Genre: Drama/Biography/Comedy.
Studio:
Universal Pictures.
Production Company:
Unknown.
Project Phase: In the Can.
Who's In It:
John Travolta (Jack Stanton); Emma Thompson (Susan Stanton); Billy Bob Thornton;
Maura Tierney (Daisy); Adrian Lester (Henry); Larry
Hagman (Freddy Picker); Paul Guilfoyle.
Who's Making It:
Mike Nichols (Director); Elaine May (Screewriter); Michael Ballhause (Director
of Photography); based upon the book Primary Colors by Anonymous.
Premise: A Presidential hopeful and his campaign coordinators (who bear more than a passing resemblence to Bill Clinton's 1990 campaign members) get educated in both the limelight of the stage and the shadows of closed-door dealmaking while running for the Presidency.
Release Date: March 20, 1998.
Comments: See Scoop Feedback.
Developments:
Week of August 11, 1996... Tom Hanks officially passes on the project.
September, 1996... John Travolta replaces Hanks as the President, netting a reported $17 million.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
April 28, 1996... Based upon the best-selling book that dished out behind-the-scenes info on the 1992 Clinton campaign. Mike Nichols (director of the recent release The Birdcage) recently purchased the rights to the book for over $1 million. [Scoop info and project annoucement submitted by 'Sylvester'.]
July 1, 1996... Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson are being courted to portray the President and the First Lady (respectively). Both are Clinton supporters, and speculation has begun that the book's critical portrayal of the Clinton-esque First Family will be toned down for more laughs with this new development. [Scoop reported by Christian, Sean P. Gormally, 'gkniffen' and 'Gazza'.]
September 8, 1996... John Travolta is interested in playing the President, since Hanks left project. John Malkovich may play a James Carnville-type character. Jack Nicholson may also join the cast. [Scoop furnished by 'Dr. Strangelove'.]
September 16, 1996... This fellow tells us that John Travolta "just signed" on the project. Wait and see... [Scoop forwarded by 'niceeddy'; and he was damn spot-on correct. It was annouced 'officially' the week after.]
January 16, 1997... Basquiat star Jeffrey Wright is the frontrunner for the role of Henry Burton in the film. [Scoop reported by 'SF-Duff'.]
January 18, 1997... Mike Nichols is considering Billy Bob Thronton (Slingblade) for the role of Richard Jemmons, a James Carville-inspired character and Kathy Bates as Libby Holland, a troublemaker who uncovers dirt about the Presidential candidate. While Travolta is locked in, negotiations are still underway with Emma Thompson to portray the candidate's wife. Jack Nicolson was bandied about, but because the project's budget needed to be shaved $10 million, plans to bring aboard the noted actor were dropped. The budget has been trimmed to $65 million since John Travolta and director Mike Nichols have deferred some of their up-front fees for more out of the back end. Mykelti Williamson is also expected to join the cast. An April start date is hoped for. [Scoop sent in by Christian, 'Bam' and anonymously.]
January 28, 1997... A scooper tells us that Jeffrey Wright "...will in NO WAY be in this movie." Principal photography is scheduled to start in April, the scooper adds. [Scoop furnished by 'lumiere'.]
February 18, 1997... [Thanks to 'Lumiere' for the assist!]
February 25, 1997... Maura Tierney hops on-board the platform as a young campaign assistant named Daisy. [Scoop sent in by Joe Hanna.]
May 25, 1997... [Distributor information supplied by Matt Baron.]
June 3, 1997... We've been told that Larry Hagman (yep, J.R. from Dallas) will also star in the film. [Sent in anonymously.]
August 12, 1997... An extra for a scene where a politician thanks blood donors confirms Larry Hagman is in the picture. He's portraying a character called Freddy Picker. [Sent by 'An Extra'.]
Thompson requested for all references of a lesbian affair her character had with a college friend be removed from the script. They were. Which leads us to wonder...aw, never mind. [Sent in anonymously.]
" I was at Universal Studios the last week of June and I noticed that Travolta et al were filming in one of the studios, probably a convention scene: lots of extras in suits were running around..." [Scoop handed in by 'slloyd'.]
"I am a press photographer in NYC, so I get to shoot all the movies in production and today I photographed John Travolta, Emma Thompson, and Billy Bob Thornton shooting a scene from Primary Colors based loosely on our current Pres. of the United States. Travolta and Thompson very much resemble Mr. and Mrs. Clinton.T he cast and crew were extremely cooperative towards the crowds gathered and John Travolta signed about 300 autographs for the kids waiting and took photos with just as many. John Travolta IS the nicest star I have ever photographed and I've shot them all." [Sent in by 'MGerber739'.]
November 27, 1997... A big, SPOILER-filled review of the film's comin' at ya. Duck and cover or let the words enter your retina; you have been warned.
