Primary Colors (1998) - Nichols' bloated political caricature bomb

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Against black background and a vivid American flag, the stars (and an unnamed black co-star) are aligned on this poster for Mike Nichols' Primary Colors

A smart communications expert falls for Democratic presidential candidate Jack Stanton and becomes his campaign leader, but while others start to support his candidacy, several ugly stories about him also begin to emerge.

 

Primary Colors is written by Elaine May (Ishtar (1987)), based on Joe Klein's same-titled 1996 anonymously published novel, and directed by German-born American master filmmaker Mike Nichols (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), whose 16th feature it was.

It is a fundamentally flawed film that is obviously built around the real-world Clinton family, (John Travolta's (Get Shorty (1995)) lead performance imitates several Bill Clinton characteristics), while at the same time upholding a fictional layer (altered names), which makes the film feel like an attempted character assassination, as it connects more sins to Bill and Hillary Clinton than the filmmakers feel comfortable attaching to anything other than caricatures of the two. But the film's errors don't end with that: We never learn where the story's black hero (Adrian Lester (Hymn (2021, TV movie))) comes from, which makes him so auspicious as the campaign leader. We don't get adequate insight into what persuades him to take the job. Another flaw is a wholly ridiculous scene in which Travolta's Stanton makes a speech in a hall full of fired workers, in which he tell them that their jobs are gone for good, which they salute him for! The emotional hysteria, which is central to the film's tactic, also gets an extra elevation several times during Primary Colors, and at times goes overboard.

Primary Colors is a capital M movie, and although it has scenes that work, most episodes of The West Wing (1999-06)) are for instance better political drama, (way better.) Kathy Bates (Misery (1990)) is the film's big ace; moving and good, it is fantastical to see her lunge forward like this into what is otherwise essentially a frustrating film.

 

Related posts:

Mike Nichols: Closer (2004) - Nichols and Marber's intelligent film of love and infidelity 
Angels in America (2003, TV-miniseries) or, Dying in the 80's, of AIDS, at L-E-N-G-T-H
Biloxi Blues (1988) or, '45 Army Camp Confidential    

Heartburn (1986) - Ephron's first-rate script attains greatness with Streep, Nicholson and Nichols 
Catch-22 (1970) - Nichols wages war on war with ensemble cast in absurdist satire  

The Graduate (1967) - Submerge yourself in Nichols' terrific classic

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 65 mil. $

Box office: 52 mil. $

= Huge flop (returned 0.8 times its cost)

[Primary Colors was released 20 March (North America) and runs 143 minutes. Nichols paid 1 mil. $ for the book rights. 11 companies collaborated in the financing and making of the film. Travolta was paid 17 mil. $ for his performance in the film. Shooting took place from May - August 1997 in Louisiana, including New Orleans, New York and in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #2, behind holdover hit Titanic, to a 12 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#3-#5), grossing 39 mil. $ (75 % of the total gross). The film was nominated for 2 Oscars: Best Supporting Actress (Bates), lost to Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love, and Adapted Screenplay, lost to Gods and Monsters by Bill Condon. It was also nominated for 2 BAFTAs, 2 Golden Globes and a European Film award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to 4 notches over this one. Nichols returned with What Planet Are You From? (2000). Travolta returned in Welcome to Hollywood (1998); Emma Thompson (Junior (1994)) in Judas Kiss (1998). Primary Colors is certified fresh at 80 % with a 7.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Primary Colors? 

Heartburn (1986) - Ephron's first-rate script attains greatness with Streep, Nicholson and Nichols

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Two absolute A-list stars get pushed to sell Mike Nichols' Heartburn on this simple poster

Two mature career people, who have both already been married once, risk fate, get married and have children.

 

Heartburn is written by Nora Ephron (Silkwood (1983)), based on her own autobiographical, same-titled 1983 novel, and directed by German-born American master filmmaker Mike Nichols (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)).

There were few problems in Heartburn in my experience; the two protagonists are, to begin with, a bit much (self-involved, more accurately.) There's also an indulgent 'baby' singing scene. But Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia (2009)) and Jack Nicholson (The Missouri Breaks (1976)) are stars of a special breed, who can attract our attention in spite of this, and simply appreciate this time with them together on screen immensely.

Heartburn is also a romance dramedy film that gets better and better, and in its ending left me spellbound by Ephron's strong female-empowerment script. Nichols directs it beautifully, and Streep and Nicholson are eminent. Milos Forman (Labyrinth (1991)) and a debuting Kevin Spacey (The Life of David Gale (2003)) are also good. And I love the sympathetic portrait of the maid.

