CITIZEN COHN
US, 1992, 112 minutes, Colour.
James Woods, Lee Grant, Joe Don Baker, Ed Flanders, Joseph Bologna, Frederic Forrest, Pat Hingle.
Directed by Frank Pierson.
Citizen Cohn is a tour-de-force film with a bravura performance by James Woods as the notorious Roy Cohn. Interestingly, this telemovie for home box office was made only five years after Cohn's death. His reputation was at a low and the film-makers could present this warts-and-all portrait of Cohn so soon after his death.
The film goes back to Cohn's family, a doting mother (Lee Grant) and a judge (Josef Sommer) who was a liberal and disapproved of his son's attitudes and behaviour. The film also goes back to Cohn ingratiating himself with Senator Joe Mc Carthy (portrayed by Joe Don Baker) and edging out Robert Kennedy from Mc Carthy's entourage. It also shows the relentless pursuit by Cohn of suspected communists, his unscrupulous getting of names, his legal skills and verbal abilities in pressurising his victims. However, he eventually overreaches himself and he and Senator Mc Carthy are shamed by Judge Joseph Welsh (portrayed by Ed Flanders - with the note that the real Welsh portrayed the judge in Otto Preminger's Anatomy of a Murder).
The framework of the film is Cohn dying in hospital of AIDS (which he won't admit) and his hallucinating with various characters from his life coming back to haunt him, especially Ethel Rosenberg because of his legal performance in the prosecution of the Rosenbergs and their execution. The film also shows his homosexual relationships, especially with a millionaire, David Shine, who brought about his downfall because of Cohn's manipulating the Secretary of the Navy into trying to get him better jobs. The latter part of Cohn's career shows him as an unscrupulous lawyer, trying to ingratiate himself with J. Edgar Hoover, especially during the Kennedy years and against Martin Luther King. Finally he was disbarred.
The film was written by Dominic Franzoni (one of the writers of Gladiator) and directed by Frank Pierson, a screenwriter who directed a number of films including The Looking- Glass War and the Streisand A Star is Born.
1.The quality of the telemovie and its wide audience? A film of the '90s reflecting on American history?
2.The American atmosphere of the movie, of the story? American history in the '50s and '60s, the investigations into unAmerican activities? The fear of communists? The 20th century, the '50s and the Red-baiting and the consequences on all areas of American society?
3.The stances of the screenplay, the portrait of Cohn, the critique? The presentation of Senator Mc Carthy and his tactics, the victims?
4.The era of President Truman and the introduction of the unAmerican activities investigations, into the Eisenhower period with Mc Carthy? The Kennedy era? Cohn surviving these decades?
5.American politics, the attitude towards communism, the aftermath of World War II and the alliance with Stalin's Russia and then the Cold War? The army and its protection? The entertainment world? Business? The social commentators - especially the portrait of Walter Winchell and his support of Mc Carthy and Cohn?
6.The structure of the film: Cohn dying, his not admitting AIDS, his attitude towards his own homosexuality, homosexuality in general? His hallucinating, Ethel Rosenberg and the other characters, his mother, Judge Welsh? Bobby Kennedy? The flashbacks and his remembering? The attitude of the doctor treating him and his own connections with victims? 1986 and Cohn disgraced, disbarred?
7.The prologue, the restaurant, Roy and his mother and father, his disdain and treatment of the waiter? His mother's influence, spoiling him? Her wanting prestige because of her husband the judge? Her interfering in his life? His father's disagreement with him, his wanting his father's affirmation? His father disowning him? His mother, the raid and her interference, her dying before he could tell her that he was vindicated?
8.Senator Mc Carthy and his role in American society and politics? His entourage, Cohn intervening, disdaining Robert Kennedy, his long speech explaining how necessary he was to Mc Carthy? Getting the job, his relationship with the senator? His relying on his skill in the prosecution of the Rosenbergs - and the film's showing the case, the condemnation, their victimisation and execution? Cohn and his aims in working for Mc Carthy, his statements about patriotism? Mc Carthy beginning to rely on him, the background, names? Mc Carthy himself and his drinking? Power? Following Cohn's advice - and trapping himself? His final intervention and being shamed by Judge Welsh? His death?
9.Cohn and his pursuit of individuals, their names? His being able to twist their arguments? The man from the government, friend of his father, his persecuting him - and his throwing himself out the window? The man from Radio America, Cohn's implications of communists at the radio and his involvement? The refusal to give names? His going out into the traffic and getting killed? Walter Winchell and his broadcasts and his patriotism and the support of Cohn and Mc Carthy?
10.David Shine and his wealth, the party, the attraction to Cohn, his getting the job despite his lack of qualifications (and lack of humour)? The collage of the tour, Shine and his ignorance, wanting to burn books but not having read them - the international press and their ridicule? The pressures for him to do his service in Korea? The Secretary of the Navy and Cohn's phone calls, pressure? The homosexual attachment - and his behaviour, especially as watched by the Secretary of the Navy? The inquiry, the photo opportunity and the doctoring of the photo?
11.Judge Welsh and his calm, his indignation at Mc Carthy and Cohn? The discussions about the photo and his interpretation of it? The discussion about pixies and the implications of fairies and public reaction? Mc Carthy and his diatribe against the attacks on Cohn, Judge Welsh and his shaming Mc Carthy and the vigorous applause? Cohn knowing that he was defeated?
12.Ida and her divorce, Cohn's legal skills, alimony? His asking for the loan? The years passing, her phone calls, his trying to avoid her? Her finally suing him? And his losing?
13.Cohn and his homosexuality, the stance of the film writer and director towards homosexuality, the presentation of Cohn in the '50s and '60s? His discussions about being born heterosexual and making choices? His relationship with Shine? With the Italian model - especially during the raid? His contracting AIDS?
14.The presentation of J. Edgar Hoover and Clyde Tolson, the work of the FBI, its alliance with government, the files and the names tradition? Cohn and his pursuit of the black woman in the Pentagon - and the irony that Hoover had to tell him to stop because of plants in the various communist cells? Hoover's support - yet the raid on his home? The role of Hoover, the clash with Robert Kennedy? The tapes of Martin Luther King and giving them to Cohn, the tactics backfiring?
15.Cohn in himself, his alleged patriotism, the lust for power, wanting to be somebody? His cruelty? Ideology or psychological explanations?
16.The doctor in the hospital, his staff, the hallucinations, the visitors, their critique of Cohn and his response to them? The irony of the film being made so soon after his death?
