His was a sympathetic portrail of Nixon, but I don't think he really got across the real Richard Nixon.
That said, its going to be hard for ANYONE to play Nixon: one of the most complex individuals to ever hold the highest office in the land.
Still, Hopkins made Nixon appear a lot more nuttier than he actually was...sure, Nixon had his eccentricities, but this movie makes it look like a mad man was at the helm.
I can't think of an actor who's actually been a convincing Nixon. He's too easy to caricature. Frank Langella and Phillip Baker Hall weren't much more believable.
"I shall tread uncommon wary and keep my pepperbox handy."
Tom Hanks was Oliver Stone's first choice, because he looked like a younger Nixon.
Not sure why they didn't pick him.
But yes, it woudl be hard to find anyone who could do Nixon.
Tom Hanks? Where did you read that? It's not even listed in the Trivia section.
The first choice was Warren Beatty. Beatty even read with Joan Allen (who got the role). Then Jack Nicholson. THEN Hopkins, who Stone was impressed with watching The Remains of the Day.
Hanks and Beatty ? Seriously ? He was considering them ? That's insane. I can't even imagine either of them - especially Beatty.
shareApparently Lane Smith was a very believable Nixon in the 1989 TV film 'The Final Days'. I have never seen the whole thing and it has never been released on DVD.
There is one clip on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkChfgx51GY
I really like Anthony Hopkins and believe he was a very convincing Nixon.
If you want to see a pretty bad Nixon impression just watch Beau Bridges in the TNT movie 'Nixon and Kissinger': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyvngJ46Alk
Frank: Just a man.
Harmonica: An ancient race.
Smith's got the voice down better than Hopkins, Hall or Langella for sure.
"I shall tread uncommon wary and keep my pepperbox handy."
... but no one can beat how Hopkins says "C*cksucker" as Nixon haha... hilarious!
shareThe way he says that really reminds me of Nixon.
Frank: Just a man.
Harmonica: An ancient race.
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Hopkins was fantastic as Nixon. He had all Nixon's mannerisms nailed, as well as speech patterns. I don't know if anybody really knew Nixon , but why anyone would want to be president beats me. One nasty, thankless job.
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It took me multple viewings before I stopped seeing AH and started seeing Nixon but it happened. Hopkins really did a good job.
shareAbsolutely superb performance. I've never seen a better Nixon.
shareHas Hanks ever played a villaineous role. I'm not sure I could perceive him as an unlikeable person. Not that Stone had Hopkins portraying Nixon as pure evil, he was more of an anti-hero with some good qualities, some bad.
I posted in the other thread Dan Heyada was probably the best one. I did like how Hopkins helped portray Nixon as sort of a public bad guy, throwing around the line "what will they do when they don't have Nixon to kick around"
"what will they do when they don't have Nixon to kick around"
Has Hanks ever played a villaineous role. I'm not sure I could perceive him as an unlikeable person.
Catch me if you can the protagonist is a con man, so Hanks is more playing the bad guy who is not a bad guy. Road to Perdition he played the good guy who is a bad guy.
Hopkins really played into the "nixon perceiving himself as a scapegoat" persona. If he gets knocked for not portraying Nixon overly well, I don't know if Hanks would be an improvement.
Yes Hanks was closer to playing a bad guy in those films but not all the way there. I can't see him playing Nixon though. That said, I wasn't sure about Hopkins playing him either until I saw the film. He's amazing.
sharemaybe he wasnt nixon as some say but he was definitely a great Nixon creation.
shareThis is exactly how I have always felt about it. It's a good performance, but it never really felt like Nixon to me. I was able to accept Hopkins as John Quincy Adams, but not as Nixon for some reason. Maybe because there is so much video of Nixon so its harder for anybody to match the real thing.
shareyea mightve had to do with the looks. As Hopkins no matter the make up is over empowering and doesnt look like Nixon.
Either way I think he captured the soul of the character and amplified Nixon to what he really was as films should do.