The American President (1995) - Turner Classic Movies

The American President


1h 55m 1995

Brief Synopsis

How does the widowed leader of the free world balance his many obligations to his country with the ordinary demands and everyday rites of courtship? When President Andrew Shepherd, quite unexpectedly, falls in love with Sydney Wade, an environmental lobbyist, he must overcome obstacles not faced by average citizens; he must worry that the public's right to know will collide with the desire for personal privacy. He must contend with approval ratings, an inquiring press and an aggressive political opponent just to go on a date. The President's advisors, chief of staff, domestic policy advisor, White House pollster and press secretary help him get through his busy schedule, deal with demands of congress and quell any global predicaments. But political crises are different than personal ones and somehow the American President alone must find a way to balance his love for his country with his love for an incredible woman.

Film Details

Also Known As
American President, Presidenten och miss Wade, président et Miss Wade
MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Drama
Political
Romance
Romantic Comedy
Release Date
1995
Distribution Company
SONY PICTURES RELEASING/UNITED INTERNATIONAL PICTURES (UIP)
Location
Washington, DC, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 55m

Synopsis

How does the widowed leader of the free world balance his many obligations to his country with the ordinary demands and everyday rites of courtship? When President Andrew Shepherd, quite unexpectedly, falls in love with Sydney Wade, an environmental lobbyist, he must overcome obstacles not faced by average citizens; he must worry that the public's right to know will collide with the desire for personal privacy. He must contend with approval ratings, an inquiring press and an aggressive political opponent just to go on a date. The President's advisors, chief of staff, domestic policy advisor, White House pollster and press secretary help him get through his busy schedule, deal with demands of congress and quell any global predicaments. But political crises are different than personal ones and somehow the American President alone must find a way to balance his love for his country with his love for an incredible woman.

