Rob Reiner - The American President

0:00 On the topic of fictional presidents, whether it's your favorite fictional movie president, or you think is the best fictional movie President. What name you got for me? Hands down, no question, President Thomas Beck. You didn't even think about that. You just shot from the hip. There is no question. President Morgan Freeman. He is fantastic. Yeah, Oh my gosh. From the moment he walked on the screen, he. Had a he had a tough gig. I mean, that was the extinct extinction level event. Yes, you know that's a That's an awesome movie.

0:41 We did a we did an episode over on Docking Bay that was Deep Impact versus Armageddon. And I don't know where I come out on that one. That's oh. I have opinions, as we know, so you can head over and check it out and then you'll have your answer. You're just rote down with you, Grrison Ford, Right, I'm not no, I not for sure. I when I think of fictional presidents, not only is he my favorite, he is, in my opinion, the best. I'm talking about a golf wer fire pilot who served as president from ninety three to two thousand and one. Amber You'll remember he played a significant part in defeating the alien threat during the War of nineteen ninety six.

1:25 Two terms in office, and he helped create the Earth Space Defense Initiative. President Thomas J. Whitmore is my. Choice, Absolutely not, you know, but I'm still going Morgan Freeman. But present President Beck not a bad choice. That's a great choice. Whitmore a great choice. Harrison Ford and Air Force one that's not a bad choice either. But I love thinking narrated it to fictional because that helped a lot, because then there's a lot of great, you know, interpretations of real presidents, and that could just be a whole episode itself. Well, I do want to talk about another fictional president who is, in my opinion, a great president. So let's talk about a film by Rob Reiner, his nineteen ninety five political romance film The American President.

2:17 Mister President, this isn't going to work. Are you attracted to me? That's not the issue? You know what your problem is? What's my problem? Sex and nervousness. Sidney ellen Wade has done nothing to you. Does you want a character that debate Bob? You better stick with me, because Sidney ellen Wade is way out of your league. My name is Andrew Sheppard, and I am the president. Hello everybody, I'm Jeff Johnson, I'm Amber Lewis, and this is a Film by podcast. It is inauguration day. What better time to talk about a political film, you know, a film about an amazing president who is vying for reelection.

3:11 And I think we got a great one on our hands. This is actually this is the second time we've talked about Rob Reiner. We did Gosta of Mississippi a couple seasons ago. I don't know if you've seen that one, Amber, but that's. Another great, great movie. Yeah. So before we get going, I do want to say a thank you to the very lovely, very talented kat Lester. She joined us just a few days ago. We did a bonus episode this past Friday where we had a conversation with a lady in lavender phantasm Royalty. Kat Lester joined us. That was such a fun time. We had a blast. I got a lot lot of positive feedback about that, so, you know, hopefully we'll get her back in a great Yeah. Absolutely, But I think we're gonna have a great episode today because this movie. Amber, I'll go ahead and kill the suspense. We both love this film. The Americans, Oh my God.

4:07 Yes, Rob Reiner makes an absolutely amazing romantic comedy. He absolutely does. Let's talk a little bit about Rob Reiner. A couple of facts for you, Amber, and a quote. You know, we always like to do three facts in a quote. Yes, let's start with the fact that in nineteen seventy four he co wrote the first episode of Happy Days. Were you a fan of Happy Days? Did you watch that like reruns when you're a little kid? Oh? Yeah, yeah, I loved Fonsie. We all loved. But who didn't love the Fonds? Our friend, def Dave will appreciate this one. Rob Reiner has said that one of his all time favorite bands is the Beach Boys, which leads me to this question, Amber, I don't recall ever hearing a Beach Boys song in a Rob b Reiner film. Is that accurate?

5:03 Oh? Wow, I can't. I couldn't think of one. If there was one, it would have been here, you know. Yeah, deaf Dave's listening and he's already researching it right now. I can't wait to hear the feedback on this one. He'll let us know more on Rob Reiner. Stand By Me is his favorite of all the films he's directed. And considers it his masterpiece. Obviously we cover that on nineteen eighty six. We actually had Dayton Johnson from Docum Base seventy seven join us for that one. I mean, that's an all time amazing coming of age story. I think classic. You know if you're wondering about the sheer terror on the faces of Will Wheaton and Jerry O'Connell during the train scene, cause it's pretty convincing. Oh right, Yeah, Reiner didn't believe they looked scared enough after several takes, so he pulled these two children aside, began yelling at them to the point they started crying, and then he used the very next take that.

6:01 They did it so hard like the mom and me is just like the hell. But Steven Spielberg did the same thing to Christian Bale on Empire of the Sun, and he's like, sometimes you just you have to get them where they need to go, and it seems harsh, but you gotta do it. You gotta do what you gotta do with kids. Yeah, I'll give you. I'll give you one more like I told you I got. I got a bonus fact for you. Years ago, while waiting for a flight in terminal b at Lax, Rob Reiner met the only other person sitting in the terminal, had a brief conversation about his filmography.

6:42 That person later went on to co create via film by podcast. His name was Jeff Johnson. What Yeah, me and Rob hanging out at the airport. Oh my goodness. Yeah, fun, little fun, little moment. It was. It was surreal talking to the guy that created the Princess Bride. But but moving on. You know, if you amber, if you follow Rob Briiner on social media, it's no secret he is very political. And again we don't get we don't get political our on our show. So his political beliefs are his political beliefs and we'll leave it at that.

7:23 But on running for political office, Rob had this to say, quote, I have thought about it. The problem was, I was seriously thinking about it a while ago, and then the family sat down and we all talked about it. And then I polled about forty percent in my own family. I figured, if I can't carry my own family, then I'm not gonna run. So they have it. Poor meathead. He came in. When you know, I like when he talks about sitting down with a family. I see like Carol O'Connor sitting there, tell you know, tell him as an idiot, and he say, yeah, you can't run for office, you know. But yeah, Rob's family said that that's not a good spot for you.

8:04 So I mean, I think he's right where he is meant to be. Yeah, making amazing films. That's where we want him to be. So Amber, speaking of amazing films, I think the American President definitely qualifies. But for the listeners that maybe are not familiar with this one, you want to give us a little brief synopsis. Yeah, it's about a president in his first term who is a widower and he meets an environmental lobbyist and they fall in love and it's a romantic comedy, but there's also politics involved because they've got to woo each other in front of the entire country.

8:47 Well said, definitely, Uh, it's got it's got its politics, it's got its it's got its comedy, and it definitely has its heart. This again, this is one of those movies that I could, you know, I could watch this alone, can watch this on date night, you know. Either way, I'm just ready to tackle it. And critics love the film. They praised the performances, the score by Mark Schiman, obviously, the screenplay by Aaron Sorkin. Amber nominated for one Oscar and five Golden Globes, wins nothing. That's a lot of accolades. So it's not exactly an underrated film, but we're still talking about it because when you say Rob Reiner's name, it's most likely not even one of the first ten movies people think about, right.

9:32 I would say not. He has so many good ones, such a great dermography just as a director, that I think maybe this one kind of you're like, oh, yeah, he did do that one, didn't he mm hmm. He's one of those guys where he's a hit maker. And then the second you think, okay, let's talk about Rob Reiner for a second, I think your brain immediately goes to certain films and then you forget about a lot of them, you know, And and truthfully, I think American President is one of those because even even the first time I watched I was like, oh, it's a Rob Reiner film. So one thing I love about Reiner is when he works with guys like Aaron Sorkin. Can we have can we have a little Sorkin talk?

10:17 Oh? My gosh, I know you're a fan of so I know you're a Sorkin fan. I know you're you were excited to talk Sorkin. Yes, I finished watching this movie and then turned on The West Wing again for the I don't know, pray seventh time. The seventh like how many? How many seasons was it was? It was The West Wing. Seven seven, the first five. Okay, seven seasons and you're on your seventh rewatch. At least that's a lot. So let's talk about Sorkin. Robert Redford has an idea for a film, with the pitch being that quote the President elopes. He likes Sorkin's treatment because he kind of shopped us around this idea around. Sorkin had the best treatment. He hires him to write the screenplay, and the idea is that Redford and Emma Thompson are going to star in this romantic comedy. More on why that film didn't take place later on Amber.

11:13 This shocked me. He's given an interview with TV Guide, Aaron Sorkin admitted that he wrote this screenplay while high on crack cocaine. What yeah, poor Aaron is you know he's he's recovered or he's in recovery or however you say it, but he famously was struggling with addiction all through the West Wing as well. And you know, it's just amazing that somebody's so brilliant can operate on such a high level and be, you know, struggling so badly in their personal life. You know, it's shocking crack cocaine because like when you when you hear crack cocaine, you immediately think inner city, poor, you know, just terrible situations, right, you don't.

12:03 I think I'll just escalated into that, you. Know, I guess you know, I mean someone as successful as him, and I just see him like, okay, they've they've got a drug addiction, or they they struggle with alcohol. I would never think cocaine. It just when I read that, I was like, wow, I. Don't know a lot about it, but I was I who was the kid in health class that when they said it only takes one time to get it into like, I fully bought into that and never tried anything because I was like, I would be the one, you know, so it could be like he did it one time and that was all it took. Shout out to my dad, Al Johnson. He sat me and my brother down when we were children, made us watch New Jack City, Oh as a as a here's why drugs are bad type of thing. The movie's awesome, by the way, Yes, but I also was done watching it thinking I will never smoke drugs like that looks terrible. Yep, speaking a terrible. I want to talk about the lawsuit.

13:05 Are you familiar with the lawsuit? Yeah, well it's a little ridiculous, isn't it. I think it's complete horseshit. But you know, will yet, it's not that first time that's happened. Yeah, so is it. William Richard, who as a writer director he unsuccessfully sued the Writer's Guild of America for not being credited for the screenplay, and he claimed plagiarism, citing his nineteen eighty one screenplay called The President Elopes, which you know, you know, that's a little suspect because that's you know, Robert Redford used that pitch, you know, while he's shopping around. So you got to wonder where this all plays out. You're talking about the West Wing, though Richard also claimed sor constilled parts of his script to create the West Wing. Yeah, part of me part of me says, okay, So let's look at this subjectively.

13:58 Part of me says, okay, here is a writer, director and amber. This is the guy that gave us the Coming of Age nineteen eighty eight comedy A Night in the Life of Jimmy rearding with River Phoenix. Mm hmm. So he is going up against a writer who's struggling with crack cocaine. That's a you know, looking at that objectively, like you got to go, hmm, hold on. But you know what, they ruled in favor of Sorkin. He is the sole credit as screenwriter on this film. Well, and I would say, like he is a singular genius with a singular voice. And I think it would be very obvious if this wasn't his work. I can tell you just listening to the crackling dialogue, this is one hundred percent Aaron Sorkin through and through.

14:45 Yeah, the DNA of this like becomes the DNA of the West Wing. Like there are lines that are the same character names, well, all kinds of stuff. Like I'm gonna I'm gonna shock and most likely disappoint you. Here Jeffrey, and just say this, do is this wing? You tell me, you've never watched even one episode. I've never seen the West Wing. But am I am? I right in assuming that like maybe ninety percent of the cast of this movie is in the West Wing. Yes, it's a great thing that Aaron Sorkin does. You know, that's kind of become like the Aaron Sorkin players, And so you have these great supporting cast members, you know, like Anna Deavere Smith and Samantha David or Samantha Mathis, you know, all popping up on the West Wing. M h yeah, sometimes in regular roles, sometimes just a guest role.

15:40 But I promise you I am going to be watching it this year. I'm gonna I'm gonna start it this year because after watching The American President, I'm just so in love with the characters. I'm so in love with the style of it. And I know Sorkin, you know, I know this walk so that the West Wing can run. So I'm definitely jumping into the West Wing this season. I can even give you like a starter list of episodes if you need to to help you get give. Me a little starter treks like the guys on Phaser sets that's done. That might help, That might help I'll tell you we gotta take a quick break here, but I'm already wondering maybe we should do an Aaron Sorkin episode in the near future. We could get away with that a film by Aaron. He writes, All right, Amber, put a pin in that. Let's put that on the schedule.

16:30 But in the meantime, we will be back after these messages. Uh, and we're gonna talk about this cast. Welcome back. We are talking about Rob Reiners, the American President. Let's talk about President Andrew Sheppard played by Michael Douglas. So perfectly cast, like, so romantic, so sexy, like absolutely perfect. I want your thoughts on this here. Here's my take. This is the role that begins act too of Michael Douglas's career in my opinion, and I'm saying that because throughout the eighties and early nineties, this guy is a lock for the hero slash heart throb, slash steamy sex scene slash butt walk naked in the moonlight guy. But as Andrew Shephard, you know he's taking I feel like he's taking an age appropriate role. This is the first of many, right, He's no longer the guy that's gonna be seducing a woman and you know, gratuitous of sex, and you know he's finally he's coming into his own right, he's embracing middle age, even though he should have been doing it in like nineteen eighty nine.

17:47 Right, Well, I mean, if you can get it, get it. And yeah, I mean I'm no, I'm not hating on him. He's awesome. I'm just saying like I feel like, but yeah, this is it's the first one, right. Yeah, he's kind of moving into that elder statesman Yes, you know, respected Hank pim Era. Yeah, this is where he's I mean, he's like a year, He's a year. He's a year removed from disclosure and basic instinct, you know, these edgy rules. I like seeing, like you said, the elder statesman version of Michael Douglas. I dig it. What do you think of President Shephard. Oh my gosh, love him. Love the way he's a completely different president than President Bartlett on the West Wing, which is very interesting. Yeah, as you watch Martin Sheen play his chief of staff and then Martin Sheen goes on to play President Bartlett on the West Wing, so you're looking to see, like, maybe Martin Sheen should have been president in this movie, but it would not have been the same movie. You know, Michael Douglas can bridge that gap between you know, the politics and the romance of this story, like so well.

19:04 Let's uh, let's talk about his love interest. We're looking at Michelle Pfeiffer, We're looking at Susan Sarandon. Oddly enough, we're not looking at share I don't know why we didn't get the third Witch of Eastwick when we're looking at this role. But uh a, Nett Binning wins the role over everybody. This is she finally gets the chance to star opposite Douglas because as you were you will recall she had the role in Disclosure but had to drop out because she got pregnant. I think, and I think that's kind of a win for everybody because can you see a net Binning. You've seen the You've seen Disclosure, right, oh. Yeah, and read the book and felt like the movie was a really great adaptation of them.

