Movie and TV Presidents: Bryan Cranston as Lyndon Johnson
All the Way is a 2016 HBO television film that is based on events from the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. The film stars Bryan Cranston as the 36th President. Cranston, better known for his roles as Hal the father in the Fox TV show Malcolm in the Middle, and more recently as teacher turned meth dealer Walter White in HBO's Breaking Bad, reprises his role as Johnson from the play's 2014 Broadway production. Melissa Leo co-stars as First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. Other leading roles include Anthony Mackie as Martin Luther King Jr. and Frank Langella as US Senator Richard Russell Jr.
The film was broadcast on HBO on Saturday, May 21, 2016 (two years ago today). Most critics praised Cranston's portrayal of Johnson and the film was nominated for a Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials. Cranston was also nominated for Individual Achievement in Drama for his work on the film. All The Way was also nominated for eight Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Television Movie as well as acting nominations for Cranston and Leo.
The film begins with Johnson becoming President after the Kennedy assassination. He begins work on the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Martin Luther King Jr. pressures Johnson to pass a strong bill, but Southern Democrats such as Richard Russell Jr. of Georgia oppose the bill so much that they threaten to abandon the Democratic Party if the bill passes. At the same time, Johnson wants to declare a War on Poverty, and is confronted with the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Johnson asks Congress for a resolution endorsing a reprisal against North Vietnam, so as not to be outflanked on the issue by the Republicans.
After successful passage of the Civil Rights Act over a filibuster, Johnson runs for President in 1964 against Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election. He is confronted with conflict between the northern liberal wing and conservative, Southern Dixiecrat wing of the Democratic Party. Johnson assigns J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the murders of civil rights workers in Mississippi as the state sends two delegations to the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City: the "normal" delegation from the Dixiecrat wing, which threatened to walk out on Johnson, and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, a renegade wing supported by the Civil Rights Movement.
The film portrays Johnson's attacks on Goldwater in the election, portraying him as a dangerous fanatic who will destroy the world. Johnson's aide and friend Walter Jenkins is arrested for "disorderly conduct" after he is found in a tryst with another man in a public restroom. Johnson wins the election conclusively, but the Democratic Party loses the states of the Deep South.
All the Way received positive reviews from critics. The website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an approval rating of 88%, based on 25 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. On Metacritic the film has a score of 78 out of 100, based on 27 critics. The full film can be seen here, and a trailer from the film appears below:
The film was broadcast on HBO on Saturday, May 21, 2016 (two years ago today). Most critics praised Cranston's portrayal of Johnson and the film was nominated for a Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials. Cranston was also nominated for Individual Achievement in Drama for his work on the film. All The Way was also nominated for eight Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Television Movie as well as acting nominations for Cranston and Leo.
The film begins with Johnson becoming President after the Kennedy assassination. He begins work on the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Martin Luther King Jr. pressures Johnson to pass a strong bill, but Southern Democrats such as Richard Russell Jr. of Georgia oppose the bill so much that they threaten to abandon the Democratic Party if the bill passes. At the same time, Johnson wants to declare a War on Poverty, and is confronted with the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Johnson asks Congress for a resolution endorsing a reprisal against North Vietnam, so as not to be outflanked on the issue by the Republicans.
After successful passage of the Civil Rights Act over a filibuster, Johnson runs for President in 1964 against Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election. He is confronted with conflict between the northern liberal wing and conservative, Southern Dixiecrat wing of the Democratic Party. Johnson assigns J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the murders of civil rights workers in Mississippi as the state sends two delegations to the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City: the "normal" delegation from the Dixiecrat wing, which threatened to walk out on Johnson, and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, a renegade wing supported by the Civil Rights Movement.
The film portrays Johnson's attacks on Goldwater in the election, portraying him as a dangerous fanatic who will destroy the world. Johnson's aide and friend Walter Jenkins is arrested for "disorderly conduct" after he is found in a tryst with another man in a public restroom. Johnson wins the election conclusively, but the Democratic Party loses the states of the Deep South.
All the Way received positive reviews from critics. The website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an approval rating of 88%, based on 25 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. On Metacritic the film has a score of 78 out of 100, based on 27 critics. The full film can be seen here, and a trailer from the film appears below: