THE PRESIDENT'S MISTRESS
US, 1978, 100 minutes, Colour.
Beau Bridges, Susan Blanchard, Larry Hagman, Don Porter, Gail Strickland.
Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey.
A fairly routine telemovie adventure. However, its theme is slightly different - the President's mistress as a Russian spy! The film is interesting and has a very strong cast led by Beau Bridges. The sets of the telemovie came from the very popular television series Washington Behind Closed Doors. While the film resembles many episodes of television series, it is designed as a telemovie for fast pace American political action and is quite entertaining in its way.
1. The quality of this action entertainment telemovie?
2. The use of the Washington sets, the atmosphere of American politics, agencies, detective work? The musical score?
3. How conventional the treatment of the material: the hero investigating his sister, his work, cover, affair? The sister and her relationship with the President, becoming victim of this? The presentation of the American agencies and their concern and investigations? The Russians and the false information, being trapped by their plans? flow well did the material mesh together?
4. How plausible the plot? In itself, in comparison with fiction popular in the 70's and 80's? In information given by history? sufficient for the purposes of the plot? The audience not seeing the President and his anonymity, subjective shots? (The preservation of some dignity of the presidential office for the American audience?) The violence inherent in this situation? The political danger? blackmail?
5. Morton as hero - his work, relationship with his sister, his relationship with Mugsy? The strange happenings, his investigation, his access to information and his way of using it? The agencies and their control of him? His single-minded pursuit of the truth even with danger?
6. Donna and her relationship with the President, its secrecy, her being a risk, false information given by Russia, the panic in the United States, her elimination?
7. The American officials and their investigation, cover-ups? Seeing them in action?
8. The Russian counterparts and their plans? The American link? The spies in the Kremlin - the old lady gathering up the paper, etc.?
9. The police and the investigation of crime and its being linked with politics?
10. Audience curiosity about politicians and their private lives? The repercussions of private life and intrigue with political decisions and world peace? How were these themes communicated at the popular level of the telemovie?
