THE CURSE OF EDGAR/ LE MALEDICTION D’EDGAR
France, 2013, 90 minutes, Colour.
Brian Cox, Anthony Higgins.
Directed by Mark Dugain.
There have been several films about J. Edgar Hoover, including a 1970s film The Private Lives of J. Edgar Hoover, with Broderick Crawford in the central role. More recently there has been the portrait, directed by Clint Eastwood, J. Edgar, with Leonardo Di Caprio in the central role.
This production offers a blend of television and film footage with some dramatised episodes in the life of the director of the FBI. This time, his played very effectively by Brian Cox with Anthony Higgins as his friend and companion, Clyde Tolson. It is interesting that the producers, French, have chosen a Scotsman and an Englishman for the central roles.
The film focuses mainly on the late 1950s and early 1960s, until the death of President Kennedy and the accession of Lyndon Johnson. This means that there is a great deal of attention on the race for the presidency between Nixon and Kennedy, background of Joseph Kennedy and Hoover’s collaboration with him in the past, Hoover’s dislike of the Kennedys, his reaction to John Kennedy’s selection, his having to work with Bobby Kennedy as attorney general. The film also has to focus on the clash with Cuba, the fiasco of the Bay of Pigs, the missiles of October, the links of Kennedy with the Mafia, especially the sharing of a mistress with the Mafia boss. There is also the link between Hoover and Meyer Lansky and the gentlemen’s agreement about what would be used re the Mafia or not. One of the intriguing aspects of the film is Hoover’s admiration from Marilyn Monroe, his sympathy for her and feeling that she was a victim of the Kennedys.
Throughout all of this, there is a great deal of actual footage, of Joseph Kennedy, on John Kennedy and his war years, as a senator, the marriage to Jackie Kennedy (another person Hoover was sympathetic to), the Cuban crisis and the assassination of Kennedy.
Marc Dugain (The Kindness of Women, An Ordinary Execution) directs from his own novel.
A substantial contribution to the cinema portraying Hoover.
1. The status of J Edgar Hoover, as a person, as part of American society in the 20th century, American history and politics, the war against crime? From the 1920s to the 1970s?
2. The variety of films made about Hoover or including Hoover, biographies, studies, Exposés, critiques?
3. Hoover and his position in the FBI, leadership, secretive, the files, surveillance, his use of the files, exercise of power? His relationship with his mother, dependence on her, the interpretation of the Freudian psychoanalyst and Hoover’s surprise and revulsion? His relationship with Clyde Tolson? Hoover as a moralising man?
4. The focus on the 1960s and the presidency of John F. Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy as attorney general? The internal politics? Dislike of the Kennedys? Dealing with them? The Bay of Pigs fiasco, the Cuban crisis? The Mafia links and Kennedy’s mistress? The political influence for the election of Kennedy? Hoover dismissing him as a pretty face? Hoover and his determination to stay in power until his death?
5. The range of documentary footage, of Hoover, but especially of the Kennedys, Joseph Kennedy, J.F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy? The including of the Dallas assassination? The background footage of the Bay of Pigs in the Cuban crisis? There being intercut with the drama?
6. The performance of Brian Cox, embodying Hoover, appearance, manner, way of speaking, dressing, using his political influence? The contrast with Anthony Higgins is Clyde Tolson? Tolson and his providing the narrative, the voice-over, extensive, especially compared with his rather laconic manner in real life? The contrast in appearance between the two? Stocky thin and tall? Tolson and his dapper style?
7. The buildup of the story of Hoover’s life? His relationship with Tolson for so many years? Personal, sexual, professional? Hoover and his dogs, going to the funeral of the dog? Tolson not liking the dogs?
8. The FBI and its ethos, its success? The singling out of the Mc Carthy era, the hearings, Gary Cooper, anti-Communist stances?
9. Washington DC, Hoover’s office, his wanting to turn on the lights first and his anger at others doing it, his office, phone calls, controlling appointments and times?
10. 1960, JFK and Nixon, the prospects? Keeping his job?
11. The sequences with Joseph Kennedy, the history of the Kennedy family, Joe and his control, favourable to Hitler? His expectations of his son, Joe, his death in the war? JFK, his bad back, ill-health, getting him to do service in the war, the PT 109 episode and his heroism? Marrying Jacqueline? Joe Kennedy and his expectations of Robert? Hoover wanting Joseph Kennedy to control his sons? The phone calls, implications of sexual promiscuity? The taping of his phone call with Jackie Kennedy and forbidding her divorce? The stroke, Hoover visiting him – even taunting him?
12. The image of JFK, the popular imagination, in the White House, the family scenes, his appointment with Hoover, discussing Bobby? Cuba, the missiles, the failure of the Bay of Pigs? The visualising of his death in the aftermath?
13. Robert Kennedy as attorney general, Hoover’s patronage, Kennedy brisling against him, the visits in discussions, the plans, the CIA and the assassination of Castro? The visuals of his death?
14. The history of Cuba, in the Battista era, casinos and the fashionable life, corruption and the Mafia, the presence of the US?
15. Meyer Lanski, the visualising of the sequences with him, Hoover’s links with crime, some control through Lanski, the talk, at the races, Hoover’s horse always winning, the compromises with the Mafia? JFK and his mistress and the Mafia links? The help with his election?
16. The focus on Marilyn Monroe, Hoover’s great admiration for her, the best interpretations, the relationship with the Kennedys, her knowing the secrets, the sexual liaison, singing Happy Birthday, Bobby Kennedy sent to make the break, her death – conspiracy theories?
17. Key years for Hoover’s activity – but the need for supplementing with other films like J.Edgar?
