The Post

Dir: Steven Spielberg

2017

****

Steven Speilberg made The Post in record time while waiting for post-production special effects to take place on his 2018 adaptation of Ready Player One. He’s a pro and has made making a film in nine months look easy. To be fair, he has surrounded himself in professionals and some of the best in their fields, but I digress, there was good reason for his rush to the cinema screens. This is Liz Hannah’s first screenplay to go into production, picked up by one of the greatest directors of all time. An amazing achievement, especially as it pretty much covers the same story as the 1976 classic All The President’s Men. The story behind the Pentagon Papers has been covered, indeed, in June 2011, the entire Pentagon Papers were declassified and made public. In the 6-3 Court decision, Justice Hugo Black wrote, "Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government. And paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell." Spielberg saw the similarities between the Nixon administration and the current Trump administration and knew that a re-telling of this story was perfect during the current political climate. In a time were the phrase ‘fake news’ is rife, it is important to take a look back at such historical events and how they were handled. So it is somewhat frustrating that the film doesn’t quite keep with the facts. The New York Times had published the Pentagon Papers before The Washington Post and had set the stage for legal battle that ended with the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the newspaper in the the case New York Times Co. v. United States (403 U.S. 713). Why the story is told from The Washington Post’s viewpoint, other than to include Katharine Graham and Ben Bradlee, is anybodies guess. Spielberg was friends with the Bradlees’, so that may have had something to do with it, however it isn’t clear whether any of it was part of the original script or was part of the rewrites that took place ten weeks before filming. The fact remains however that two historical stories have been merged to tell one and that is often dangerous ground to tread – especially when making a point about the current levels of honesty within the White House. However, most of this can be swept aside somewhat, as the core of the film is relevant and timely. We only see Nixon from a distance in the film but his voice we hear are genuine recordings that say everything you need to hear. I don’t think you should just compare Trump’s administration though, I believe that every government since the Pentagon Papers has remembered the event and have taken precautions – indeed, I believe The Post shows the press in general at the peak of what they should be. Nearly every paper now has an agenda and is owned by someone with political connections who by and large, pull the political strings. Papers now form governments, rather than keep them accountable. The Post is great slice of Spielberg, a slightly toned-down thriller from the director but one that reminds those that knew of the scandal before and also makes clear for those that didn’t. It’s often a shame when you learn that younger generations aren’t aware or interested in such historical events but I personally find it more worrying when generations that lived through it have forgotten or just ignore them. It comes at a perfect time but I wonder if it could have had more of an impact. Meryl Streep is good as always but her character muddied the water somewhat for me. I don’t think her performance was exceptional or award worthy but then I think she is now nominated as a matter of habit. Tom Hanks was good, as were the supporting cast, but I don’t think anyone was stand out but then I think the film needed a strong ensemble, rather than a couple of big performances. One or two Streep scenes aside, the film is suitably calm and un-sensationalized. Many see it as being a bit dull and uncharacteristic of its director but I think the mood captured was perfect for the story. The story is huge and changed everything, the film explains this brilliantly, and if that isn’t understood by the end of the film than I’m afraid it isn’t the film that is at fault. I just wish it was 100% accurate, otherwise why not make a documentary. I loved the various nods to William Goldman’s All The President’s Men, I just hope that a younger audience will now be interested enough to look it up and those that have seen it will revisit it again soon.