Four years earlier, Johnson was the Senate Majority Leader, bullying senators into supporting legislation. During one such meeting, Johnson asks fellow Texas Senator Ralph Yarborough why he has not endorsed him for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 1960 election, although he has yet to announce. Yarborough instead plans to support Kennedy, who has been running a public campaign on television and through a series of popular primaries. At the Johnson Ranch in Texas, Robert F. Kennedy asks Johnson directly whether he plans to seek the presidency, and Johnson assures him that he doesn't. Sometime later, "Johnson for President" signs start to appear even though he continues to deny publicly that he plans to run, while Kennedy continues to amass support in the primaries. Johnson's advisors suggest he announce publicly to take some of the publicity away from Kennedy, but he instead plans to make his case at the convention. Privately, Johnson admits that he is also afraid that he can't compete with Kennedy, whose good looks and instant charm have made him loved by the public; a love Johnson himself is scared to find out they would not feel for him. At the convention, as he is whipping votes, Johnson is confronted on his broken promise by Bobby Kennedy, who gets his revenge by correctly analyzing that the tide has turned in their favour. Kennedy wins the nomination on the first ballot.
However, without consulting his brother or advisors like Kenneth O'Donnell, Kennedy asks Johnson to be his running mate. In private, Kennedy says that he can remove Johnson from Congress and make him work for him rather than against him. Johnson himself hopes to turn the vice presidency into a more powerful position. Kennedy and Johnson successfully defeat Richard Nixon and Henry Lodge Jr. in the 1960 election by one of the narrowest margins in history. In his early days as vice president, Johnson tries to increase his power by requesting that all government agencies "cooperate fully with the vice president in the carrying out of these assignments". The president's advisors, contemptuous of Johnson and lined up behind Bobby Kennedy (now the administration's Attorney General), try to block his influence, but Kennedy himself is wary not to antagonize his vice president, appointing O'Donnell to liaise with him on all issues. He appoints him to run his new Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a part of his program to address civil rights legislation. The first meeting of the commission goes badly as the Cabinet secretaries meant to compose it send aides instead. Aware of his precarious situation, Johnson tells his advisors he will push for compromise on civil rights, knowing that the Southern Democrats, led by his friend and mentor Senator Richard Russell, will oppose any move made by the Kennedys. Although Johnson claims a small victory when he convinces Russell to support equal opportunities in employment in exchange for a manufacturing deal in his native Georgia, neither faction can see eye-to-eye as Russell refuses to consider any other compromises on civil rights, and Kennedy backs Bobby's suggestion that they should go "through him" instead. Following this decision, Johnson is further sidelined and his lack of influence is shown when he attempts to convince Kennedy to appoint his friend Sarah T. Hughes as a federal judge, a recommendation they barely acknowledge. He eventually deduces that Bobby is trying to make him powerless and irrelevant so that he will not be able to contest Bobby's own ambitions to run for the White House in 1968.
Back in Dallas, Johnson hears a shot as they are driven through the streets in their motorcade. The Secret Service get him to safety in a nearby hospital where they tell him that Kennedy has been shot. Kennedy is soon declared dead and Johnson is thrust into the presidency. Although the Secret Service wishes to return Johnson to the White House immediately, he refuses to leave Dallas without Jackie Kennedy, who refuses to leave her husband. To enquire about the legalities of succession, Johnson calls Bobby Kennedy who reluctantly tells him that he can take the oath of office whenever he wants. Against Bobby's wish, Johnson takes the oath aboard Air Force One, with Jackie at his side and Sarah Hughes, the very judge he had once tried to recommend, swearing him in as president. As he returns to Washington, everyone around him reacts uncertainly, unsure what kind of a president he aims to be. His ascension however delights Russell and his southern Democratic block due to his own southern roots and their belief that he will end the push for civil rights legislation. Johnson asks Kennedy's former advisors to remain, while also giving them the choice to leave if they don't feel like serving him. Debate ensues between them as they are unsure whether they should remain with Johnson, or throw their support behind Bobby as Kennedy's heir. Johnson admits his own doubts to his wife, and that he would have rather lost the presidency on his own merits rather than inherit it in such circumstances.
