SEMINAR PROFILE

H13 -
The American Presidency and Presidents through History and Film

Beginning with the very first feature film made in the US (D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation, 1915), the American Presidency and Presidents have had starring roles on the big screen. From Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) and Dr. Strangelove (1964) to All the President's Men (1976) and Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), the office of the President and its incumbents have been lionized, criticized, spoofed, and rebuked in major motion pictures and documentaries. How has our understanding of the American Presidency and the 43 Presidents who have served thus far been reflected in and shaped by films? What happens when politics and Hollywood collide? Aside from the entertainment value, what do films about presidents offer us? Our seminar will assess presidential politics, powers, policies, and personalities by exploring key texts (notably the US Constitution, central legal decisions, presidential speeches, and newspaper reports) as well as by screening clips from a variety of films.

Scholar:

Maura A. Henry

Location:

Harvard Hillel

Dates:

10/28/2008, 11/6/2008

H13 -	The American Presidency and Presidents through History and Film

	Beginning with the very first feature film made in the US (D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation, 1915), the American Presidency and Presidents have had starring roles on the big screen. From Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) and Dr. Strangelove (1964) to All the President's Men (1976) and Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), the office of the President and its incumbents have been lionized, criticized, spoofed, and rebuked in major motion pictures and documentaries. How has our understanding of the American Presidency and the 43 Presidents who have served thus far been reflected in and shaped by films? What happens when politics and Hollywood collide? Aside from the entertainment value, what do films about presidents offer us? Our seminar will assess presidential politics, powers, policies, and personalities by exploring key texts (notably the US Constitution, central legal decisions, presidential speeches, and newspaper reports) as well as by screening clips from a variety of films.

		Scholar:	Maura A. Henry
		Location:	Harvard Hillel
		Dates:	10/28/2008, 11/6/2008