In Class Write

1. From watching Frost/Nixon one could learn what the Watergate scandal was, the effects of it after, how Nixon responded to the scandal, and a background of what other political problems were going on within this era. The film does not come out and clearly define what exactly the Watergate scandal was. However, it offers enough context clues through the questions being asked by Frost-- such as when he asks Nixon if he himself believes that he “obstructed justice”-- for a viewer to successfully piece together all the information and conclude what exactly the watergate scandal was if they had no prior knowledge. It is so important that the film cleared up any confusion over what exactly the Watergate scandal was because played such a pivotal role in american history, causing the American people to start questing their government, shifting the power in the H.O.R. to the democrat side, and causing a new generation of Watergate babies that decentralized power in DC which led to the downfall of congress in the 1970’s. The film also offers a peek into what other current events were happening at that time by bringing up the invasion into Cambodia and the Vietnam War when Frost is questioning Nixon. This background info is so important because it allows for more transparency into the average US citizen’s life and struggles during this time period. Most Americans were already angry with Nixon for continuing the Vietnam War especially when they did not win, and many were also against the Cambodia Invasion. Thus, once the Watergate scandal broke they became very angry and pessimistic with their current government as a whole.

2. The film leaves out many important aspects of the entire scandal and Nixon’s life during this period. For example, one will not learn about Nixon’s project to redeem himself in the public eye through a scheme titled “The Wizard”. The film maker chooses to omit this in order to paint Nixon as a more sincere man and garner sympathy for him to create a classic trope. However, this is not accurate of the real Nixon. Instead, he had a premade plan of how to get back in the public favor, and the name “The Wizard” is very telling of how he planned to do this. Nixon was a master word manipulator and through this he wanted to sway the public back into liking him by distorting the true events through word play. Another important aspect the film incorrectly covers is the actual interview itself. The first problem with the interview was Nixon’s overall character. Nixon was somewhat awkward with small talk, and he wasn’t a funny, sociable man at all or one who felt much empathy and guilt. The interview starts with him seemingly like a heartfelt jokester reminiscing on the past, and this is inaccurate because the actual interview begins by arguing back and forth on the technicalities of obstruction of justice. Also, in the movie Jack Brennan is shown calling off the interview right before Nixon apologizes and admits, but in real life this was actually Frost’s doing because he misread a cue card. The end of the interview is also riddled with inaccuracies from Nixon’s expression to his admission of guilt. The movie portrays Nixon to look distorted in agony over guilt, whereas, in real life he was glowering but nothing more. The movie also creates an admission of guilt from Nixon. However, in real life he denied any cover up activity and said “You’re wanting me to say that I participated in an illegal cover up. No!”.  

3. I would create a court scene that shows every man involved in the Watergate scandal who was sent to trial being convicted and given their prison sentences. I would make them look very raw and vulnerable and have the sheer terror of being sentenced to prison for months or years be shown clearly in their expressions. Then, I would show a scene that included Ford publically pardoning Nixon and then show a scene from the interview where Nixon claims if the president does anything illegal it is not illegal. All these scenes would be somewhat quickly happening in that exact order to show the juxtaposition between Nixon’s carelessness and lack of guilt and punishment versus the other men involved in the watergate scandal whose lives were somewhat ruined because of prison sentences. I would add in this scene at the very end of the movie after Nixon is shown living lavishly in his beach villa even after everything. I would add the scene here to send the message that Nixon should not be sympathized because he faced no punishment for such big crimes just because he was in a position of power. I think showing this should be prioritized in order to accurately show all the effects of the scandal that men besides Nixon had to endure to paint a more full picture of what exactly happened after the Watergate scandal, and to show the parallels between how a power cancels out possible repercussions versus how the powerless struggle with repercussions.