Frost/Nixon 2008

As the dust settled on the Watergate scandal’s aftermath, a global audience of 400 million people bore witness to Richard Nixon’s (Frank Langella) poignant departure from the White House aboard Marine One in 1974. The erstwhile President’s decision to resign without acknowledging wrongdoing or offering an apology only added to the sense of intrigue surrounding his legacy. Meanwhile, British journalist David Frost (Michael Sheen), who was recording a talk show in Australia at the time, felt compelled to seize the opportunity to engage Nixon in conversation.

Frost’s team secured a full pardon for Nixon from Gerald Ford, effectively precluding any possibility of standing trial. As Nixon began working on his memoirs with the help of Diane Sawyer (Kate Jennings Grant) and Frank Gannon (Andy Milder), his literary agent, Irving Lazar (Toby Jones), recognized the potential for the former President to redeem himself through a series of interviews.

Lazar negotiated a significant sum of $600,000 (equivalent to $2,500,000 in 2020) from Frost after initially securing a deal worth $500,000. The agent’s shrewdness in securing better terms with Frost was matched only by his ability to outmaneuver Mike Wallace from CBS, who had offered a paltry $350,000.

Frost, accompanied by his producer and friend John Birt (Matthew Macfadyen), embarked on a journey to California to meet with Nixon. On the plane, he struck up a romantic connection with Caroline Cushing (Rebecca Hall), a young woman who would join him for the trip.

As Frost struggled to find a broadcast partner for the interviews in America, he decided to finance the project privately and broker his own deals with advertisers and local TV stations to syndicate the broadcasts. With his time fully consumed by securing funds to pay Nixon, Frost’s pursuit of his vision was marked by equal parts perseverance and creative problem-solving.

As Frost (David Frost) prepares for his landmark interviews with Richard Nixon (Richard Nixon), he enlists the expertise of two seasoned investigators, Bob Zelnick (Oliver Platt) and James Reston Jr. (Sam Rockwell). The latter, driven by a desire to hold Nixon accountable for the grievances of the American people, is adamant that the former President’s answers not be used as a platform for self-exoneration. Frost, meanwhile, remains uncertain about his objectives, but Reston’s counsel ultimately persuades him to strive for a confession from Nixon.

Prior to the interviews, Frost and Nixon meet, with the latter expressing his eagerness for their “duel” to begin. However, unbeknownst to Frost, Nixon’s post-presidential chief of staff, Jack Brennan (Kevin Bacon), has been exerting pressure on him to ensure that the majority of the interview time is dedicated to highlighting Nixon’s achievements as President, rather than delving into the Watergate scandal.

As the first three recording sessions unfold in March 1977, Frost finds himself under scrutiny from both Nixon and Brennan. The former President dominates the discussions, using his vast experience and cunning to deflect tough questions and steer the conversation towards his perceived triumphs. Behind the scenes, Frost’s editorial team grows increasingly anxious about his ability as a journalist and frustrated by Nixon’s apparent success in rehabilitating his image.

Meanwhile, Frost has invested nearly $2 million in the interviews and is struggling to secure advertising deals that would justify this expenditure. The constant stream of bad news about the taping sessions’ lackluster reception only serves to exacerbate his financial woes. Despite these challenges, Nixon remains confident, even going so far as to probe Frost about his personal life just before one of the interview starts.

As the 11th and final session draws to a close, it becomes apparent that Nixon has emerged victorious from their “duel,” having successfully controlled the narrative and dodged any serious scrutiny. The outcome is a decisive shutout, leaving Frost and his team to wonder if they have underestimated the former President’s abilities as a spin master.

As the fateful moment of truth approaches, four days prior to the climactic Watergate-focused interview, Frost’s phone rings with an unexpected call from a slurring Nixon. The former President’s intoxicated monologue reveals a deep-seated connection between himself and Frost, both having risen from humble beginnings only to face setbacks that tested their resolve. Nixon asserts that they are kindred spirits, united by their quest for success, albeit one marked by the dark undertones of Watergate. This revelatory conversation imbues Frost with newfound insight into his enigmatic subject.

Galvanized by this candid exchange, Frost dedicates the subsequent three days to intense preparation, while Reston delves into a promising lead at Washington’s Federal Courthouse library. As the final interview commences, Frost springs a devastating trap on Nixon by presenting damning transcripts of a conversation between the two men, unearthed by Reston in the nation’s capital. Witnessing this bombshell from an adjacent room, Nixon’s team is left stunned and horrified as he concedes to having engaged in unethical behavior, adding with characteristic arrogance that “when the President does it, that means it’s not illegal.” A taken-aback Frost is poised on the brink of extracting a confession when Brennan bursts into the room, halting the recording. Following a hasty consultation between Nixon and Brennan, the interview resumes, with Frost launching a scathing attack on his subject’s original line of questioning. Confronted by the weight of his own actions, Nixon admits to participating in a cover-up and ultimately acknowledges that he “let the American people down.”

In the aftermath of these groundbreaking interviews, Frost and Cushing pay a poignant farewell visit to Nixon at his villa. As they depart, Frost expresses gratitude for the opportunity to confront his subject, while Nixon, with an air of resignation, thanks Frost in turn and wishes him well. The journalist gifts Nixon a pair of Italian shoes identical to those he wore during their interviews, a symbolic gesture that bridges the divide between them. In a private moment, Nixon broaches the topic of his long-forgotten phone call to Frost, tacitly acknowledging his loss of memory about the event. For the first time, Nixon addresses Frost by name, an intimate gesture that underscores the complexities of their relationship.

As the sun sets over the villa’s stone railing, Nixon places the shoes beside him and gazes out at the fading light, a poignant tableau that encapsulates the bittersweet nature of their encounter.

In the years that follow, the interviews prove to be a resounding success, cementing Frost’s reputation as a master interviewer. For Nixon, however, the controversy surrounding Watergate never truly subsides until his passing in 1994, a testament to the indelible mark left by his presidency and the enduring power of the media to shape public opinion.