SECRET HONOR (1984)

CAST: Philip Baker Hall

Directed By: Robert Altman
Written By: Donald Freed & Arnold M.Stone
Cinematography By: Pierre Mignot
Editor: Juliet Weber
Production Design By: Stephen Altman


Really a one man show there is no other cast member then Philip baker hall as disgraced Richard Nixon giving a stream of consciousness reflection of his life and career while getting drunk and drunker. Basically having a breakdown.

This is really a filmed play and astonishing first of all since Robert Altman usually used such huge ensemble casts it is a wonder that shows his talent that he uses only one actor in this film the phenomenal Philip baker hall. This is the film that director Paul Thomas Anderson who was a big fan of Robert Altman anyway discovered Mr. Hall and decided that he was so amazing that since he never got a starring role like this again he was going to make one for him.

This was filmed while Robert Altman was a professor at the University of Michigan and most of the crew are his students. It has the usual Robert Altman touches the clever use of cinematography that uses a lot of close up’s but also seems to drift away to other objects in the room yet never leaving Mr. Hall so that we can see his performance in all of it’s glory. The Scary part is that half the time in his quiet moments Richard Nixon just seems like a haunting specter on a video screen

While I can see why this got a special edition from the criterion company. It is a undiscovered film from the past that needed to be shown. It has dazzling camera work and in a way seems experimental for what is basically a filmed uninterrupted monologue. It is a bit slow especially if you are not interested by the first 15 minutes you are probably not going to like the rest of the film. It is a film I am honored to watch but will probably not ever watch again.

The Acting is top notch and if this had been on Broadway this would have been legendary and mr. hall would have been able to write his own ticket in the acting community. In fact I am shocked after this film it took someone in Hollywood so long to discover him and give him a good lead role. This is a tour de force and he never got nominated for a single award for it. It’s a shame he had to fall through the cracks like that for so long.

The script is clever with it’s constant use of language especially the word cock-sucker which was a Nixon favorite and his non pc use of language, his constant paranoia and at the end of the day why he is alone with no defenders or friends to listen to this just him a tape recorder and a camera. He blames everyone including his friends for everything and really believes he was always right and that there was just a conspiracy against hi by everyone.

Watch only if you are interested in Richard Nixon and seeing minimalism at work.

GRADE: B-