FILM: Oliver Stone's Nixon

Geez, what a dour movie but it's a dour subject. This was made before Oliver Stone toned down some of his conspiracy-mindedness so it's full of innuendo and speculation, especially regarding Nixon's possible ties to the JFK assassination. It all feels muddled.

I like his biopic of Bush better, but I like that Stone tried to portray Nixon as a complex human being. I even felt moments of sympathy for him, particularly in his obvious difficulty connecting with people. One scene that stuck in my mind was the depiction of Nixon's visit to the Lincoln Memorial. You could see him longing for the adulation that Lincoln receives but uncomprehending about how to attain it.