One of the most legendary photographs (and the most requested at the National Achieves) is one featuring the King of Rock n’ Roll, Elvis Presley, shaking hands with President Richard Nixon. How on earth did that meeting come about? What did these two cultural polar opposites talk about and did the meeting that Presley demanded actually result in anything pertinent for either party? Those questions are answered in the entertaining and certainly enlightening Elvis and Nixon.
First and foremost, the casting is supremely awesome. Michael Shannon is Elvis and Kevin Spacey brings his supreme talents of imitation and artistic acting to the role of America’s most notorious president. The thing about this pitch perfect casting is that the actually meeting doesn’t take place until about sixty-percent through the film. And if the actual meeting power is to work, each actor has to hit grand slams up until that point giving their characters rich framework so that when the two heavyweights (a word that could describe both performers on screen and the people they play), we get fireworks.
That is exactly what happens.
Joey Sagal, Hanala Sagal and Cary Elwes (yes, of Princess Bride fame) have penned a script that divinely defines each of these people that are among a cadre of people who have lived that a majority of the planet would admit they think they know well from their public persona. That is a difficult task for writers, and the actors themselves. This is especially true in Elvis and Nixon because we all know that this “will they are won’t they meet” mystery will result in one iconic photos ever taken with a camera.
Presley started this journey from Tennessee to the White House with a letter he wrote Nixon about his dismay at the seemingly slippery slide that the country was heading down with America’s youth being sucked into a whirlpool of drugs and disenfranchisement. The King of Rock n’ Roll felt that he could do something to reverse that trend and get America on a path of greatness once again. He hand delivered the letter to the White House, upon arriving in D.C. and sought the meeting.
His goal: To get a simple title from the President of the United States, a “Special Agent At-Large.” It’s not a role that exists in the government, but Elvis figured he of all people could get it. Then, he would go undercover and do his best to turn this country around.
He was so moved by this idea, he took himself to the airport, boarded a plane to Washington, D.C. and enlisted his most trusted childhood friends Jerry (Alex Pettyfer) and Sonny (Johnny Knoxville) to join him in the nation’s capital to head to America’s house and meet the president. Not one to tell their longtime buddy there was no way that would happen, Sonny and Jerry did their part… and through Elvis’ persistence and a few of Nixon aides (played by Evan Peters and Colin Hanks) that saw the benefit of the president posing with the King and improving his image with today’s youth, the meeting happened.
Unlike previous actors who have played Elvis (like Kurt Russell), Shannon looks nothing like Presley. Yet, his supreme talent at morphing into his roles finds the actor doing it again. Like we said previously, this is no easy task given that he’s playing one of the most well known, if not the most well known, person on the planet. Shannon is Presley, from his mannerisms, his cadence and his almost space-cadet-like demeanor at that point in his career. It is another performance from the actor (his second in the last month after Midnight Special) that shows he may be America’s foremost talent of his age.
Then, there’s Spacey as Nixon. The man is known for his uncanny impersonations that have delighted numerous audiences on late night talk shows and the like. So, capturing the vocal presence of the man was clearly right in his ballpark. But, there is much more required of the thespian that an imitation. This is a pivotal point in Nixon’s presidency and Spacey impeccably captures his simultaneous borderline paranoia (he would soon famously tape everything said in the Oval House), insatiable need to be liked and unrelenting quest for power.
Director Liza Johnson manages this circus story with a perfect hand. Sure, it feels a little pedestrian at times, but that is quickly broken up by the monstrosity of the event that is building right in front of our eyes and the supreme silliness that it even occurred.
Grade: B