Crew

John Agalsoff

Video Assist/Playback

Carl Aldana

Production

Janice Alexander

Hair Stylist

Fran Allgood

Costumes

Enzo Angileri

Hair Stylist

Emidio Antonio

Stand-In

Stephanie Antosca

Assistant Location Manager

Ismael Araujo

Grip

Lori Arnold

Production Assistant

Laurie Arnow

Other

Okan Ataman

Assistant

Jeff Atmajian

Music Arranger

Tim Atzinger

Production Assistant

James Babineaux

Best Boy

George Baetz

Boom Operator

Catherine Balsam-schwaber

Consultant

John Banuelos

Other

Kathleen Beeler

Graphic Artist

Alan Edward Bell

Post-Production Supervisor

Alan Edward Bell

Editor

Jennifer K Bell

Production Assistant

Lydia Benaim

Hair

Robert Bennett

Stand-In

Beth Bergeron

Adr Editor

Jan Bickler

Post-Production Accountant

Andrea Biklian

Other

Hans Bjerno

Camera Operator

Robert A. Blackburn

Other

Patricia Blau

Other

Kathryn Blondell

Hair Stylist

Tristan Bourne

Dresser

Betty Brikowski

Costumes

John W Brilhante

Other

Andrea Bronzo

Camera Coordinator

Robert Brophy

Cgi Artist

Ronn Brown

Art Assistant

Terry Brown

Music

Branch Marie Brunson

Best Boy

Clyde E Bryan

Camera Assistant

Kat Bueno

Grip

Lane Burch

Music

Lou Butera

Special Thanks To

Dennis Butterworth

Other

Anne Calanchini

Effects Coordinator

Kristin Cameron

Production Assistant

Frank Capello

Foreman

Frank Capra

Assistant Director

Jonathan Capra

Production Assistant

Patrick Cassidy

On-Set Dresser

Eric Chauvin

Matte Painter

Karen Church

Casting Associate

Elizabeth Clark

Costumes

Allegra Clegg

Production Supervisor

Gerrard Coffey

Accountant

Charles Conn

Driver

William M Connor

Assistant Director

Caitlin Content

Visual Effects

Kyle Cooper

Main Title Design

Tracey Costello

Stand-In

Louis Counte

Adr

Betsy Cox

Graphic Artist

John Cucci

Foley Artist

Gail Currey

Cgi Artist

Hallie D'amore

Makeup

J Patrick Daily

Key Grip

Jeff Dash

Accounting Assistant

Richard Davis

Location Manager

Sandy De Crescent

Music Contractor

Debbie Denise

Visual Effects

Greg Dennen

Music

Nancy Diambekov

Grip

Robyn Dickey

Special Thanks To

Karen Dimmig

Assistant Editor

Dan Dobson

Video

Tom Donovan

Driver

Michael Dressel

Sound Editor

Peter Drinco

Grip

Kim Drummond

Assistant Sound Editor

Joe Dugan

Driver

Sean Dugen

Driver

Francois Duhamel

Photography

Robert Eber

Sound Mixer

Ryan Eldred

Apprentice

Pamela Ellington

Production Accountant

John Ellis

Production Manager

Jack English

Gaffer

Glen Enzen

Driver

Mark Eshelman

Music

Chuck Eskridge

Other

Michael Everett

Video

Albert Farrar

Assistant Editor

Leslie Feibelman

Accountant

Andrea Mae Fenton

On-Set Dresser

Veronica Ferran

Stand-In

Laurie G Firestone

Consultant

Paige Fischer

Assistant

Arlene Fishback

Music Supervisor

Alison Fisher

Dialogue Editor

Elizabeth Flaherty

Art Department Coordinator

Rachel A. Flores

Grip

Leigh French

Adr

Juan M Garcia

Best Boy

Rudolph Eric Garcia

Costumes

Bryan Garofalo

Assistant Property Master

John Gazdik

Camera Assistant

Nerses Gezalyan

Foley Mixer

Jay Gianukos

Production Assistant

Trish Gallaher Glenn

Property Master

Jeff Gomillion

Adr Mixer

Jess Gonchor

Foreman

Jamie Gordon

Assistant

Dale Grahn

Color Timer

Richard Grant

Other

Scott Graves

Electrician

Gloria Gresham

Costume Designer

Robert Grieve

Sound Editor

Chad Griffin

Special Thanks To

Grant Guenin

Assistant

Sam Haggin

Stand-In

Gene Hara

Electrician

Tom Hardisty

Music

Kimberly Harris

Adr Editor

Gary Hecker

Foley Artist

M Todd Henry

Camera Operator

Mo Henry

Negative Cutting

Mark Herman

Music

Janet Hirshenson

Casting

John Holcombe

Foreman

Mark Cordell Holmes

Visual Effects

Craig Hosking

Helicopter Pilot

Ronnie D Huffey

Driver

Howard Jackson

Driver

Debra James

Production Coordinator

Joe Jaramillo

Driver

Jane Jenkins

Casting

Doug Jones

Negative Cutting

Morgan Jones

Driver

Pam Jones

Assistant

Kent H Jorgensen

Dolly Grip

Darwin Joston

Driver

Artie Kane

Music Conductor

Joann Kane

Music

Keidi Kashyap

Art Department Coordinator

Michael Kaufman

Projectionist

Alan S Kaye

Set Designer

Lilly Kilvert

Production Designer

Gregory King

Sound Editor

C Jonas Kirk

Foreman

Rick Kline

Rerecording

Rob Knokes

Assistant Sound Editor

Mark Lanza

Sound Editor

David R Lawson

Other

Paul Lazebnik

Assistant Production Coordinator

Robert Leighton

Editor

Steven David Levine

Assistant Location Manager

Sharon Lipton

Other

Trevor Loomis

Assistant Camera Operator

Kathy Lucas

On-Set Dresser

Tom Lucas

Makeup

Nancy Luckoff

Cgi Artist

Christopher Lyons

Electrician

Bruce Maccallum

Camera Operator

Rick Maddux

Electrician

Barbara Maltby

Associate Producer

Adrienne Manhan

Costumes

Jeff Mann

Other

Steven Mann

Transportation Captain

Stacy Mar

Production Assistant

Dan March

Video

James Marchwick

On-Set Dresser

Cherylanne Martin

Assistant Director

Gail Martin-sheridan

Production Accountant

Dakotah Masset

Stand-In

Dylan K Massin

Production Assistant

J. Steven Matzinger

Assistant

Helen Mayer

Extras Agent/Coordinator

Michael Mcgovern

Editor

Michael Mcguire

Grip

Tim Mchenry

Driver

Charles H Mcintyre

Rigging Gaffer

Kerry Lyn Mckissick

Script Supervisor

Dennis Mclaughlin

Driver

Patrick A Mclaughlin

Driver

Carol Meikle

Hair Stylist

Hans Metz

Special Effects Foreman

Jamie Midgley

Assistant

Danny Miller

Assistant Editor

Michael Molen

Foreman

Louis Montejano

Set Designer

Ellen Moore

Assistant

Jim Morris

Other

Jennifer Morrison Holyfield

Costumes

John Murray

Foley Editor

Patrick T Myers

Graphic Artist

Nick Navarro

Set Designer

Charles J. Newirth

Executive Producer

Charles J. Newirth

Unit Production Manager

Christopher S Nushawg

Assistant Art Director

Thomas J O'brien

Other

Kevin O'connell

Rerecording

Film Details

Also Known As
American President, Presidenten och miss Wade, président et Miss Wade
MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Drama
Political
Romance
Romantic Comedy
Release Date
1995
Distribution Company
SONY PICTURES RELEASING/UNITED INTERNATIONAL PICTURES (UIP)
Location
Washington, DC, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 55m

Award Nominations

Best Music, Original or Comedy Series

1996

Best Director Motion Pictur

1996
Rob Reiner

Best Motion Picture

1996

Best Performace Actor

1996
Annette Bening

Best Performace Actor

1996
Michael Douglas

Best Screenplay Motion Pict

1996

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Rob Reiner was nominated for the 1995 Golden Laurel Award by the Producers Guild of America.

Released in United States Fall November 17, 1995

Released in United States on Video May 14, 1996

Released in United States March 2001

Shown at Santa Barbara International Film Festival March 1-11, 2001.

In October 1995, screenwriter William Richert lost a Writers Guild arbitration ruling in which he charged that Aaron Sorkin's 1993 screenplay was based on Richert's "The President Elopes," which Redford's Wildwood Enterprises optioned in 1984.

Completed shooting April 19, 1995.

Began shooting January 17, 1995.

Screenwriters Ron Bass, Kevin Wade, Alice Arlen, and Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel all worked on various drafts of "The President Elopes."

Robert Redford was originally attached to play the president but dropped out due to differences in the creative direction. His Wildwood Enterprises developed the material.

Released in United States Fall November 17, 1995

Released in United States on Video May 14, 1996

Released in United States March 2001 (Shown at Santa Barbara International Film Festival March 1-11, 2001.)

Aaron Sorkin was nominated for the 1995 award for Best Screenplay Written Directly For the Screen by the Writers Guild of America (WGA).