"The movie opens with a hand shaking other hands, and a voice-over explaining the signifigance of each type of shake. Holding the wrist means one thing, clasping the hand means deep attachment to a particular statement, excetera. Camera pans up, and here we see John Travolta, with a very Bill Clinton-esqe hair style. (John's weight size on screen caused many members of the audience to laugh, weird group eh?)
"When the Camera reverses, we meet Henry, whose last name escapes me right now, played by Adrian Lister. (And who, mark my words, has the making of a fine, if not exceptional acting career.)
"From the beginning of the movie, everyone around Henry is convinced that he has already joined the campaign to get Jack Stanton (Travolta), to be the Democratic nominee for President. Henry is not commited yet, feeling he needs to see inside the perspective candidate before he can commit. A session with a group of minorities that were taking reading lessons convinces Henry to at least hear Jack out.
"Watching Jack and his wife Susan interact with so-called 'common-folk' is enough for Henry, and he signs on as one of Jack's many campaign assistants, and the movie is off and running.
"But there are many hurtles to overcome on the road to the Nominee. Jack can't seem to keep his hands off women, nearly any woman for that matter. (Including the teacher of the reading group he met at the start of the film.) To which his wife Susan, (Thompson) turns a blind eye to. Settling on getting Jack to the White House first. In like a freight train rolls Billy Bob Thornton, as another campaign manager, with an eye for how people react, and an abilitiy to predict the movement of potential opposition.
"Henry also has his problems, his girlfriend his a member of the Black Press, and she isn't too keen that her boyfriend is going to campaign for a white man. (Did I happen to mention that Henry was black, and that his Grandfather was some kind of Civil Rights leader from the 60's? Of course I didn't!)
"But Henry is undetered, he feels he can see greatness in Jack, his shortcomings aside. And the movie flip-flops on Jack's good/bad side more often than a politician changes policy. Then the real fun begins. When Henry's girlfriend reveals that she knows about Jack being arrested in the 60's, but was let go due to political connections, the team smells trouble, and decides to be pro-active about any other possible bombshell the Press might come up with.
"That means, all of Jack's infidelities, all his sins must come to light if the team is going to be able to spin it in Jack's favor. This leads to a hysterical scene with Billy Bob Thornton making an outrageous analogy to the press and its treatment of public figures.
"But Susan feels that they need someone who has a take no prisioners attitude to help them out of this press mess. In walks Libby, (Kathy Bates) a once prominant campaign manager, who had a bit of a 'down turn' and had to spend time in a rubber room.
"But in she walks, like the earth stands still at her voice, and dammit everyone in the theatre did too. Libby announces, almost immediately that dirt can't stay hidden forever, and demonstrates her innate abilities to see it coming by predicting that Susan's former Hair-Stylist is going to a tabloid about her affair with Jack.
"Next day...
"The fit hits the shan.
"The movie deals with the tumbling dice of politics, one minute your the chosen one, the next a flavor of the month, all seen through the eyes of Henry, who hopes for a perfect candidate for a less than perfect world.
"Through scandel after scandel, including one involving a pregnant 17 year old girl, the movie shifts on-screen as it does through Henry's eyes. And that's one of the things about this movie that is great.
"The end brings no surprises, but you couldn't help but be moved by Bates' performance. Nor could you blame Henry for putting in his resignation, to which Jack responds, 'I don't accept it.'
"The movie never says if Jack wins, or if Henry does stay with the campaign, but I didn't feel that was the point.
"This had to be one of the finest character driven movies I've seen in YEARS. The closest to it, was The Shawshank Redemption No explosions, no shocks or scares, just pure, believable characters, a glimpse in the turbulant life of a campaign, and the tolls it takes on all involved.
"They never say for sure, but you know that Henry stays on with the campaign, and you know that Jack will eventually win. That's another thing that made this movie so great, no definate answers, no 'The lesson learned was..' just real life. Just excellent film making, just superb acting.
"I applauded at the end, so did some other people. I know this movie will get slaughtered in the final cut, because Universal is looking for a hit, not a thought provoking movie. I was saying to my friend aloud, that I wish Miramax, or Polygram was releasing this movie, because they would have the balls to keep it as it was. I call this, the Fargo of the politcal kind.
"The movie clocked in at 2 hours, 22 minutes, I bet ya it's released at 1 hour 45 minutes, and that it won't be half as powerful as it was tonight. One last kudo to a surprise visit from Larry Hagman, as Candidate Hopeful Picker, who pulls an 11th hour appearance, and a top notch performance.
"Kudos all-around, don't change a thing PLEASE!! Oh.. But One P.S.? Lose Henry's Black Press Girlfriend, my dead cat gives a more emotional performance than she does."
[Covert review told to us by our pal, 'Verbal Kent'.]