 

Related posts:

Mike Nichols: Closer (2004) - Nichols and Marber's intelligent film of love and infidelity 
Angels in America (2003, TV-miniseries) or, Dying in the 80's, of AIDS, at L-E-N-G-T-H
Biloxi Blues (1988) or, '45 Army Camp Confidential     
Catch-22 (1970) - Nichols wages war on war with ensemble cast in absurdist satire  

The Graduate (1967) - Submerge yourself in Nichols' terrific classic 

Watch a 3-minute clip from the film here

 

Cost: 15 mil. $

Box office: 52.6 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 3.50 times its cost)

[Heartburn premiered 22 July (New York) and runs 109 minutes. Ephron's novel and script is based on her second marriage, to Carl Benstein (and his affair with Margaret Jay.) Nicholson was paid 4 mil. $ for his performance. Shooting took place from July - October 1985 in New York and Virginia. The film opened #2, behind Aliens, to a 5.7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent one more weekend in the top 5 (#5) and grossed 25.3 mil. $ (48.1 % of the total gross). Roger Ebert gave it a 2/4 star review, translating to 3 notches under this one. Nichols returned with Biloxi Blues (1988). Streep returned in 2 video short voice performances prior to her theatrical return in Ironweed (1987); Nicholson in The Witches of Eastwick (1987). Heartburn is rotten at 43 % with a 5.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Heartburn?

The Graduate (1967) - Submerge yourself in Nichols' terrific classic

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Someone's sticking out an alluring leg before Dustin Hoffman on this titillating, hugely popular poster for Mike Nichols' The Graduate

We meet Benjamin as he graduates college and finds himself on high and dry concerning his future. At this junction his parents' friend Mrs. Robinson enter his life with her attractive daughter Elaine, which further complicates things.

The Graduate is written by Calder Willingham (Paths of Glory (1957)) and Buck Henry (The Owl and the Pussycat (1970)), adapting Charles Webb's (Love, Roger (1969)) same-titled 1963 novel, and directed by German-born American master filmmaker Mike Nichols (Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf (1966)), whose 2nd film it is.
This film is everything. You might go into it with some reservations and find the symbolism and heightened drama of the performances somewhat ostentatious. But keep watching. This film is irresistible: so funny, so involving, so full of creative spirit and invention. It is a zeitgeist hit that's full of youthful energy, joy in the art of relating a narrative, music, - Simon and Garfunkel's folk-pop evergreens are an integral part of the film, - and memorable performances, especially form Anne Bancroft (Home for the Holidays (1995)) and Dustin Hoffman (Kung Fu Panda (2008)). And so many underwater shots!
The film also has a visual (the cinematography is simple yet fabulous) and lyrical poetic quality, especially in the scenes of Hoffman driving the red sports car. It is a strange thing, but watching the film feels like traveling back in time, visiting the 1960s. It is absolutely wonderful. And The Graduate is a genuine classic.

Related posts:

Mike Nichols: Closer (2004) - Nichols and Marber's intelligent film of love and infidelity 
Angels in America (2003, TV-miniseries) or, Dying in the 80's, of AIDS, at L-E-N-G-T-H
Biloxi Blues (1988) or, '45 Army Camp Confidential     
Catch-22 (1970) - Nichols wages war on war with ensemble cast in absurdist satire

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 3 mil. $
Box office: 190 mil. $
= Blockbuster (returned 63.33 times its cost)
[The Graduate premiered 20 December (New York) and runs 106 minutes. An exhaustive list of actresses were in contention or considered for the main female parts, while Hoffman was mainly cast over 'just' Warren Beatty and Robert Redford. Shooting took place in California, including Los Angeles, from April - August 1967. In post-production Nichols begged Paul Simon to write more songs for the film. It made 104.6 mil. $ domestically in its original release, making it the currently 23rd highest-grossing film in North America, adjusted for inflation. It is estimated to have made 85 mil. $ in international rentals, and it has made another 339k $ in 3 subsequent domestic re-releases. It was nominated for 6 Oscars, winning for Best Director. It lost Best Actor to Rod Steiger for In the Heat of the Night, Actress (Bancroft) to Katherine Hepburn for Guess Who's Coming for Dinner, Supporting Actress (Ross) to Estelle Parsons for Bonnie & Clyde, Cinematography (Robert Surtees) to Burnett Guffey for Bonnie & Clyde, Picture to In the Heat of the Night and Adapted Screenplay to Stirling Siliphant also for In the Heat of the Night. It won 5/7 Golden Globe nominations, 5/7 BAFTA nominations, a Grammy, a National Board of Review award and other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3/4 star review, translating to a notch harder than this one. It was since adapted for the stage. Nichols returned with Teach Me! (1968, short) and theatrically with masterpiece Catch-22 (1970). Bancroft returned in Young Winston (1972); Hoffman in Madigan's Millions (1968); and Katherine Ross (A Climate for Killing (1991)) in Hellfighters (1968). The Graduate is certified fresh at 86 % with an 8.85/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Graduate?