19:48 Yea, it's not. It's not a net Beinning though, No, Demi war is. She killed it? Yeah, killed it? Yeah? Great? Absolute, Yeah. But Anette Binning, I think Anette Benning again perfectly cast you know, There was also talk about Emma Thompson being in the movie, and I think that those other actresses, like they should have been the president. You're gonna put them in the movie. They they aren't the second you know star where I thinking at Betting is just enough softer that she is a great foil to him in this political position that she has that's you know, important, but you don't look at her and go, well, she should be president.

20:37 So Sidney Ellen Wade, you know she's this, she's an environmental lobbyist. And to your point, like her being the perfect foil, they've got a real tracy Hepburn thing kind of happened, and I think, like I just yes, I love I mean it's crackling right, yes. And the cute, like the meat cute that they have is yeah, perfect. And also let's say about back and beat the shit out of him. It's a little slapsticky, but it just works. They just fizzle together. It works because again this is you know, this is designated as a comedy, a romantic comedy, but you need you need to believe in them and you have to have a little fun with them. And in those moments, I like, like the meat cute like you talked about, it's it's that's a very believable situation. I could see someone having a very awkward encounter like that in real life.

21:31 And the way that he plays it off, it's it's it's a lot of fun. I love. I love what they're doing here, A net beinning solid choice for this role in my opinion. Well, and I've always said, like a good romantic comedy should be like a good glass of champagne. It should be like sparkly and fizzy and just makes you feel lightheaded and all the right ways. And you've got to have that that popping chemistry. And boy do they have it. Amber do you get lightheaded in all the right ways when you see Martin Sheen on the big screen. He's Aj McInnerny. He's the chief of staff McInerney, Thank you, mcinernie, the President's chief of staff. Sheen can do no wrong.

22:14 I love him as this character, especially, like I said, knowing that he goes on to play President Bartlett on the West Wing and seeing him in this supporting role as the chief of staff, he is exactly the friend and the support that President Shepherd needs. Yeah, I love this is a very reserved performance for Martin Sheen, and I think that's one of the things that makes it so good because we're used to him being the leading man. We're used to him, we're used to him having a very commanding presence, and here he's doing a whole lot with very little. It's just sometimes it's just his facial expressions when people are speaking around him.

22:59 I think this is one of his better performances in the last thirty whatever years. Yeah, I think it's fun to watch an actor that you know can be explosive and dynamic and see them do something subtle and restrained is fascinating. Now on the opposite end of the spectrum, we got Michael J. Fox as Lewis Rothschild. Oh my god, it's like the guy that Alex P. Keaton grew up to be. A political Thank you. I was I was gonna drop at Alex P. Keaton spot here and you help. No, I'm happy that you did it because, you know, because this I feel like Alex P. Keaton did grow up and become Lewis Rothschild.

23:45 This is you know, like when you're young, you know you can be like passionately republican, and then you grow up and you experience more of the world and you're like, wait a minute, he's being more socially responsible. I love I love that Michael J. Fox is. He's bold, he's aggressive, he's loud in this movie, because that's not when you think of Michael J. Fox. You don't think of those. He gets one of the F bombs, Like, he gets one of them. We're gonna talk about that. Yeah, let's talk about him. Though, landing this role was a scary or deal for him, though he hadn't yet shared that he was living with Parkinson's. You know, the public didn't know that, and he was really worried that it would be revealed during the health screening for the film. But all in all was just a routine checkup for heart rate and blood pressure. So, you know, flew under the radar. And you know, he because he was on medication at that point, you know, for the the shake that he had in his left hand, but he was still very he was guarding this, you know.

24:43 And if you think about it, it's after this movie that he does Spin City, and the producers, the creators of Spin City, created that role for him based on Lewis Rothschild. So talk about you know, you talked about this movie kind of creating the West Wing well in a way to create Spin City. I feel absolutely he. Based his performance on former White House communications director and political TV personality George Stephanopoulos. Yes, I mean, he's just anytime, anytime Fox is on the screen here in this movie, I'm just excited. I'm like, I'm like, I'm the Michael Jackson popcorn eating gift where I just can't wait to see what he's gonna do. I've seen enough times I know what he's gonna do. But he man, when he pops off, it's so much fun.

25:31 Yeah, I love. One of the things I love about this movie and about the script is that everyone's so idealistic. And you know, there's a couple of characters that are a little more jaded, but most everybody. You know, Sidney when she gets to the White House, she's just exuberant with excitement because she's never been there before. Yeah, and you know, the woman that she's with us like, oh my god, I go to meetings here all the time. And Sidney doesn't care. She's like, no, this is cool. And Michael J. Fox's character is the same way. He's like this is all important, like he has no parameter for this thing is more important than that thing, Like it's all the most important things. And you love to think that the people representing us are that passionate.

