Product Description

Based on Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign, a womanizing, charming, and unknown Southern governor runs for president, against all odds.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 4-MAR-2003
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11308 in DVD
• Brand: TRAVOLTA,JOHN
• Released on: 1998-09-09
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 143 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Based on the novel by Anonymous (a.k.a. political reporter Joe Klein) and released when the Monica Lewinsky scandal was in full swing, Primary Colors may have been a case of too much, too soon for many moviegoers, who preferred the real-life Clinton crisis over the movie's thinly disguised "Clintonesque" comedy. The general public felt that the film was exploiting the president's indiscretions, and as a result one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 1998 was a box-office disappointment. But when considered apart from the Clinton scandals and judged on its own considerable merits, this superb comedy-drama provides an illuminating, insightful, and frequently hilarious look at the harsh realities of presidential politics. John Travolta stars as Jack Stanton, a presidential hopeful whose campaign is challenged by dual dilemmas: how to squelch a scandal involving the candidate's alleged sex with an underage girl, and how to handle information that could potentially ruin Stanton's opponent (superbly played by Larry Hagman). Stanton's wife (Emma Thompson) stands by her man despite awareness of his infidelities, but his loyal campaign planners (played by Billy Bob Thornton, Maura Tierney, and promising newcomer Adrian Lester) experience a crisis of conscience. So does one of the Stantons' oldest friends (Kathy Bates, in an Oscar-nominated role), whose sense of betrayal and lost idealism proves too much to bear. Masterfully adapted by director Mike Nichols and his former-comedy-partner-turned-screenwriter, Elaine May, Primary Colors plays like a sophisticated comedy with loads of memorable scenes and dialogue, but it sneaks up on you with devastating dramatic impact. Anchored by Travolta's superb performance (which is reminiscent of Clinton without being a cheap impersonation), the movie presents a story of great moral complexity and leaves viewers to contemplate their own reactions to the volatile and ethically complicated game of modern politics. --Jeff Shannon

From The New Yorker
Mike Nichols and Elaine May's adaptation of Joe Klein's best-seller about a Clinton-like Presidential candidate purrs along rather winningly and even manages, in the long run, to weave a sad, thoughtful tale. John Travolta peddles his Clinton imitation softly, with the sweet smile and subtle confidence that turn his character into a charming cad, and Emma Thompson, as his cool, politically driven wife, delivers a no-nonsense performance that makes their odd marriage convincing. While the film has many flaws-characters drop in and out with little reason, scenes are cut abruptly, and there's little said about just what the candidate's platform is all about (there's no political depth to May's writing)-Nichols has spun a big, brash Hollywood confection that will send audiences home with still more Clintonia to talk about. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

"Wow" is the only phrase that comes to mind
When I first stumbled across a very very late night airing of Primary Colors on television, I was hesitant to sit back and enjoy the show. Political films just don't float my boat, since I find the actual politics somewhat uninteresting. However, within about forty-five seconds, I was hooked on this compelling comedy-drama. The story is superb, even though it isn't anything we haven't heard or joked about before. The acting is beyond superb, with every character given a voice and a story, so that you feel that nothing that is said or done is out of place. Although the comedic moments are great, what is really surprising is how, by the end of the film, you are deeply affected by the outcome of each character's story. And although the film is about politics, it is completely non-partisan and leaves the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions.

I feel that I cannot say enough good about Primary Colors. It is a surprisingly wonderful film that I would recommend to everyone.

Political Idealism Shattered.
I throughly enjoyed the novel by "Anonymous" when it came out in (I think) 1995. When the film premiered I braced myself for the worst. The film is never as good as the book, as anyone will tell you. But I was wrong. If anything, "Primary Colors" was *better* than the book, a thinly-veiled take-off on Bill Clinton's turbulent campaign for the Presidency in 1992.

Why is this such a fine movie? Two words- John Travolta. As Jack Stanton he captures the role perfectly- Clinton's demeanor, his passion for people, his weaknesses. I scoffed at hearing that Travolta was to play the part, and am I ever glad I was wrong. Travolta is terrific. Whoever won the Oscar for Best Actor that year must have done a great job to out-shine Travolta.

The rest of the cast is dead-on in their roles- Emma Thompson as Stanton's Hillary-esque wife, Adrian Lester as the Stephanapoulos-esque moral center to the film, Kathy Bates as Stanton's idealistic alter ego, and Larry Hagman as Stanton's opponant, Governor Freddy Picker.

I particularly liked Billy Bob Thornton as Richard Jemmons, a stand-in for Clinton's advisor James Carville. A lesser actor would have aped Carville's Cajin accent and played the part as a parody. Thornton though is smart enough to play Jemmons as a smart, cocky but utterly loyal subbordinate whose good 'ol boy demeanor masks a cunning political mind.

Director Mike Nichols has produced some wonderful performances from a really wonderful cast. The film's exploration of political idealism and how quickly it is shattered is well-done and quite timely now given the current Presidential election.

Outstanding film for political junkies and people who enjoy good drama.

Really Fine!
"Primary Colors" is a genuinely hard-luck movie. Distributed when the real-life giant scandals of the Clinton presidency were at their height, customers were not in a mood for a cutting edge comedy on quasi-fictional smaller scandals concerning the same players. It's a shame! The movie has a superb cast, deft timing, packs a wallop, and teases the audience into some thoughtful moments.

John Travolta shines as the exuberant, larger-than-life, shrewd and sentimental presidential candidate, Jack Stanton. He is a man with over-sized appetites whether it is chitlins or chicks, and rallies or righteousness. Emma Thompson is properly steely in her resolve, but shows her aching vulnerability to Jack's massive infidelity. Billy Bob Thornton was made for the role a down-home vulgar cracker sidekick. He can cry over his mama one minute and be ruthlessly savage the next. Then there is Kathy Bates. I think it is an axiom of show biz to never co-star with a kid or a dog because they will upstage you every time. To kids and dogs, add Kathy Bates. When she blows into the movie as a wisecracking, politically savvy and highly neurotic idealist; everything else fades into the background.

This is one of the great movies of the decade. Everything about it is first class from the brilliant direction of Mike Nichols ably assisted by his old sidekick Elaine Mayes to the carefully placed cameo roles of Larry Hagman and Rob Reiner. Add this one to your DVD library.
-sweetmolly-