The Pentagon Papers

• Director: Rod Holcomb
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Political Drama, Biopic
• Themes: Whistleblowers, Conspiracies, Political Corruption
• Release Year: 2003
• Country: US
• Run Time: 95 minutes

Plot

It was certainly no coincidence that the made-for-cable historical film The Pentagon Papers was timed for released just when America was poised to wrestle with the question as to whether or not the President had the right to declare war on Iraq without full congressional and/or United Nations approval. The film covers several decades in the life of Harvard graduate Daniel Ellsberg (James Spader), who as a Pentagon official during two presidential administrations regards himself as patriotic as the next fellow. According to the unabashedly slanted teleplay by Jason Horwitch, it is this sense of patriotism that compels Ellsberg to release a 7,000-page classified report to The New York Times and The Washington Post, revealing that the official story of America's "success" in Vietnam was both exaggerated and distorted, and that the public has been egregiously misled for years. As a result of this act, Ellsberg, whose family life has already been destroyed by his devotion to his work, faces charges of treason from the Nixon administration. Ironically, it is Nixon's reaction to Ellsberg's security breach which leads him to create his team of gap-stopping "plumbers" -- who would of course bring about the President's downfall with the Watergate scandal. Surprisingly, The Pentagon Papers premiered March 9, 2003, over the FX network, a cable service owned by the markedly conservative Rupert Murdoch. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

Paul Giamatti - Anthony Russo; James Spader - Daniel Ellsberg; Alan Arkin - Harry Rowen; Claire Forlani - Patricia Marx; Michael Stevens - Russo's Lawyer; Jonas Chernick - Neil Sheehan; Hannah Lochner - Mary Ellsberg; Mark Benesh - Leonard Compson III

Credit

Rod Holcomb - Director, Joshua Maurer - Executive Producer, Normand Corbeil - Composer (Music Score), Michael Mayers - Cinematographer, Stephen Turnbull - Producer, Jason Horwitch - Teleplay By

Similar Movies

All the President's Men; Nixon; Kissinger and Nixon; Path to War; The Contender; Advise and Consent