Johnson eventually decides that the best way to heal the nation and to ensure his presidency works is to present himself firmly not just as Kennedy's successor but also as his heir. Although aware that Russell will block his efforts, he rejects his previous strategy of compromise and, when asked whether he supports civil rights himself, he recounts a story about how challenging it was for his cook to cross the south from his home in Washington to his ranch as an African American woman. Johnson asks Kennedy speechwriter Ted Sorensen to write a speech he intends to deliver to a joint session of Congress, while he begins whipping votes for the civil rights bill. The speech was meant to serve as a eulogy for Kennedy and an inaugural address for Johnson himself. Eventually, LBJ delivers his 'Let Us Continue' speech to Congress, to rousing applause from both chambers, a visibly-emotional Senator Yarborough, a displeased but respectful Russell, and a very reluctant Bobby Kennedy, who must surrender the mantle of his brother's legacy to his rival.
A closing text recounts that on July 2, 1964, Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964, fulfilling Kennedy's dream. On November 3 of the same year, he defeated Senator Barry Goldwater in the presidential election, winning 44 states and taking 61.1% of the popular vote, the largest margin of victory since 1820. Over his next term, Johnson pushed through the Great Society legislation, such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and establishing programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Head Start. However, his escalation of the Vietnam War lead to rising American deaths and intensifying anti-war protests, causing his popularity to plummet by 1968, and causing challenges from within his own party, including from Bobby Kennedy. On March 31, 1968, Johnson declares that he will not seek another presidential term, becoming to date the last sitting president to forgo re-election until Joe Biden did so on July 21, 2024.
(L–R) Mark Updegrove (LBJ Library Director), Woody Harrelson, Rob Reiner and Joey Hartstone participate in a discussion following a screening of LBJ at the LBJ Presidential Library
The script for LBJ, a political-historical drama written by Joey Hartstone, was one of the winners of the 2014 Black List of unproduced screenplays.[16] On June 16, 2015, Woody Harrelson signed on to play the lead role of 36th PresidentLyndon B. Johnson, while Rob Reiner signed to direct the film.[5] The film was produced by Acacia Entertainment, Savvy Media Holdings, Castle Rock Entertainment, and Star Thrower Entertainment, and financed by Acacia and Savvy Media.[5] Producers on the film are Matthew George, Reiner, Liz Glotzer, Tim White and Trevor White.[5]
LBJ debuted to $1.1 million at 659 theaters, finishing 14th at the box office.[24]
Critical response
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 56%, based on 86 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "LBJ loses sight of its complicated subject, ignoring the more intriguing aspects of his personality and career in favor of a frustratingly ordinary biopic treatment."[25] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score 54 out of 100, based 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[26]
David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave the film a C, and said "Harrelson, who has a gift for squeezing charm out of even his most monstrous characters, leans hard into the contradictory notion that Johnson is a power-hungry humanist. The result is a performance that is both wildly ridiculous and appreciably grounded ... Harrelson’s turn seizes on his unique charisma in order to disentangle LBJ from the policies that have defined his legacy."[27]
TVOvermind critic Nat Berman gave the film a positive review, and praised Reiner's cast selection.[28]
Lyndon Baines Johnson, often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served as the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963. A Democrat from Texas, Johnson also served as a U.S. representative and U.S. senator.
Woodrow Tracy Harrelson is an American actor. He first became known for his role as bartender Woody Boyd on the NBC sitcom Cheers (1985–1993), for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series from five nominations. He reprised his role in the acclaimed spinoff series Frasier in 1999 for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series nomination.
Ralph Webster Yarborough was an American politician and lawyer. He was a Texas Democratic politician who served in the United States Senate from 1957 to 1971 and was a leader of the progressive wing of his party. Along with Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson and Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn, but unlike most Southern congressmen, Yarborough refused to support the 1956 Southern Manifesto, which called for resistance to the racial integration of schools and other public places. Yarborough voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964, and 1968, as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court. Yarborough was the only senator from a state that was part of the Confederacy to vote for all five bills.
Matthew George is an Australian film director, producer and screenwriter. His films include Under the Gun, Four Jacks and Let's Get Skase, which was co-written with Lachy Hulme. His first film, Under the Gun, was written and directed by him at the age of 21, making him one of the youngest feature film directors in Australian cinema history.
Robert Gene Baker was an American political adviser to Lyndon B. Johnson, and an organizer for the Democratic Party. He became the Senate's Secretary to the Majority Leader. In 1963, he resigned during an investigation by the Democratic-controlled Senate into his business and political activities. The investigation included allegations of bribery and arranging sexual favors in exchange for Congressional votes and government contracts. The Senate investigation looked into the financial activities of Baker and Lyndon Johnson during the 1950s. The investigation of Lyndon Johnson as part of the Baker investigation was later dropped after President Kennedy's assassination and Johnson's ascension to the presidency.
