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Primary Colors (film)

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Primary Colors
Promotional film poster
Directed byMike Nichols[1]
Screenplay byElaine May
Based onPrimary Colors
by Joe Klein
Produced byMike Nichols
Jonathan Krane
Neil Machlis
Starring
CinematographyMichael Ballhaus
Edited byArthur Schmidt
Music byRy Cooder
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • March 20, 1998 (1998-03-20)
Running time
143 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$65 million[2]
Box office$52.1 million[3]

Primary Colors is a 1998 American comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols. The screenplay by Elaine May was adapted from the novel Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics, a roman à clef about the Bill Clinton 1992 presidential campaign, which was originally published anonymously, but in 1996 was revealed to have been written by journalist Joe Klein, who had been covering Clinton's campaign for Newsweek.[4][5][6] The film starred John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Maura Tierney, Larry Hagman, and Adrian Lester.

It was critically acclaimed but a box office bomb, earning $52 million from a $65 million budget. Bates was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance, and May was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Plot

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Henry Burton, a young political idealist and grandson of a civil rights leader, is recruited to join the campaign of Jack Stanton, a charismatic Southern governor trying to win the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States.

Henry is impressed by Jack's genuine warmth and empathy. He joins the governor's inner circle of political advisers: Jack's formidable wife, Susan Stanton; unconventional political strategist, Richard Jemmons; intelligent and attractive spokeswoman, Daisy Green; and sly political operator, Howard Ferguson, as they journey to New Hampshire, the first state to hold a presidential primary.

After Jack completes an impressive debate performance against his rivals, Henry's ex-girlfriend shows up to question the governor about his arrest for an anti-war protest at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. Jack had called a U.S. senator to help him get released, then persuaded the mayor of Chicago to have his police record expunged. The team becomes worried that Jack's past indiscretions may be used against him by the press and his opponents.

The Stantons hire an old friend, the tough but unbalanced Libby Holden, to investigate allegations - including Jack's notorious womanizing - that could be used by opponents to undermine him. One of these women, Susan's hairdresser, Cashmere McLeod, produces secret taped conversations with the governor, showing they had an affair. Henry discovers the tapes have been doctored, so Libby tracks down the man responsible and forces him at gunpoint to confess his guilt in a letter to the American public.

The campaign is then rocked by a fresh allegation when Jack's old friend, "Fat Willie" McCollister, approaches Henry to tell him that his 17-year-old daughter Loretta, who worked for the Stantons as a babysitter, is pregnant and that Jack is the father. Henry and Howard tell Willie he must allow his daughter to undergo an amniocentesis to determine paternity. Although they persuade Willie to remain silent, Henry is sickened.

Realizing Jack is falling behind in the polls, his team adopt an offensive strategy, attacking his nearest rival, Senator Harris, for casting anti-Israel votes and favoring cuts in Social Security and Medicare. Harris confronts Jack during a radio talk show in Florida but suffers two heart attacks during the encounter. This medical setback causes his withdrawal from the race. He is replaced by his friend, former Florida governor Fred Picker, whose wholesome, straight-talking image is an immediate threat to Stanton's campaign.

Jack and Susan send Henry and Libby on an opposition research mission into Picker's past. They discover he had a cocaine addiction as governor, which led to the disintegration of his first marriage. They also meet with Picker's cocaine supplier, with whom Picker had a homosexual affair.

Not expecting the information to ever be used, Libby and Henry share their findings with Jack and Susan, but are dismayed when the couple decides to leak their findings to the press. Libby tells Jack that if he does so, she will reveal that he tampered with the paternity test results, which showed that he had impregnated Willie's daughter. Libby commits suicide after realizing she spent her life idealizing Jack and Susan only to learn how flawed they truly are.

Racked with guilt over Libby's death, Jack and Henry take the incriminating information to Picker, and apologize for seeking it out. Picker admits to his past indiscretions, deciding to withdraw from the race and endorse Jack. Henry intends to quit the campaign, as he has become deeply disillusioned with the political process. Jack begs Henry to reconsider, saying they can make history.

Months later, President Jack Stanton is dancing at the inaugural ball with Susan. He shakes the hands of his campaign staff, the last of whom is Henry.

