Best Ever Political Films

The world has seen some huge political changes in the past few months. The UK decided to exit the European Union and the US look set to decide between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton for their next president. Although Surely Donald Trump won’t reallybecome the president of the United States? So with the very real prospect of huge change around the world, what are the top political films?

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

Probably the most famous political film of all time. It’s certainly a big deal out in America. On first release it was actually banned in certain parts of the globe as it differed with regional ideology, some people also thought it gave a bad look to senators, which certainly never bodes well in the US. Frank Capra’s looks at a naïve senator who ends up fighting a corrupt Washington. It has become a standpoint in political movies, and is arguably Jimmy Stewart’s best film. Definitely a cult classic and a hugely important film across the pond.

Nixon

Considered hit-and-miss by some at moments, however, when the right actor has the right part, he or she can make a movie work, even when nothing else does. Anthony Hopkins definitely falls into this category. He completely nails Nixon in parts. Director Oliver Stone gets a really good look at the US president, on one had we see him tearing apart his legacy in the Oval Office, which is then followed by him being confronted by Vietnam protesters at the Lincoln Memorial. Fantastic cinematography by the actor, then fantastic acting.

Lincoln

Daniel Day Lewis won his third Oscar for his fantastic portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln. The film focuses on a very dark time in American history, as the country struggles with racism and slavery. Particularly the conflict between the North and the South. Lincoln struggles with the idea to emancipate the slaves. A Spielberg direction, ‘Lincoln’ is a very powerful film focusing on the greatest US president and showing just how difficult it was to handle politics at that time. Certainly the best political film in modern cinema.

Citizen Kane

The film has a similar amount of pedigree and stature to ‘Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.’ A massively influential film. It is fairly obvious that the character of Charles Foster Keane was based on the newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, even if Orson Welles did try and deny it! It was a huge challenge taking on William Hearst both in real life and film, Welles suffered the fullforce of the tycoon. Which saw him nearly get framed in his own hotel room.

London Has Fallen

Yes I admit a slightly cheeky one. But the premise and political idea behind the film is surprisingly really cool. The English prime minister is assassinated, but there is a huge plot behind it all. The Russians wanted to bring together all of the world’s leaders, then blow them all to smithereens! Admittedly much of the political drama is taken away over the course of the film, but the action really makes it into one of the top action based political films.