26:17 I'll tell you we're we're early end of this episode, and I know you and I are both gonna struggle with how how often we quote the film? But it's Aaron Sorkan, It's Aaron Sorkin. How are we not supposed to quote it? Moving on? We we got you know, we've got We've got our leading man, we got we got a great four, we got a great leading lady. You gotta have a villain. Richard Dreyfus playing Senator Senator Bob Rumson. He is so comically fun in this movie with his whole my name is Bob Rumbinson. I'm running for president. Well, and I never saw this coming. Like the first time I saw the movie, you know, Dreyfus was, you know, in his youth, like this very kind of passionate liberal artist, you know, just so to see him play like this republican devil, it's hilarious.

27:11 It's another Another thing that's weird is we're so used to seeing Dreyfus as the fun leading guy. He's the comedic guy. He's he would be like the Michael J. Fox character if he were younger, Like that's who he would have ended up playing. Yeah, he's always gonna make us laugh. But here he's he's playing a bad guy. He's kind of dipping into the villain territory. Not that he's there and plays it like one straight like it's all so good, there's nothing comedic about it. Like he is very intense about how he feels. And they don't let him off the hook with like anything that makes him funny. Yeah, he's he's he's a great he's a great adversary.

27:53 I'll give him that for Douglas. Yeah, listen, it's an Aaron Sorkin Brier film. We could probably talk about another forty people in depth, but we got to move on. But uh, I just gotta throw this out here. I know you're not gonna let me off the hook if we don't mention him. If we talk about John Mahoney for a quick minute. His when his graph voice, Like the minute you hear it, I was like, oh my god, it's like a hug from Fraser. Yes, and you know speaking of Fraser, it was it was like this last watch I did, I'm like, oh wait, hold on, there's Wendy Malick. We got Ronnie and and Martin in this movie together. Yeah, Mahoney, I think we've said this before, Amber, I think you and I have said this before when we've mentioned John Mahoney in other films.

28:44 Anything that he's gonna do in the movie is gonna elevate the movie. It's gonna make it a better movie. You're gonna like the movie more because John Mahoney's in it. Now watching these old character has some hard things to say to Sydney. You know, she works for him and this relationship with the president. You know, they've got a deal to work through and they don't need this distraction, and so they have some hard conversations. And I don't think anybody else could have played it so well with her and not come off just sounding like a condescending chauvinist. Mm hmmm. Yeah. He he's saying, he's saying things that we don't want him to say. But but because he's John Mahoney, he kind of gets away with it.

29:26 We're like, right, and you have to say, like, well, he's not wrong. He's not right. Yeah, it's like it basically, he's basically he's given us the medicine. You don't want it. But but we gotta, we gotta listen, let's talk about this film. Uh, you know the background. Get let's get into some production here. So we mentioned Robert Redford and Emma Thompson earlier amber. They both dropped out of the film after Rob Reiner was attached to direct. Redford said it was his intention to make a romantic comedy, while Reiner wanted a focus on politics. But it's also have been suggested that the two have never got along. Yeah. I mean, you know, not everybody has to like everybody. But I think when you have two artists that are really have a point of view. Mm hm, that's it's tricky to make that collaboration work. I can see Redford making a movie where like the fact that his character was the president is like incidental.

30:24 I kind of see him thinking like, hey, I had I had a good time on the candidate, and I want I want more m right, But that's not the that's not the film. That's not the film that Rob Runner wants to do. So and I would argue that that's not the film that Aaron Sorkin wrote. No, it's not. It honestly, isn't one thing that always impresses me with this film and and some other film I could, I could point out some others, but the white House itself. The sets are incredible. Right. So, the white House set both East and West wings built on the lot of Rob Render's Castle Rock Entertainment in Culver City, and the set's oval office was also used for the film's Nixon and Independence Day and Amber.

31:10 Speaking of Nixon again, white House looks amazing. But let's not forget Camp David. The production designer actually used personal snapshots of Camp David from the Nixon era to help build the set, because famously, Camp David is off limits to everybody, including the press. Yeah, no one knows. No one knows could look like Wayne manor We're not gonna We're not gonna know. I gotta ask you the telephone number that that President Shepherd gives Sidney to call him back. Have you ever called that? Have you ever tried it? I have not. I know it's the real number. It's the real number. It's the actual number. I will say this. I have to give a shout out to my dad. I can remember being in second grade and wanting to write a letter to the president. Yeah, and my parents were like, yeah, you can do that. Anybody can write to the president.

31:59 And I said, well, how do I find out what the address is? And my dad just spouted out sixteen hundred Pennsylvania Avenue and I was like, Oh, my dad knows everything. Like I was so impressed. Yeah, it's like, I know the phone number two, Like what do you want for it? And I just thought, oh my god, he's a genius. I didn't realize it was like something everybody could have. Yeah, well, as we said it today is in fact inauguration day. Listeners, if you want to call the White House at area code two O two four five six one four one four and give any opinions you have, go ahead, go right ahead, Uh, Amber, I hope I didn't just get us in trouble with the Secret Service doing that.

