Great, simply great

Rating: 10/10 (7 July 2005)

That's what a political thriller should be  suspenseful, gripping, dynamic, keeping a viewer riveted to the screen for all 138 minutes of its duration even though we know the story very well  its beginning and its inevitable conclusion. That's a great, inspired movie-making from everyone involved. Robert Redford who also produced the film bought the screen rights to Bob Woodward (whom he played) and Carl Bernstein's (Dustin Hoffman) book on the exposure of Watergate conspiracy for $225, 000. Oscar winning screenwriter William Goldman wrote a great screenplay and persuaded Hoffman to play Bernstein. Special mention should go to Alan Pakula whose quiet, masterful and intelligent directing delivered the suspense that the story demands. "All The President's Men" is Pakula's final chapter in what is known as "paranoia trilogy" that also includes "Klute" (1971) and "The Parallax View" (1974). These three films make Pakula one of the most interesting American directors of the 70s.