Closer (2004) - Nichols and Marber's intelligent film of love and infidelity

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The elegant poster for Mike Nichols' Closer

QUICK REVIEW:

A failed writer meets a stripper in London, SPOILER and they fall in love. He also starts an affair with a photographer, who leaves her husband, but then goes back to him. And the stripper leaves the him.

That is the plot in this the penultimate film from the great, recently passed on German director Mike Nichols (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)). It is a love-themed relationship drama that impresses with its fine performances from Jude Law (A. I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)), Natalie Portman (Black Swan (2010)), who was Oscar-nominated for her work, - along with Clive Owen (Children of Men (2006)). But for me it was especially Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman (1990)) whom I relished in the film.
It is based on an intelligent script by Patrick Marber (Notes on a Scandal (2006)), adapting his own 1997 play here. It confronts us with the complexities of love and its hard, hard conditions of sustaining itself for a longer period of time.
Closer does, unfortunately, have a strip club scene that I thought was incredibly contrived and unbelievable.

Related reviews:

Mike Nichols: Angels in America (2003, TV-miniseries) or, Dying in the 80's, of AIDS, at L-E-N-G-T-H
Biloxi Blues (1988) or, '45 Army Camp Confidential   
Catch-22 (1970) - Nichols wages war on war with ensemble cast in absurdist satire 

Natalie Portman in Mike Nichols' Closer

Julia Roberts in Mike Nichols' Closer

Watch the great trailer for the film here

Cost: 27 mil. $
Box office: 115.5 mil. $
= Big hit
[Closer made a nice 33.9 mil. $ (29 % of the total gross) in the US, and was extremely well-received in Brazil (1.1 mil. admissions) and several European countries, especially England (where the plot takes place, and where Marber's play also had its original run) (7.9 mil. £), Italy (5.3 mil. €) and Spain (4.8 mil. €).]

What do you think of Closer?
Which of Nichols' many good movies do you treasure highest and why?

Catch-22 (1970) - Nichols wages war on war with ensemble cast in absurdist adaptation

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Stars fronting Mike Nichols' Catch-22

We follow the lives of a squadron of American pilots during WWII on a Mediterranean island, where they serve under a colonel, who keeps upping the number of missions they have to fly before they are let off.

The cast of this adaptation of Joseph Heller's 1961 novel of the same name is remarkable: A very young Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now (1979)), Jon Voight (Deliverance (1972)), Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine (2006)), - who is outstanding as the distraught lead, Captain Yossarian, who seems the most clear-sighted in the bunch, - along with Anthony Perkins (Psycho (1960)), - also great as the peculiar chaplain, - Martin Balsam (Psycho) and Orson Welles (Citizen Kane (1941)) as the general, of course.
Catch-22 is a political anti-war satire about the craziness and futility of war which has more in common with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) than with Twelve O'Clock High (1949), another legendary war movie about pilots and flying. The context of it, - the 20th century's devastating war-focus and overwhelming destruction, - is key to understanding and appreciating it. It features more or less subtle streaks of absurd comedy, while also being deadly serious and very bold, - and some looking for a more traditional war movie may be disappointed, if they happen to choose Catch-22. It has several outstanding sequences that are staged incredibly; the narrative runs a challenging course, which keeps every involved audience member on his/her feet; Catch-22 is unique and powerful and hits an aerial filmmaking standard that possibly hadn't been charted ever since Howard Hawks' classic masterpiece Only Angels Have Wings (1939).
It is directed by great director Mike Nichols (Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? (1966)), who has just passed away after a long life and a truly illustrious career. He adorned this film with some extremely long shots that are quite unique. Catch-22 is a disturbing film that stirs afterthoughts about the nature of war and the human mind.

Related reviews:

Mike Nichols: Angels in America (2003, TV-miniseries) or, Dying in the 80's, of AIDS, at L-E-N-G-T-H
Biloxi Blues (1988) or, '45 Army Camp Confidential 

Martin Sheen in Mike Nichols' Catch-22

Martin Balsam in Mike Nichols' Catch-22

Watch the original trailer for the film here

Cost: 18 mil. $
Box office: 24.9 mil. $ (US only)
= Big flop, though some uncertainty
[1970 also saw the release of Robert Altman's anti-war farce MASH, which was much more successful in America, (though Catch-22 is a better film), and perhaps American audiences didn't have the appetite for two similarly disillusioned visions of men and war in the same year, while the Vietnam war was tiring the nation's patience outside movie-theaters, in reality.]

What do you think of Catch-22?
What are Mike Nichols' three greatest films in your opinion?