Cast

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Production

[edit]

Following the publication of the book in 1996, director Mike Nichols paid more than $1 million for the screen rights.[7] The film was scripted by writer and director Elaine May, who had collaborated with Nichols in a comedy double-act in the 1950s and 60s.[8] Tom Hanks expressed interest in the project but was busy working on Saving Private Ryan and executive-producing From the Earth to the Moon for HBO, so recommended Nichols cast someone else.[9] At the Cannes Festival, Thompson said she did not base her performance on Hillary Clinton, while Travolta said he based his on several presidents, but mostly on Bill Clinton.[1]

Nichols was criticized for cutting an interracial love scene between Henry and Susan Stanton from the final version of the film. He responded that he had removed the scene because of unfavorable reactions from a preview audience.[1] The film also generated controversy for its depiction of a Clinton-like character as it was also released close to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal.[4][10][11][12][13]

Reception

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The film received a positive reception from critics. Variety's reviewer called it a "film à clef" and said that the American public was likely to accept it as a factual account because it so closely mirrored real life characters and events.[14] The Los Angeles Times gave high marks to the movie, noting Travolta's close mirroring of Bill Clinton, but describing Thompson's character as actually not based on Hillary Clinton.[15] Entertainment Weekly called Travolta "Clintonian".[16] The Cincinnati Enquirer gave accolades to the character portrayals of Bill and Hillary Clinton.[17] Syndicated reviewer Roger Ebert said that the film was "insightful and very wise about the realities of political life"[18] and The Cincinnati Enquirer said the film was a "nuanced dissection of how real American politics work".[17] and Gene Shalit on the Today Show called the film an absolute spectacle.

In a negative review, Jeff Vice of the Deseret News wrote that the last half of the film dragged, Travolta's performance seemed more like an impersonation than actual acting, the film lacked subtlety or depth, and it was loaded with cheap and obvious jokes. Nevertheless, Vice wrote that "solid support is provided by Maura Tierney, Larry Hagman, and Stacy Edwards".[19]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 81% based on 79 reviews, with an average rating of 7.30/10. The site's critics' consensus reads: "Well acted and surprisingly funny."[20] On Metacritic it has a score of 70% based on reviews from 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[21] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "B" on scale of A to F.[22]

Box office

[edit]

The film earned a disappointing box office gross,[23][24] only taking $39 million domestically and $13 million in foreign markets, for a worldwide total gross of $52 million against a budget of $65 million.[3]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Category Recipient(s) Result
Academy Awards[25] Best Supporting Actress Kathy Bates Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Elaine May Nominated
American Comedy Awards Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) Emma Thompson Nominated
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Kathy Bates Won
Artios Awards[26] Best Casting for Feature Film – Drama Juliet Taylor, Ellen Lewis and Juel Bestrop Nominated
Awards Circuit Community Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Kathy Bates Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Elaine May Nominated
Best Cast Ensemble Nominated
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Best Actress – Drama Emma Thompson Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Drama Kathy Bates Won
British Academy Film Awards[27] Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Elaine May Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards[28] Best Supporting Actress Kathy Bates Won
Most Promising Actor Adrian Lester Nominated
Chlotrudis Awards Best Supporting Actress Kathy Bates Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards[29] Best Supporting Actor Billy Bob Thornton (also for A Simple Plan) Won
Best Supporting Actress Kathy Bates Won[a]
European Film Awards World Cinema Award Emma Thompson Nominated
Golden Globe Awards[30] Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy John Travolta Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Kathy Bates Nominated
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards[31] Best Supporting Actress Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards[32] Best Supporting Actress Runner-up
Online Film & Television Association Awards[33] Best Comedy/Musical Picture Mike Nichols Nominated
Best Comedy/Musical Actor John Travolta Nominated
Best Comedy/Musical Actress Kathy Bates Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Won
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium Elaine May Nominated
Best Casting Juliet Taylor, Ellen Lewis and Juel Bestrop Nominated
Best Comedy/Musical Score Ry Cooder and Carly Simon Nominated
Best Comedy/Musical Ensemble Nominated
Online Film Critics Society Awards[34] Best Supporting Actress Kathy Bates Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Elaine May Nominated
Political Film Society Awards Democracy Nominated
Russian Guild of Film Critics Awards Best Foreign Actress Emma Thompson Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actress Kathy Bates Won
Satellite Awards[35] Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards[36] Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Won
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards[37] Best Supporting Actress Runner-up
Best Adapted Screenplay Elaine May Runner-up
USC Scripter Awards[38] Elaine May (screenwriter); Joe Klein (author) Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards[39] Best Screenplay – Based on Material Previously Produced or Published Elaine May Nominated

Home video

[edit]

Primary Colors was released on VHS and DVD in September 1998. It was released on Blu-ray in October 2019. Blu-ray.com gave the transfer a negative review, calling it "a digitally processed mess. Grain is frozen in place, edge enhancement is obvious, clarity struggles, and details are sloppy and indistinct."[40]

Soundtrack

[edit]

The soundtrack album, featuring music by and produced by Ry Cooder, was released in March 1998.[41][42]