32:41 Moving on switchboards, Like what back? Moving on? Speaking of trouble, Amber, this this is a PG thirteen rated film. We all know when it's rated PG thirteen you are allowed the use of the word fuck only once. This film got away with it three times. Three times, and they're why placed? They are perfectly placed? Can tell Can you tell the listeners though, why they got why this movie gets away with it? Do you happen to know that information? No, I don't. I just figured it was because, like you couldn't deny where they were placed. And I think also it wasn't in like a sexual term. You you advanced at the head of the class. The reason this movie gets to use the word three different times is because at no point is it used in a sexual context. So there you go. Kids, You can say it often, just don't say it in the wrong situation.

33:39 I know you probably have plenty of scenes that you know, just lift your spirits here. I want to talk about four because we got to talk about some noteworthy scenes. We got to talk about what we feel is the pivotal moment. I mean, for me, this movie boils down to actually just one scene. But I think, okay, so I think you and I are on the same page. We got to have the same pivotal moment. But let's talk about the shepherd calling Sydney for a date. First time. You got playful banter, excellent chemistry. I am all in on this couple at this point. And I love my favorite part. I get her so well the minute like he asks her out and she accepts, and then all of a sudden she lets have this nervous giggle and she goes, what do I do? Like where do I go? And like that is one hundred percent where my mind would have gone, like complete logistics.

34:37 Well, it's just like when the phone call though, like when we talked about like that that Spencer Tracy chemistry. I love how she's like, oh, you're the president. He's like, yeah, this is this isn't George. Yeah, because like how do you even have my number? Yeah? That's not Maybe I should tell you how that you actually have a nice ass and you know, oh, by the way, how you call me when this is in my place? I don't have a phone number. It's like, you know, I call the It's it's it's such a fun It's just it's such a fun moment. And after that, like that little meet cute. I love that. I love that that expression you dropped on me, uh, that little meet cue that they have at the beginning of the film. This this takes that and just elevates it and just keeps it going, keeps that fun, keeps that that that energy going. It's a great moment. I love that scene.

35:23 I'll tell you, I'm not saying it's the pivotal moment, but it might be my favorite scene. And it's because it's the best moment for Martin Sheen's character. Uh, can we talk about Shepherd and Aj plain pool where you know, he's he's behind, he's he's not got the second time, yeah, the second time. Yeah, they play pooled twice, and the first time it's just kind of a banter, but the second time they're really having like a best friend moment. They're having like that best friend moment where Sheen, you know, I should say AJ has to remember he's talking to the president, but he's also talking to my my buddy. And you know, Douglas as Shepherd, this is like the one time in the movie where he kind of gnashes his teeth and it's a little nasty towards someone that we like. And you know, the whole house of you from the cheap seats lined in.

36:09 The iiO is two steps behind me. And you think you're wrong. I don't think you went elections by telling fifty nine percent of the people that they are we fight the fights we can win you fight the fights that need fighting? Is have you pretty good from the cheap seats? Aj? I beg you far because. It occurs to me that in twenty five. Years, I've never seen your name un a Ballance. Now why is that? Why are you always one step behind me? Because if I wasn't, you'd be the most popular history professor at the University of Wisconsin. You aj with that retort. Yeah, because if I wasn't, you'd be the most popular history teacher at the University of Wisconsin. M hm, damn. I mean and what do you how do you come back from that?

36:54 You know? Yeah, we get fuck you? I guess that's all you say? Like that again, like you said, well place like that's that's everybody in an argument, a heated argument when you can't top the person you're you're because they said to your head, they said that, they said it, and it's the best moment, Like you can't there's no coming back from it, and but you still have that anger and you just have to express it. Yeah, great moment for for the two of them go, I mean both of them going toe to toe. There are no losers in that scene. Love that one. Uh. We talked about the Lewis Rothschild though, getting getting a little little froggy here and there, you know, kind of kind of speaking out of line. How about uh, how about Louis Rothschild calling out the president in the O full office, you know kind of question and AJ, you know, the president doesn't answer to you, Lewis, And again Sorkin is just giving everyone plenty to work with. Uh you know what Uh I got. I actually wrote this one down because I love it, and in the conviction in Michael J. Fox's voice, in his in his face when he's like, oh, yes he does, AJ, I'm an American citizen. This is my president, and in this country it is not only permissible to question our leaders, it's our responsibility. Fucking sork And just swinging for the fences there, Yes, And you know what's funny when you think about that. It's such an amazing moment for Michael J. Fox's character, but it's it's also funny because he's not an American citizen. Right, yeah, yeah,

38:26 all right, I got one more scene I want to talk about, and in my opinion, it is the pivotal moment of this film. This is this is the what We're what it's leading to this whole film. It's Shepherd's final speech. Yes, this is Is this the pivotal moment Amber? Oh yeah, okay, I had to drive on for myself. This is the moment. Sorry, you get three. This is the moment in a romantic comedy where like the man should be standing in the rain telling the woman how much he loves it, or. You know, Doddler's gonna hold the boom box up. Yeah, it's it's Billy Crystal showing up at the New Year's party, you know, and telling Meg Ryan how wonderful she is. Like, it's that moment, only it's not just him standing up for Sydney. It's him standing up for all of us. And he's saying everything that you want your president to say, standing up for all the things you want him to stand up for.

