9 Surprising Films Screened at the White House
9 Surprising Films Screened at the White House
By Meriah Doty, Yahoo Movie Talk, October 15, 2013
By and large when it comes to screening films in the White House theater, presidents for the most part play to their type-casting: George W. Bush watched a lot of war films including "Black Hawk Down." The Obamas have shown historical dramas including Jackie Robinson biopic "42," and that film about living and working inside the White House itself, "The Butler." But presidents have also shown some unexpected tastes when it comes to their movie night choices.
Click this link to see what Presidents all the way back to Woodrow Wilson liked to watch:
http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/surprising-films-screened-white-house-214820284.html
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The article doesn't give a movie choice for FDR. What movie do you think he would have liked to watch?
I would say sound of music would be something FDR would of enjoyed. Surprised there weren't more done within the house.
I'm sure many movies were screened in the White House. I'm not sure how the author could determine Presidential favourites, unless the Presidents indicated what their favourites were. I also wonder what NIxon liked to watch - I'll bet they were crime movies.
Actually I just found this article which answers the question about Nixon, and does contradict the article above a little:
Presidents & Politicians
What's with presidents and High Noon ?
1. Barack Obama -- The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974)
When Katie Couric asked then-presidential-candidate Barack Obama what his favorite movie is, he replied, "Oh, I think it would have to be The Godfather . One and Two. Three not so much. That saga -- I love that movie. ...I think my favorite has to be, the opening scene of the first Godfather ... It sets the tone for the whole movie."
2. Ronald Reagan -- High Noon (1952)
Reagan appreciated Will Kane's dedication to duty and law. (Reagan's also rumored to have been a fan of the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life .)
3. Richard Nixon -- Patton (1970)
Nixon's preference for Patton was mentioned in a 1960 1970 TIME article: "The martial epic Patton so stirs Richard Nixon that he has seen the film at least twice." According to American Experience: Nixon on PBS, "Richard Nixon loved the movie Patton and watched it again and again in the White House." The Telegraph reported that Nixon "urged aides to see the film and became, in the words of Secretary of State William Rogers, a 'walking ad' for it. He screened it three times in the weeks before the US invasion of Cambodia in April 1970..." Nixon's love for Patton was also mentioned in Woodward and Bernstein's 2005 book, The Final Days .
4. Bill Clinton -- High Noon (1952)
Clinton was such a fan of the Western that he apparently screened the film a record 17 times at the White House.
5. George W. Bush -- Field of Dreams (1989)
According to a May 2001 article in The Atlantic , "Bush's favorite movie is Field of Dreams , which made him cry, he once said, because it reminded him of playing catch in the back yard with his fathera pretty fair ballplayer himself once."
6. Dwight Eisenhower -- High Noon (1952)
Eisenhower was reportedly a big fan of the movie, screening it several times at the White House (though not quite as many times as Clinton).
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I vote for "Dave"... Nah, they probably don't want to watch an amateur take over the White House and do a better job...
Wonderful article! I have to go to work, but will return so as to read it in more depth!
I love that movie. hail to the chief, he's the one we all say "hail" to