Notes

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  1. ^ Tied with Joan Allen for Pleasantville.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c David Lister (May 14, 1998). "Travolta reveals Clinton's prime sense of humour". Independent. Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  2. ^ Bernard Weinraub (March 23, 1998). "Don't You Wish You Could Get Buttered Popcorn in Civics Class?". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2011.[dead link‍]
  3. ^ a b "Primary Colors". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 2014-01-31. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
  4. ^ a b David Lauter (March 15, 1998). "What the Movie Gets —and What It Doesn't". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  5. ^ Faye Fiore (March 2, 1998). "Just What He Didn't Need Right Now; Movies: Will 'Primary Colors,' a thinly veiled slice of presidential life, hurt or help Bill Clinton?". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  6. ^ Columnist's Mea Culpa: I'm Anonymous Archived 2011-03-13 at the Wayback Machine, Doreen Carvajal, The New York Times, July 18, 1996
  7. ^ Richard K. Thompson (April 1996). "Primary Colors: A Nover of Politics". Contemporary Review. Archived from the original on December 2, 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
  8. ^ Kashner, Sam (20 December 2012). "Who's Afraid Of Nichols & May?". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  9. ^ Cindy Pearlman (October 4, 1996). "Tom Hanks is too busy for Primary Colors". Entertainment Weekly.
  10. ^ Mark Saylor (May 16, 1998). "With Its American Themes, Can 'Primary Colors' Cash in Abroad?". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  11. ^ Patrick Goldstein (March 15, 1998). "They All Have a Secret". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  12. ^ Richard Corliss and Jeffrey Ressner (March 16, 1998). "Cinema: True Colors". Time.
  13. ^ Eric Pooley (March 16, 1998). "Cinema: Tale Of Two Bills". Time. Archived from the original on January 29, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  14. ^ Todd McCarthy (March 12, 1998). "Primary Colors". Variety. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  15. ^ Kenneth Turan (March 20, 1998). "Inspired Insinuation". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  16. ^ Lisa Schwarzbaum (March 27, 1998). "Primary Colors". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  17. ^ a b Margaret A. McGurk (1998). "Primary by a landslide". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  18. ^ Roger Ebert (March 20, 1998). "Primary Colors". Chicago Sun Times. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  19. ^ Jeff Vice (March 20, 1998). "Primary Colors". Deseret News. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  20. ^ "Primary Colors (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  21. ^ "Primary Colors". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  22. ^ "PRIMARY COLORS (1998) B". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  23. ^ Robin Rauzi (March 30, 1998). "'Grease' Beats 'Primary' but Doesn't Rock the Boat; Box office: Revived musical enjoys a $13-million opening, but Oscar-winner 'Titanic' is No. 1 for the 15th straight weekend". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 27, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  24. ^ Robert W. Welkos (March 31, 1998). "Travolta Films Tail 'Titanic'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  25. ^ "The 71st Academy Awards (1999) Nominees and Winners". Oscars.org. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  26. ^ "Nominees/Winners". Casting Society of America. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  27. ^ "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1999". BAFTA. 1999. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  28. ^ "1988-2013 Award Winner Archives". Chicago Film Critics Association. January 2013. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  29. ^ "The BFCA Critics' Choice Awards :: 1998". Broadcast Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on December 12, 2008.
  30. ^ "Primary Colors – Golden Globes". HFPA. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  31. ^ "Previous Sierra Award Winners". lvfcs.org. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  32. ^ "The 24th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards". Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  33. ^ "3rd Annual Film Awards (1998)". Online Film & Television Association. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  34. ^ "1998 Awards (2nd Annual)". Online Film Critics Society. 3 January 2012. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  35. ^ "International Press Academy website – 1999 3rd Annual SATELLITE Awards". Archived from the original on 1 February 2008.
  36. ^ "The 5th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards: Nominees and Recipients". Screen Actors Guild. 1999. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  37. ^ "1998 SEFA Awards". sefca.net. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  38. ^ "Past Scripter Awards". USC Scripter Award. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  39. ^ "WGA Awards: Previous Nominees and Winners". Writers Guild of America Award. 1999. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  40. ^ "Primary Colors Blu-ray". Archived from the original on 2019-10-11. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  41. ^ Billboard - 28 Mar 1998 - Page 55 "VARIOUS ARTISTS Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack Primary Colors; Music By Ry Cooder"
  42. ^ Holger Petersen - Talking Music - 2011 -Page 296 "Movie soundtracks, however, kept him creative, at home, and paying the bills. ... That led to Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas; Buena Vista Social Club), Louis Malle (Alamo Bay), and Mike Nichols (Primary Colors) asking him to soundtrack their films"

Further reading

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[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to Primary Colors (film).
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