Review of Secret Honor (1984) by Ben W — 10 Sep 2007

Secret honor...and public shame. this is what philip baker hall portraying richard m. nixon says he chose. whatever your views on nixon are, you are bound to believe them if even a little differently after seeing this movie.

the eye of robert altmans camera is very even and uncompromising in examining this character. the script came from a one-man play and it translated into a one-man movie. but dont look for the precise historical accuracy that audiences mistakenly pine for all day long.

this is a fictionalized account that is that way so that we can make a better attempt to understand this incredibly complex character. hall plays nixon (or should I say overplays nixon but it really works better that way) manically in his personal study sometime after his resignation and while he feels the need to have an all night confessional.

he cries and screams in half finished and sometimes only half started sentences. and it really reaches down somewhere in the heart of the viewer. he curses almost as though it were punctuation. but dont get me wrong, this is not a plea for sympathy on the man form his supporters.

there is just as much satire and judgment as there is empathy for him.