Power (1986)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writer:

David Himmelstein (written by)

Release Date:

31 January 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

More seductive than sex... More addictive than any drug... More precious than gold. And one man can get it for you. For a price.

Plot:

Pete St. John is a powerful and successful political consultant, with clients spread around the country...

Plot Keywords:

Senator | Political Advertisement | Political Campaign | Spin Doctor | Corruption

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Richard Gere	...	Pete St. John
Julie Christie	...	Ellen Freeman
Gene Hackman	...	Wilfred Buckley
Kate Capshaw	...	Sydnet Betterman
Denzel Washington	...	Arnold Billing
E.G. Marshall	...	Senator Sam Hastings, Ohio
Beatrice Straight	...	Claire Hastings
Fritz Weaver	...	Wallace Furman, New Mexico Gubernatorial Candidate
Michael Learned	...	Governor Andrea Stannard, Washington
J.T. Walsh	...	Jerome Cade, Ohio Senatorial Candidate
E. Katherine Kerr	...	Irene Furman
Polly Rowles	...	Lucille DeWitt
Matt Salinger	...	Phillip Aarons, Independent Ohio Senatorial Candidate
Tom Mardirosian	...	Sheikh
Omar Torres	...	Roberto Cepeda, Presidential Candidate
Ricardo Gallarzo Jr.	...	Interpreter (as Ricardo Gallarzo)
Jessica James	...	Helen, Pete's Secretary
Glenn Kezer	...	Frank McKusker, New Mexico Gubernatorial Candidate
Douglas Newell	...	David Garber
Scott Harlan	...	Ralph Andropwicz, Pete's Number-Cruncher
Nick Flynn	...	Wilson Jacobs
Ed Van Nuys	...	Charles Whiting
Noel Harrison	...	Leonard Thompson
Jackson Beck	...	Jackson Beck - The Voice
Leila Danette	...	Poor Woman
Kevin Hagen	...	Cop
Timothy Jecko	...	Business Executive
Margaret Barker	...	Wealthy Matron
D.B. Sweeney	...	College Student
Linda DeNiro	...	Desk Clerk
Lynn Klugman	...	Video Technician
John Robert Evans	...	Senator #1
Elizabeth Kendrick	...	Receptionist
Jim Hartz	...	Commentator
Roger Grimsby	...	Commentator
Margaret Hall	...	Commentator
Brad Holbrook	...	Commentator
Donna Hanover	...	Commentator
Frank Casey	...	Commentator
Kristi Witker	...	Commentator
Marvin Scott	...	Anchorman
Daryl Edwards	...	Waiter
Martha Pinson	...	Assistant
Jack Zahniser	...	Jack, Pete's Pilot
Burke Pearson	...	City Clerk
Janet Sarno	...	Moderator
Robert Fieldsteel	...	Assistant Director
Gregory Wagrowski	...	Assistant Director
Robert Krüger	...	Barry (as Robert Kruger)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eldo Ray Estes	...	Campaign Aide (uncredited)
Tony Head	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lynda Lenet	...	Cocktail Waitress (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Lumet

Writing credits
David Himmelstein		(written by)

Produced by
Wolfgang Glattes	....	associate producer
Reene Schisgal	....	producer
Mark Tarlov	....	producer
Kenneth Utt	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Cy Coleman

Cinematography by
Andrzej Bartkowiak		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Andrew Mondshein

Casting by
Joy Todd

Production Design by
Peter S. Larkin		(as Peter Larkin)

Art Direction by
William Barclay

Set Decoration by
Thomas C. Tonery

Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone

Makeup Department
Joseph Cranzano	....	makeup artist (as Joe Cranzano)
Bob Grimaldi	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Lilith Jacobs	....	post-production supervisor
Kenneth Utt	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Gittelson	....	second assistant director
Wolfgang Glattes	....	first assistant director
Glen Trotiner	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	property master
Ken Kammerer	....	set dresser
William Lucek	....	master scenic artist
John McDonnell	....	property master

Sound Department
Louis Cerborino	....	sound editor
Randall Coleman	....	assistant sound editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christopher Newman	....	sound mixer
Peter Odabashian	....	sound editor
Maurice Schell	....	supervising sound editor

Stunts
Ron Stein	....	stunt cameraman

Camera and Electrical Department
James W. Finnerty	....	grip
Kerry Hayes	....	still photographer
Richard C. Kratina	....	camera operator
Carl Landi	....	grip
Billy Miller	....	key grip
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera
Hank Muller	....	first assistant camera
Dusty Wallace	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Sally Jackson	....	extras casting

Editorial Department
Sam Adelman	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Sonny Kompanek	....	orchestrator
Ron Korb	....	musician: flute
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Joseph Fanning	....	transportation captain
Ricardo Gallarzo Jr.	....	transportation captain
George A. LeBow	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Emilia Arau	....	production office liaison: Mexico City
Grace Blake	....	production office coordinator
Richard Lundin	....	wrangler
Susan Metzger	....	unit publicist
Martha Pinson	....	script supervisor
Noel Tirsch	....	assistant production auditor
'Chico' Hernandez	....	wrangler (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Lorimar Productions
• Polar Entertainment

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Karl-Lorimar Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"As Chaves do Poder" - Portugal
"El poder" - Peru (imdb display title)
"El precio del poder" - Argentina
"Hatalom" - Hungary
"I goiteia tis exousias" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Les coulisses du pouvoir" - France
"Moc" - Serbia (imdb display title)
"Moc" - Poland
"Os Donos do Poder" - Brazil (video title)
"Poder" - Spain
"Power" - Finland
"Power - Der Weg zum Ruhm" - West Germany (imdb display title)
"Power - Potere" - Italy
"Power - Weg zur Macht" - West Germany (video title)
"Skabt til succes" - Denmark
"Valtapeli" - Finland (TV title)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Armonk, New York, USA

Company:

Lorimar Productions

Trivia:

Writer David Himmelstein said that one day, he saw a row of television monitors playing political commercials for different candidates. He said the spots all looked the same to him, so he did research to find out why and what he discovered he put into the script.

Quotes:

Ellen Freeman:[talking about Senator Hastings] How much do you know about Sam, financially?
Pete St. John:He's never had that much, it's a salary.

Movie Connections:

References Duel (1971) (TV)

Soundtrack:

SING, SING, SING

A realistic look at the political consulting industry

Having worked in the political consulting industry, I found this film very realistic and true to form, although no one I knew had a private jet and I never got to take showers with my personal assistant. But the strategies and tactics shown in the film are a very good example of how the industry works. I enjoy watching the film every so often to remind me how much I did enjoy the business and how happy I am that I am no longer in it. The one thing they forgot to show was how difficult it was to collect our fees after the elections were over.