Albert Langston Thomas was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 29 years. From Houston, Texas, he was responsible for bringing the Johnson Space Center to Houston.
Kim Allen is an American actress of half Greek descent.
LBJ: The Early Years is a television movie that appeared on the NBC network in February 1987, depicting the pre-presidential life of Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the United States. Actor Randy Quaid won a Golden Globe award for his portrayal of Johnson.
Robert Francis Kennedy, also known by his initials RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 64th United States attorney general from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. senator from New York from January 1965 until his assassination in June 1968, when he was running for the Democratic presidential nomination. Like his brothers John F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, he was a prominent member of the Democratic Party and is an icon of modern American liberalism.
Mark K. Updegrove is an American author, historian, journalist, and Presidential Historian for ABC News. He is the president and CEO of the LBJ Foundation in Austin, Texas. Previously, he served as the director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum for eight years.
American president Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) has been a subject of various works of media and popular culture.
All the Way is a play by Robert Schenkkan, depicting President Lyndon B. Johnson's efforts to maneuver members of the 88th United States Congress to enact, and civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. to support, the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The play takes its name from Johnson's 1964 campaign slogan, "All the Way with LBJ."
All the Way is a 2016 American biographical drama television film based on events during the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. Directed by Jay Roach and adapted by Robert Schenkkan from his 2012 play All the Way, the film stars Bryan Cranston, who reprises his role as Johnson from the play's 2014 Broadway production, opposite Melissa Leo as First Lady Lady Bird Johnson; Anthony Mackie as Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King Jr.; and Frank Langella as U.S. Senator Richard Russell Jr. from Georgia.
Suburbicon is a 2017 American black comedy crime film directed by George Clooney and co-written by the Coen brothers, Clooney, and Grant Heslov. It stars Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Noah Jupe, and Oscar Isaac, and follows a mild-mannered father in 1959 who must face his demons after a home invasion, all while a black family moves into the all-white neighborhood. The black family storyline is loosely based on a 1957 incident in Levittown, Pennsylvania, in which a black family moved into the previously all-white neighborhood, leading to racism and violence against the family.
Jackie is a 2016 historical drama directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Noah Oppenheim. The film stars Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy. Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, and John Hurt also star; it was Hurt's final film released in his lifetime before his death in January 2017. It is the first film in Larraín’s trilogy of iconic women, succeeded by Spencer and Maria. The film follows Kennedy in the days when she was First Lady in the White House and her life immediately following the assassination of her husband, United States President John F. Kennedy, in 1963. It is partly based on Theodore H. White's Life magazine interview with the widow at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, in November 1963.
Shock and Awe is a 2017 American drama film starring and directed by Rob Reiner and written by Joey Hartstone. The film also stars Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, James Marsden, Milla Jovovich, and Jessica Biel, and follows a group of journalists at Knight Ridder's Washington Bureau who investigate the rationale behind the Bush Administration's then-impending 2003 invasion of Iraq. The film had its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival on September 30, 2017. It was released through DirecTV Cinema on June 14, 2018, before having a limited release in theaters on July 13, 2018, by Vertical Entertainment.
The Man from Toronto is a 2022 American action comedy film directed by Patrick Hughes. The film stars Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson, Kaley Cuoco, Jasmine Mathews, Lela Loren, Pierson Fodé, Jencarlos Canela, and Ellen Barkin.
Woody Harrelson is an American actor who made his film debut as an uncredited extra in Harper Valley PTA (1978). His breakthrough role was as bartender Woody Boyd on the NBC sitcom Cheers (1985–1993), which garnered Harrelson a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series from a total of five nominations. He would later reprise the character in other television shows, such as Frasier and The Simpsons. In 1992, Harrelson starred opposite Wesley Snipes in White Men Can't Jump. He then appeared in the Oliver Stone-directed Natural Born Killers (1994) alongside Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Downey Jr. For his performance as free-speech activist Larry Flynt in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and an Academy Award for Best Actor. He next appeared in The Thin Red Line (1998).
The sketch comedy television series Saturday Night Live (SNL) has parodied President Joe Biden since 1991, covering his time as a United States Senator, his time as Vice President under President Barack Obama, during his campaign to defeat president Donald Trump for the presidency, and as the president of the United States.
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