest films depicting the lives of newspaper journalists. It provides a definitive portrayal of reporters connecting the dots between the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex, Nixon\u2019s reelection campaign, and the White House.<\/p>\n
Redford\u2019s interest was sparked when the Watergate break-in was discussed with journalists during a promotional tour for his film “The Candidate.” He eagerly consumed the Washington Post\u2019s leading coverage of the Watergate saga. When he encountered a profile of the paper\u2019s dynamic duo\u2014Bernstein, a liberal Jew with long hair, and Woodward, a conservative Republican and Navy veteran\u2014he saw the potential for a compelling cinematic narrative.<\/p>\n
Years later, Redford shared with the Washington Post, \u201cI thought it was a fascinating character study of two individuals who approached their work from very different angles.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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