39:29 We've got serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. I don't care who that person is saying that. I'm following them like that. That's the you have my sword and my shield moment, like I you know, I will back whoever that person is. Uh, this is you know, and this is I love this moment because, like you said, he's he's addressing Rumson's attacks on his character. He's defending Sydney's you know, you want a character debate, Bob, you better stick with me because Sydney is way out of your league, you know. And then the just the perfect that you know we've heard the whole time, Like Bob Rumson is just he's he's on the campaign trail and he's like, my name is Bob Robinson and I'm running for president and we have waited for this retort where he's where Douglas gives the line, you know, my name is Andrew Sheppard and I am the president.

40:18 It's like he's saying, I'm Batman. Yeah, it's a mike. It's one of the greatest mic drop moments in a movie because again it's like, there's no coming back from that. Yeah, I absolutely love it. Amber. Let's let's settle down with one more break and then we'll come back. We'll start wrapping this thing up. Welcome back, Amber. If someone happened to be unfamiliar with Rob Reiner, Rob Rander the director, Let's let's let's say that Rob Ryder the director, which three films would you suggest they watch?

40:59 This is one of the toughest ones we've ever done. It's like agonizing, do you do you? Did you do? You? Did you? Are you shooting from the hip? Do you do some deep dive researching? Like you don't know. I'm just kinda I mean, I made like a quick list. Okay, you only get three. This is like I thought the Mike Nichols one was hard, and this is like ten times worse. You struggled on the Mike Nichols episode. I did, it was awful, But I have to. Say that let's go with the first one. The great thing about Rob Reiner is you can kind of pick like he's got these that are roman At comedies and these that are more serious, intense movies, you know, so you can kind of split them off if you want to do it that way. I went by just my absolute favorites.

41:56 It's not a bad that's not a bad way to do it. What's what's the first one? Let's let's let's slow down. So it's going to go from I think like least favorite to most favorite, even though they're all the favorite first one is a few good Men whose other collaboration with Aaron Sorkin. So let's talk. Let's talk about a Few good Men, you know, written by Aaron Sorkin. This is one that I would suggest. So we're we're, we are simpatico here amazing performances. Amazing performances. It's based on a play that Aaron Sorkin wrote. The whole language is perfect, and you know, translating a play to film can be really tricky, and Rob Reiner does it impeccably.

42:41 I have plenty to say about a Few good Men. However, I will just direct the listeners to our top five courtroom films that we did last season. Our Patreon producer and good friend James Buckley joined me for that one. A Few good Men was on both our lists. We had plenty to say about that. Go back, listeners, go back check that one out. That is an awesome episode if you like courtroom dramas. And if you do like courtroom dramas, I can't imagine a Few good Men is not on your list. But uh, Amer, for sure movie number two that you're gonna recommend, in. My opinion, the most perfect romantic comedy of all time, When Harry met Sally. That is an accurate statement. I think. I think it is the number one romantic comedy of all time. God, I mean it's like it's the most quotable, it's the most likable, it's the most it's just the most most.

43:32 Right, Yes, it's just all the things all. Great choice, great choice. Do you have a favorite scene on that real quick? Is it the rest of the scene or do you have do you have something different? No, that one's pretty funny, but no, my the scene that I quote all the time is when Jess and Marie are moving in together and Harry just seen his ex wife at Sharper Image, so he's all like in his emotions and yeah, he finally looks are you in over this coffee table? And he looks at him and goes, Jesse, Marie, do yourself as a favor for me, put your names in your books right now before they get mixed up and you don't know who's his who's because sooner or later you guys are gonna be going fifteen rounds over who's gonna get this coffee table. It's stupid, Roy Rogers Wagon, real garage, the coffee table.

44:24 Well done, Amber, all right, it's open, Mike Night, I love it, all right. A few good men. When Harry met Sally, which is not one of my recommendations, but I'm ready to go watch it based on your your, your, your, your impression. There you get one more. What's the last movie you're gonna recommend to someone who has it seen? I know, Rob, you gotta say it. Go ahead and say by me is his? You know, magnum Opus. But it's actually The Princess Bride. That's not the wrong answer. It's late The Princess Bride. Is they each It's like the most perfect movie, like there is nothing wrong with it.

45:05 It is absolutely beautiful. The Princess Bride is always the answer. If you want to watch an action adventure, you want to watch a comedy, you want to watch a love story, you want to watch what you want watch a scary movie, you want to watch a fantasy, the answer is to Princess Bride. It's yes, it's such a beautiful film and it's timeless. It's so good. It is so very good. Yes, yeah, I would love to talk about that in depth one time. You know, at some point, did you know, uh, Carrie always his fencing when he went to train to be to learn the sword fight, he got so good that they actually use that film now to teach fencing to people.

