DVD: Primary Colors - Behind-the-scenes Drama Of Bill Clintons White House Run

Description: 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 Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign in 1992, 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. 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. DETAILED PLOT 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 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. Hiring the Stantons' old friend, tough but unbalanced Libby Holden, she investigates allegations, including Jack's notorious womanizing, that could be used by opponents to undermine him. One of these women, also Susan's hairdresser, Cashmere McLeod, produces secret taped conversations between the governor and her, showing they had an affair. Henry discovers the tapes have been doctored, so Libby tracks down the man responsible, forcing 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 convince 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. His wholesome, straight-talking image 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, whom Picker had a homosexual affair with. Not expecting the information to ever be used, Libby and Henry share the findings with Jack and Susan, but are dismayed when they decide to leak them to the press. Libby says, if Jack does so, she will reveal he tampered with the paternity test results which showed that he had slept with Willie's daughter. Libby commits suicide when 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 First Lady, Susan. He shakes the hands of his campaign staff, the last of whom is Henry.

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Location: Bundaberg, QLD

End Time: 2025-01-05T08:16:18.000Z

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Item Specifics

Returns Accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted

Case Type: Tall/DVD Case

Rating: MA15+

Subtitle Language: None

Custom Bundle: No

MPN: Multi Region Player Required To Play Outside Aust & NZ

Studio: Mutual Film Company, Becker Entertainment & Universal Pictures

Format: DVD

Region Code: DVD: 4 (AU, NZ, Latin America...)

Language: English

Release Year: 1998

Actor: John Travolta Emma Thompson Billy Bob Thornton Adrian Lester, Paul Guilfoyle Larry Hagman Kathy Bates, Bob Thornton Adrian Lester Maura Tierney

Features: Scene Selections, Motion Menus, Cast & Crew Interviews, Cast & Crew Biographies, Production Notes, TV Commercials, B-Roll, Theatrical Trailer

Movie/TV Title: Primary Colors

Season: Based on Primary Colors by Joe Klein

Music Artist: Ry Cooder

Video Format: PAL

Sub-Genre: Political

Director: Mike Nichols

Cinematic Movement: Art/Indie Film

Edition: Standard Edition

Aspect Ratio: 16:9

Type: Movie

Producer: Mike Nichols Jonathan Krane Neil Machlis

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Run Time: 143 Minutes

Country/Region of Manufacture: United States