Nixon (film)

Nixon
Theatrical release poster
Directed byOliver Stone
Written byStephen J. Rivele
Christopher Wilkinson
Oliver Stone
Produced byClayton Townsend
Oliver Stone
Andrew G. Vajna
Starring
CinematographyRobert Richardson
Edited byHank Corwin
Brian Berdan
Music byJohn Williams
Production
companies
Hollywood Pictures
Cinergi Pictures
Illusion Entertainment Group
Distributed byBuena Vista Pictures Distribution (North America/South America)
Cinergi Productions (International)
Release date
  • December 22, 1995 (1995-12-22)
Running time
192 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
Chinese
Russian
Budget$44 million
Box office$13.7 million (US/Canada)

Nixon is a 1995 American epic historical drama film directed by Oliver Stone, produced by Stone, Clayton Townsend, and Andrew G. Vajna, and written by Stone, Christopher Wilkinson, and Stephen J. Rivele, with significant contributions from "project consultants" Christopher Scheer and Robert Scheer. The film tells the story of the political and personal life of former U.S. President Richard Nixon, played by Anthony Hopkins.

The film portrays Nixon as a complex and in many respects admirable, albeit deeply flawed, person. Nixon begins with a disclaimer that the film is "an attempt to understand the truth ... based on numerous public sources and on an incomplete historical record". The cast also includes Joan Allen, Annabeth Gish, Marley Shelton, Bai Ling, Powers Boothe, J. T. Walsh, E. G. Marshall, Sam Waterston, James Woods, Paul Sorvino, Bob Hoskins, Larry Hagman, Ed Harris and David Hyde Pierce, plus archival appearances from political figures such as President Bill Clinton in television footage from the Nixon funeral service.

The film received generally favorable reviews from critics, with Hopkins' performance receiving particular praise. Despite this, the film grossed only $13.6 million domestically against a $44 million budget, making it one of the biggest box-office bombs of 1995. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Supporting Actress (Joan Allen), Best Original Score (John Williams) and Best Original Screenplay. This was Stone's second of three films about the presidents of America, after JFK, which was about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and W., which was about George W. Bush.