THE POST

US, 2017, 115 minutes, Colour.
Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys, Alison Bree, Carrie Coon, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Cross.
Directed by Steven Spielberg.

This is a film well worth seeking out for those who enjoy intelligent cinema. It has been directed by Steven Spielberg, winner of two Oscars for best director, Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. More recently he made the very interesting Bridge of Spies.

One suspects that he is rather politically motivated to make this film at this time, a story of The Washington Post, denounced during his presidential campaign and his first year in office by Donald Trump. It stars Meryl Streep who spoke out about the Presodent at an award ceremony and was dismissed by a presidential Twitter as“ over-rated�. With the release of the film she has urged him to see it so that he will have more respect for those he disagrees with.

So, a timely film, although it setting is 1971. This is The Washington Post story of The Pentagon Papers, their publication, the move to prevent their publication by President Nixon and the subsequent Supreme Court judgement on freedom of the press. For those who remember, for those in the know, the film ends with a security guard discovering an open door in the Watergate centre and the beginnings of the Watergate scandal exposed by The Washington Post (which might be a suggestion that we have another look at All the President’s Men from 1976).

The film actually opens in 1966 in Vietnam, three short sequences of camouflaging, night combat, recuperation, with the journalist typing his report. They again remind us of how effectively Spielberg can film war sequences.

The journalist concerned is Daniel Ellsberg who is shown in an encounter with Secretary, Robert Mc Namara, who then gives a press conference stating optimistic views about the war in Vietnam – though having authorised elaborate study, which has been kept secret, highlighting US policy from Truman, through Eisenhower and Kennedy, to Johnson, indicating that the war is doomed to failure. Yet the government was continuing to send American troops, some conscripted, far away from the US to fight and die in Southeast Asia. There are also scenes of protest in the film.

In 1971, the New York Times published some of these Pentagon Papers and an immediate injunction was placed on them. At the same time, The Post editor Ben Bradlee (played very energetically by Tom Hanks) was eager to boost the status of The Washington Post, bringing not only in enthusiasm but a demand on his staff as well as pressure on the publisher, Katharine Graham. Her father had founded the paper, bequeathed it to her husband, Philip Graham, and, on his suicide, she had inherited the role of publisher.

At this point in a review, it is worth noting that the credits make a point of tribute to Gloria Steinem. The Post could serve as a very useful example in studies on the role of women, of women in business, CEOs, with its vivid scenes of Katharine Graham walking into board meetings, dominatingly male, being condescended to, coming from an affluent world of society parties, women withdrawing at the end of meals for their own chat and gossip, fashion and socials. Katharine Graham had to break through this glass ceiling – and Meryl Streep certainly brings Katharine Graham to life, especially in the scene where she has to make a decision about publishing the Pentagon Papers or not, few words spoken, but Meryl Streep communicates intensely what was going through Katharine Graham’s mind, through her feelings, making the judgement.

In some ways the section on The Post and its journalist, Bagdikian (Bob Odenkirk), making contact with Ellsberg, getting the documents, the team under Bradlee sorting them and building up a story with only hours for their task, the lawyers coming, the warnings, the decision to publish and run the risk of imprisonment, are the elements of a thriller.

President Nixon does not come well out of this story, banning The Washington Post from the White House – and remembering, again, the irony of The Post exposing Watergate.

The Supreme Court does come out well, the verdict of six – three in favour of freedom of the press, the press to serve the people rather than the government.

The film is very well acted by a large cast, is certainly intelligently written, is a satisfying look back at history, of journalism (and a reminder that in those days there were no iPads, emails, 24 hour online news services – and no tweets!).

1. The title? The Washington Post? The reputation of the paper? The background of its history and reach? From the Nixon era? To Donald Trump’s denunciations?

2. Audience knowledge of The Post, knowledge of the Pentagon Papers and the Supreme Court decisions? Audience knowledge of Watergate and the role of the Washington Post, Katharine Graham as publisher, Ben Bradlee as editor, the contributions of the various journalists?

3. A film from 2017, the retrospect of 45 years? Knowledge of the Nixon years? His fall? The background of the Vietnam war, US policy on Vietnam through Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson?

4. The DC settings, the political atmosphere, the White House and Nixon, his administration and their bad reputation? Robert Mc Namara, his stances as Secretary, his judgements on Vietnam? The social background of Washington, the Grahams and their presence, links with politicians? Bradlee and his links, especially with Kennedy? Affluent families? Society gatherings and meals? The world of journalism, journalist desks, offices, the editor, the publisher? The background of the board, financial issues? Wall Street? And the comparisons with New York City and the New York Times?

5. 2017 audience watching journalism in the 1970s, the use of phones, the printing presses, distribution…? No iPads, no emails, nothing online…?

