Sean Penn's New Role: Man Who Wants to Kill Nixon by Flying Plane Into White House

Movies.com ^ | circa April 2003 | L.N. Smithee

[L.N. Smithee]

The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2003)

A desperate insurance salesman (Sean Penn) plans an assassination attempt on Richard Nixon by crashing a plane into the White House in order to make his mark on history.

[Capt. Tom]

I know it was tried on the last occupant of the White House, but I don't seem to recall any attempts like this against Nixon.

I remember when there was a hijacker, who after he was subdued, said he planned to take over the controls of the plane over Washington, and crash into the white house. Nixon was not at the White House the day of the incident. - Tom

[L.N. Smithee]

I actually like Falling Down. Why? Because despite the fact that the main character clearly goes mad and despite some other problems, it actually makes some very good statements about civility, goes through great pains to show that the relatively conservative protagonist is neither racist nor anti-semetic, shows gang bangers and homeless beggers as parasites, and show some of what the main character is angry about in a sympathetic way without excusing his over-the-top violent responses.

I know what you're saying, but I am sick of having to settle for wacky guys who don't fit every stereotype of conservatives. Howsabout a guy with all of those qualities that isn't a lunatic or a hypocrite?

[Pearls Before Swine]

What a stretch for him to play a guy that wants to kill Republicans.

Yeah. Nixon is just a symbol.

[trebb]

Maybe Clint Eastwood could play the guy who takes Penn down.

[Question_Assumptions]

I know what you're saying, but I am sick of having to settle for wacky guys who don't fit every stereotype of conservatives. Howsabout a guy with all of those qualities that isn't a lunatic or a hypocrite?

People wouldn't want to watch a movie about most real conservatives. It would be too boring. No one wants to watch a movie about a guy who has a happy family and has his act together. Really.

But I don't think Falling Down fit every stereotype and it zinged a few left-wing beliefs in the process. The main character most certainly isn't racist, for example, while the Left stereotypes all conservatives as racists.

[rockfish59]

If he does that I hope Mr. Hand slaps the dogs**t out of him!

[texasbluebell]

The left has always hated Nixon since he brought down Alger Hiss.

Exactly. It took the left 20 years for payback but they finally did it, and Hitlary played a part in bringing him down too, don't forget.

[L.N. Smithee]

People wouldn't want to watch a movie about most real conservatives. It would be too boring. No one wants to watch a movie about a guy who has a happy family and has his act together. Really.

This says more about your definition of "conservative" than it says about the movie business.

[Don Corleone]

Give him the target coordinates of that suspended double-wide in Little Rock. Good Hunting!

[My2Cents]

That was my thought. Is this film autobiographical?

[My2Cents]

Remember the joke at the time? Plane flies into the Clinton White House, and the inside joke was, "It's just James Woolsey trying again to get in to see the President."

[Billy_bob_bob]

The joke I remember at that time was "What's the difference between Denver International Airport and the White House? A plane has actually landed at the White House!"

This was when DIA was long overdue, and people were getting testy about the delays.

[Hazzardgate]

lmao!

[CyberAnt]

Not only that ... how many people are going to want to see a plane crash into the WH - after we almost experienced it for real. That's certainly a real turn off for me - even if it was an actor I liked.

[Brimack34]

Caught some of the tribute too Robert Denero last night, James Woods was speaking and they showed sean penn, boy was he glaring with hatred at woods.

[DoctorMichael]

Maybe he wants to make a not-so-thinly veiled suggestion to others?

[autoresponder]

#1 - There is the "Clinton Tree" now missing from the White House; "Olde Woody" is gone; see old and new dollar bills! Pilot's surviving relatives should get a "storyline/plot" fee from Sean Penn and his studio.

#2 - A common, legal Semi-Automatic rifle, by definition cannot be a "MACHINE GUN", which is FULLY AUTOMATIC, banned since the Gun Control Act of 1938, unless you have an FBI/BATF Class III license.

That was a common semi-auto, as many hunting and target rifles are.

The "MACHINE GUN" term mythogy is a tool of the leftie media, helped by (gun owner) Sarah Brady, Handgun Control Inc., and a vast cast of US Constitutiom 2 Ammendment haters and revisionists.

I demand a 3-day waiting period on all media releases.

I demand background checks, testing, and licensing of all journalists.

I demand Federal, State, and Local Licensing of all newspapers and magazines.

I demand sensible legistlative restrictions on the 1st Ammendment Freedom of the Press.

[cajun-jack]

there hasn't been any fact based movies since before walt disney died and the head queer at diney stopped doing the wonderful films of a small animal's trials and tribulations.those were great shows and the whole family could watch, no matter the ages of the children. imho

[Lawgvr1955]

I actually like Falling Down.

Me too!! I think of Falling Down every time I go in a fast food place. I share his point on how the pictures make something look so inviting and then you open the box or wrapper to the real thing only to be disapointed. Happens every time.

[Scenic Sounds]

Wow, Nixon was one of my favorite presidents. He never let us get bored. ;-)