Frost/Nixon (film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | Ron Howard (director), Peter Morgan (screenplay) |
| Products | Historical drama film |
| Parent | Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Working Title Films |
Frost/Nixon is a historical drama film from 2008, adapted from the 2006 stage play written by Peter Morgan, who also penned the screenplay. Directed by Ron Howard, the movie portrays the events surrounding the 1977 Frost/Nixon interviews. This production was a collaboration between the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, produced under Universal Pictures by Howard, Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment, alongside Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner from Working Title Films. The film received five nominations at the Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director.
The principal cast includes Michael Sheen portraying British journalist David Frost and Frank Langella as former US President Richard Nixon, both reprising their roles from the original West End and Broadway performances.
The film debuted at the London Film Festival on October 15, 2008. It was subsequently released in the United States on December 5, 2008, followed by a UK release on January 23, 2009. Although it garnered critical praise, Frost/Nixon earned $27 million at the box office against a production budget of $25 million, resulting in modest commercial returns.
Plot
After the 1972 Watergate scandal and his resignation in 1974, an estimated 400 million viewers watched United States President Richard Nixon depart from the White House. At that time in Australia, British journalist David Frost resolves to secure an interview with Nixon. Nixon’s representative, Irving Lazar, views this as an opportunity for Nixon to rehabilitate his public image and generate revenue, ultimately demanding $600,000 following initial discussions.
Frost persuades producer John Birt of the interview’s viability and travels with him to California. On their journey, Frost begins a romantic relationship with Caroline Cushing, who accompanies them. Unable to secure deals with American television networks, Frost self-funds the interviews and arranges syndication agreements with advertisers and local broadcasters. To prepare thoroughly, he hires investigators Bob Zelnick and Jim Reston, with Reston advising Frost to aim for a confession from Nixon.
Under surveillance by Nixon’s chief of staff Jack Brennan, Frost and Nixon conduct three interview sessions. Nixon dominates conversations regarding the Vietnam War and his foreign policy successes, frustrating Frost’s team and threatening sponsor commitments. Meanwhile, Frost’s London talk show is canceled amid doubts about his journalistic credibility.
Four days before their final meeting focused on Watergate, a drunken Nixon contacts Frost personally, sharing intimate struggles and emphasizing that their encounter will be pivotal for both their legacies. Inspired by this call, Frost intensifies his preparations while Reston conducts research at the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C..
In the concluding session, Frost confronts Nixon with incriminating transcripts uncovered by Reston. Nixon admits to unethical behavior but asserts presidential immunity with the statement: "When the President does it, that means it's not illegal." After being interrupted by Brennan, Nixon ultimately acknowledges his role in the cover-up and expresses regret for disappointing the American public.
Following the interviews, Frost and Cushing visit Nixon at his residence. They exchange gratitude; Nixon concedes defeat and extends good wishes to Frost. As a parting gift, Frost presents Nixon with Italian shoes he had admired during filming. In private reflection, Nixon appears to have limited memory of his intoxicated phone call. The epilogue highlights the interviews’ success and notes that controversy continued to shadow Nixon until his death from a stroke in 1994.
Cast
In addition to the main characters, the movie includes depictions of personalities like Tricia Nixon Cox, Michael York, and Hugh Hefner. To authentically portray Richard Nixon, Frank Langella conducted research by visiting the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and speaking with individuals who knew Nixon personally. During filming, Langella was respectfully addressed as "Mr. President." Interestingly, Warren Beatty turned down the opportunity to play Nixon, believing the character lacked a compassionate portrayal.
Release
Frost/Nixon had its first showing on October 15, 2008, serving as the opening film for the 52nd London Film Festival. It initially screened in three theaters across the United States on December 5 before expanding to a wider release in both the U.S. and the UK by January 23, 2009.
The movie became available on DVD and Blu-ray on April 21, 2009. These editions included deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes features, the original Frost-Nixon interviews, footage from the Nixon Presidential Library, and commentary by director Ron Howard.
Box office
The film began with a limited release in three theaters on December 5, 2008, earning $180,708 during its opening weekend and ranking 22nd at the box office. On January 23, 2009, it expanded to 1,099 theaters across North America, generating $3,022,250 and placing 16th in box office rankings. On January 30, its estimated Friday earnings were $420,000. In total, Frost/Nixon grossed about $18.6 million domestically and $8.8 million internationally, accumulating approximately $27.4 million worldwide. Although it surpassed its production budget of $25 million slightly, high marketing costs resulted in an overall financial loss.
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, Frost/Nixon holds a 93% approval rating from 258 reviews with an average score of 8.00/10. The critical consensus characterizes it as "a compelling and articulate drama; part boxing match, part ballet with Oscar-caliber performances." Metacritic assigned it a score of 80 out of 100 based on 38 critics’ reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.
Esteemed film critic Roger Ebert awarded four stars, commending Langella and Sheen for fully embodying their roles rather than merely imitating them. Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers gave it three and a half stars, emphasizing Ron Howard’s skillful adaptation of Peter Morgan's play into a suspenseful yet witty cinematic experience. Todd McCarthy from Variety praised Langella’s portrayal as transformative, noting that by the film’s conclusion he "becomes Nixon himself."
On the other hand, René Rodríguez from The Miami Herald rated the film two stars, arguing that despite its accurate reenactment of interviews, it was less successful than Oliver Stone's Nixon in humanizing the former president. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times described Frost/Nixon as a comforting and agreeable viewing experience—more soothing than challenging—highlighting the difficulties involved in dramatizing stories about disgraced leaders.
Awards and nominations
Historical accuracy
The film and stage adaptation take creative liberties with the specifics of the Nixon interviews. Official biographer Jonathan Aitken challenges scenes such as Nixon’s late-night, intoxicated phone calls, which director Ron Howard acknowledged were fictional but inspired by Nixon’s documented conduct during the Watergate era. Elizabeth Drew criticized several inaccuracies, including the distorted conclusion of the interviews and the exclusion of financial information—Nixon received 20% of the earnings. Drew also pointed out a misleading statement in which Nixon seems to confess to involvement in a cover-up, whereas in truth, he denied any illegal actions.
An article from 2014 highlighted that Nixon did not concede guilt until an interview conducted in 1983, which is later than the timeline portrayed in the film. Critic David Edelstein contended that the movie exaggerates the importance of the interviews, observing that selective editing amplifies Frost’s apparent triumph. Conservative commentator Fred Schwarz labeled the film revisionist, dramatizing what was actually a defeat as a victory despite commendable performances.
Individuals familiar with Frost and Nixon have noted inconsistencies: Caroline Cushing Graham recalled Frost’s earlier career milestones and indicated their professional relationship differed from its depiction in the film. Diane Sawyer remarked that certain character portrayals, such as Jack Brennan’s stern demeanor, contrast with their real-life personalities. These observations underscore the film’s emphasis on dramatic effect over strict historical fidelity while delivering an engaging narrative pertinent to media and political discourse.