6. The prologue, Vietnam, 1966, the soldiers applying the camouflage, so distant from the US, going to action, night, the threats, the deaths, action? The scene of recuperation, the journalist typing? The return from Vietnam?

7. Daniel Ellsberg, his observing, his articles? On the plane, the interview with Mc Namara, whether things were improving or not in Vietnam? Mc Namara and his press conference, friendly, his optimistic tone?

8. Demonstrations, attitudes against the war? American involvement, the deaths? The background of the history of the US with Vietnam? Going to war, the assassination of the president in Vietnam, All the Way with LBJ? Mc Namara’s study, the secrecy? Ellsberg, his disillusionment, his observation, with the group, conscience, taking the documents, making the copies, storing them?

9. 1971, the status of the Washington Post, a local paper? The history of Philip Graham, taking over from his wife’s father, political connections, his own mental difficulties, suicide? Katharine Graham inheriting the paper? Becoming the publisher? A sense of responsibility? The dominant presence of men, no precedent for her as a woman publisher? Her working with Ben Bradlee as editor? His ambitions? Wanting the big stories? The quoting of the prospectus for the paper, its going to the stock exchange, the role of the investors? The discussions about shares and prices? Katharine relying on the quality of news? Fritz as her main advisor? Arthur and his comments? The role of the bankers, the investors, the Wall Street sequence and the paper going on the exchange?

10. The credits and the tribute on Gloria Steinem? The film and the role of women in the 1960s and 70s? Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham and her strong stances, especially concerning Donald Trump? Katharine Graham and her social background, affluence, hostess at parties, clothes, the meals with the ladies withdrawing and their gossipy conversation? Katharine alone on the board? The visualising of the dominant male presence? The attitudes towards women and decision-making? Katharine, the challenge, the experience of having to make decisions, being confronted by Ben Bradlee, Fritz and his advice? The importance sequence of her making the decision about publishing the Pentagon papers or not?

11. The background of the Nixon wedding, the discussions about covering it for the paper, The Post being banned, the journalists covering, insulting Nixon’s daughter? Nixon and his hostility? Getting the photograph? Nixon’s later attitudes, completely banning The Post – and the irony of the Post exposing him Watergate?

12. The New York Times, the journalists and articles, the editor, Bradlee scenting a story, the absence of the times journalist, sending the young man in turn, to New York, his seeing the front page and bringing back the news?

13. Mc Namara, the threat of the revelation of the study? The New York Times article, he speaking to Katharine? His presence at the socials? Katharine talking with him, her realising that he had lied to the American public? His plea to her? Her strong decisions after talking with him?

14. The New York Times, publishing the articles and the papers? The Nixon injunction? To the Supreme Court?

15. Bagdikian as a character, journalist, his work, his connections, Bradlee eager for him to pursue the connections? His place in the paper, writing? Talking with Katharine? The phone links, to Ellsberg? Finding him, the vast amount of documents, the discussions about conscience? Not a theoretical issue? The copy of the papers? Carrying in on the plane, the group at Bradlee’s house to collect them, the boxes, sorting them, opening up all the themes?

16. The limited time available for writing the article? Sorting everything? Making the connections? The preparation of the article, writing it, the subeditor going through it?

17. Katharine, her birthday, Ben and his continued visits to her house, the discussions? Her speech and the social, being interrupted, the phone call?

18. Bradlee calling the lawyers, their work, that background, the information? The discussion about the legal aspects of publishing? Fritz and his advising against it? Arthur and his strong stances? Bogdikian and his discussion with the lawyers?

19. Katharine, the scene of her decision, the few words, Meryl Streep communicating to the audience the significance of the decision and its effect on her? The background of her talking with her daughter, memories of her husband, his achievement, the daughter and the notes for her speech at the funeral?

20. Everything ready, waiting to print? Bradlee at home, the discussions with his wife, her hosting the group, her perspective? The lawyer, the legal risks? Katharine deciding to go ahead, the printing, publishing, the distribution? People reading the paper?

21. The Supreme Court, everyone present, the lawyer and his presentation, the judges? The formality of the court and its old style of introduction? The crowd outside, the protesters?

22. The decision, the phone communication of the results, six – three, the court and the freedom of the press, and the press to serve the people not the government?

23. The publication of the papers by the other newspapers, the consolidation of the press?

24. Nixon, his being glimpsed through the window? The administrators? The ban on the Washington Post? – And the irony of showing the beginning of the discovery of the Watergate break-in?

25. 2017, news and Donald Trump on fake news and his accusations especially against the New York Times and the Washington Post?

26. A political film by Steven Spielberg, choosing to make this film for 2017? Meryl Streep, and Donald Trump’s denunciation of her and criticism of her as an actress? Political
role for Tom Hanks and the supporting cast?