Biloxi Blues (1988) or, '45 Army Camp Confidential

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Young, charming Matthew Broderick send out to sell, sell, sell! - Mike Nichols' Biloxi Blues

QUICK REVIEW:

Jerome's weeks as a private trainee in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1945, until the war ends, is a time with discoveries, exhaustion and drama.
Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)) is tremendous, and Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter (1978)) as the eccentric and semi-loony Sergeant is just as good.

Matthew Broderick and Christopher Walken in the fine film by Mike Nichols, Biloxi Blues

Many of playwright/screenwriter Neil Simon's (The Odd Couple (1968)) lines are hilarious, and the structure of the film is impeccable.
Biloxi Blues is moving and universally relevant with a few minor problems in the supporting cast.
Its German-born director Mike Nichols (The Graduate (1967)) finished his formidable career recently with Charlie Wilson's War (2007).

Related review:

Mike Nichols: Angels in America (TV mini-series, 2003) or, Dying in the 80s, of AIDS, at L-E-N-G-T-H

Watch the film's short, funny trailer here

Budget: 20 mil. $
Box office: 51.6 mil. $
= Box office success and # 1 in the US

What do you think of Biloxi Blues?
Other army comedies that simply tickle your ribs?

Angels in America (2003, miniseries) or, Dying in the 80s, of AIDS, at L-E-N-G-T-H

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Emma Thompson is the visiting angel on this dramatic poster for Mike Nichols' Angels in America

Tony Kushner (Munich (2005)) wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning play set in the 1980s on AIDS, politics, religion, sex and homosexuality, which premiered in 1991. Adapting it was attempted first by master filmmaker Robert Altman, who ultimately didn't secure the necessary funding. Kushner tried adapting it into a single film but failed. He then started adapting it to miniseries format, and HBO agreed to finance the effort, directed by German master filmmaker Mike Nichols (Catch-22 (1970)) which was released in two versions: You can either see Angels as two roughly 3 hour movies, or as six episodes of around an hour. This review is based on the latter option.

New York in the 1980s: A young, Jewish gay couple are struck by tragedy, when the one part is diagnosed with AIDS. SPOILER The city's shark-like lawyer and Republican, Roy Cohn, dies equally slow from the disease at the same time. Meanwhile the healthy Jew leaves his sick sweetheart and has sex with Cohn's secretary, who has a wife. Next his Mormon mother enters the story, and later; angels.

Angels in America has a stellar cast that includes Al Pacino (The Godfather (1972)), James Cromwell (Owd Bob (1998)), Jeffrey Wright (Lady in the Water (2006)) and Emma Thompson (Beautiful Creatures (2013)). But the stars that really stand out and distinguish themselves here are Meryl Streep (The Manchurian Candidate (2004)) as the Mormon mother, a conflicted part she plays perfectly; and Patrick Wilson (Fargo (2015, TV-series)), who plays the closeted, married gay secretary coming out with lots of charm and intensity.
After the angels enter the story, the metaphysical elements get out of hand in a rainbow of pomposity and self-importance. The limit for this audience member's engagement in the tale gets crossed somewhere between the ethereal, the political, the racial politics and all the dramatic gays, but many others slurp it all up with a quivering smile.
Pacino is Cohn, the dying big-shot lawyer in denial, and he is almost so sick, feeble and skeletal here that you feel physically ill yourself by just watching him, (which you'll do at length in Angels in America).
The ending is excessively lengthy, so in spite of the series' qualities, it is far from being the gemstone that it is hailed as. Better AIDS-themed works include Philadelphia (1993), How to Survive a Plague (2012, documentary), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), The Normal Heart (2014, TV movie), BPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017) and more.

Related posts:

Mike Nichols: Closer (2004) - Nichols and Marber's intelligent film of love and infidelity 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Biloxi Blues (1988) or, '45 Army Camp Confidential   
Catch-22 (1970) - Nichols wages war on war with ensemble cast in absurdist satire 

Watch a 4-minute clip from the miniseries here

Cost: 60 mil. $
Box office: None (TV miniseries)
= Uncertain
[Angels in America was first broadcast from 7 December - 14 December (HBO) and runs 352 minutes. Shooting took place for 137 days in New York and in Rome, Italy from March 2002 - January 2003. It was reportedly the most-seen TV movie of 2003, - whether this made it profitable also is regrettably unreported. It won 5/7 Golden Globe nominations, 11/21 Emmy nominations, an AFI award, a National Board of Review award, was nominated for a Grammy and several other honors. Nichols returned with Closer (2004). Streep returned in Freedom: A History of Us (2003, documentary TV-series) and theatrically in The Manchurian Candidate (2004)); Thompson in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004); and Pacino in The Merchant of Venice (2004). Angels in America is certified fresh at 92 % with a 9.5/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Angels in America?