45:45 I do to that because I read his book and his book is amazing. But my favorite story is that Mandy Patinkin, who plays a Nigo Montoya, is famously irascible and kind of hard to get along with these very passionate, intense guy But if anyone comes up to him and asks him, he will tell you to close your eyes so you get the full effect, and he will say, hello, my name is a Nigo Montoya. You killed my father prepared to die. Who is the Princess Bride? A perfect film? It is is if I asked you, like, hey, you can take one person out of the Princess Bride and then replace them.

46:30 You can put someone else in. You wouldn't want to recast anybody in that film. No, I wouldn't want to cut any scenes. I wouldn't want to add any scenes. It is just a flawless film. Yeah, and it's so quotable. It's so quotable. And I'm not talking about just like the the go to quotes, like when people are complaining about how much they've got to do, I'll go Christopher Guest ONOK, like, well, you know, if you don't have your health do you have? You know, my son and I every time we play a Lego game and you have a moment where the character is like searching on the ground and like following a path. Yeah, say, okay, I bet my life.

47:16 There was a mighty do I love Billy Crystal to blathe, which means to bluff. He's a liar. Yeah, perfect, perfect movie. You have anyone that's not familiar with with rober Or you would have to say, start with the Princess Bride. I think, yeah, that sets the stage and then you're happy, like you're like, I don't care what's next because it's I'm I'm satisfied. But amber very impressive. Three films we agree on two. You're suggesting when Harry met Sally, which is not a bad call at all. But I've got to go with the magnum Opus. That is stand by me. Yes, I mean too film.

47:59 It's so good. Yeah, I mean, there's no wrong answers here. There really isn't. No. I mean, I'll tell you right now. I was on the fence for a minute the other day because Misery is just so damn good, an amazing adaptation. I don't know if you've I don't know if you've ever read King's. Books, but many times. The you know, Kathy Bates, Jimmy Kahn. I mean, damn, what. He got two people in one room to do with that movie is amazing, amazing. I wish I wish we could have more than three films. I wish we could suggest like five. I know, right, well, then that would be my whole list.

48:39 That's the rules though, you know, but you know what, I think our listeners get the idea. I would hope that someone has seen all these films and a lot more of his stuff he's got. I mean, they haven't even gone into like this spinal tap. Well he's doing this is like this is spinal tap two. I think they I think they just wrapped on it. I think there. I think this year, I'm gonna get out my Smell the Glove record and get ready for that one. Uh amber no, no, uh no. Mystery here on how we feel about the American President. It's a solid blend of romance, comedy, politics. It's ideal for date night. It's ideal for just watching it, you know, with a glass of wine or champagne, as you as you said earlier, Yes, so it it just left Max like days ago. Uh So, I would say, if you're wanting to catch this one, you know, look for it to pop up on one of the other streamers. But in the meantime, you can always rent it. It's on demand. You can find it on Amazon, Prime, Google, YouTube.

49:39 It's yourself a favor. Just buy a copy. There you go. You'll watch people ones, you will, you absolutely will. But listeners, what do you think of Rob Renders the American President? Have you seen this one? Do we get this one wrong? You can let us know on social media. You'll find us on Facebook, Instagram, and x You can check out a Film by Podcast dot com for all the episodes that are streaming free on the platform of your choice. The entire library is there, Amber six. We're in season six, you know, so I can't believe it plenty for you there. You can always write to us at a Film by Podcast at gmail dot com with your questions, comments and concerns. I'll tell you what you do that we will read your response on the show and send you some of a film by swag. Speaking of that on our Patreon, Ben Handel like we we had, we put that little bonus content for our top ten of the twenty twenties. Yes, yeah.

50:35 He was like, Hey, I'm glad that you guys put the holdovers on the list, and I was thinking, we didn't. You listeners did. If you haven't listened to our our top ten of the twenty twenties, which was led by our very own Andrew Blakeley, that's not our list that we're just we're just reading it. Literally, nothing on my list made. It, nothing on your list made it, even even like the like the top twenty when we did like the eleven through twenty on Patreon, something had to make it. Oh I didn't listen to that one yet. I need to listen to eleven through twenty. Amber has got to get on our Patreon just like all of you that have not yet checked it out. There's exclusive episodes, there's a lot of fun, and if you're not just all the way ready, you can always sign up for free because there are several free episodes just to give you just a taste of what to expect. Amber.

51:27 As always, I want to thank you. Oh it's my pleasure. This was such a delightful episode. Yeah, we got you know, fun, you know, like I said, it had its comedic moments, but I think we get a little bit more. I think we're taking a little bit more of a comedic turn. Next week we got blue Collar, right Richard Prior, I'm excited. Listen, have you seen this one? I have not seen it. No, I don't watch it. So we got a first time watch for both of us. Which turned out really good with the Northman so more. Yeah, we'll get into more of that one next week. Until then, to all of you listening to the show, following us on social media, and subscribing to our patroon, we thank you.