El senador indiscreto

In the "good old days", in this case 1947, politicians were career opportunists and just as self serving and corrupt then as they are now. Happily, in the movies - unlike in real life - we can laugh at the trouble they get themselves into.

After 35 years of serving his state's constituents, senator Ashton wants to be president. And just what qualifications does he offer, asks his scoffing party leader? From a list "mama" found in a magazine, #3 is to have a dog. Ashton says, " I have a dog. I hate the hound. He's bit me 4 times, but I have one." This mild satire kept me laughing from beginning to end. Powell, as expected, is terrific, and Ray Collins stands out among the supporting characters. The "Senator" is not a classic comedy as is "My Man Godfrey", but it's not necessary or possible that every comedy hit a home run in order to be deemed worthy of our time.

It seems that politicians – or, perhaps more accurately, our perception of politicians – have changed very little in the sixty years since this film was released. Not only are they deceitful, power-hungry fast-talkers, but, most worryingly of all, they're not all that bright, either. George S. Kaufman's 'The Senator Was Indiscreet (1947)' is the earliest American political satire that I can recall seeing – though earlier examples almost certainly exist – and the film traipses many of the paths that would be echoed in subsequent films such as Hal Ashby's 'Being There (1979)' and Barry Levinson's 'Wag the Dog (1997).' At the forefront of these films is the complete trivialisation of the political system, portraying politicians either as dim-witted blow-hards or as ruthless power-grabbing tacticians, sometimes both. William Powell's Melvin G. Ashton falls into the former category, a white-haired Senator with more than a few loose screws upstairs. Nevertheless, he possess one vital item of leverage, a diary detailing every nasty political scam of the last thirty-five years, and so his influence is limitless.

William Powell, recently free from the 'Thin Man' series (1934-1947), is perfect as the IQ-challenged Senator with big ambitions. When he's not proposing absurd new regulations – for example, that all Americans should write letters on tissue paper to ease the burden on mail-men – Ashton is publicly and vigorously denying that he will run for Presidential Candidacy. In political terms, this means that he will run for Presidential Candidacy. Party colleague Houlihan (Ray Collins) attempts to talk Ashton out of his ambitions, almost convincing him to enter into a football career, but his persuasion is ultimately fruitless, especially considering the important historical document that Ashton has in his possession. When the coveted diary unexpectedly goes missing, every politician currently in office is thrown into chaos, and personal secretary Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is sent to retrieve it, with journalist girlfriend Poppy McNaughton (Ella Raines) snapping at his heels. Even if all this doesn't seem your thing, wait around for the ending, which reveals a pleasant surprise.

'The Senator Was Indiscreet' was adapted from a screenplay by Charles MacArthur {co-author of "The Front Page"}, and the sole film directed by George S. Kaufman, a prominent playwright. There are several classic lines of dialogue ("Don't you think it's time you cut out the part where you laugh at the idea of the U.S. going to war against Japan?"), but the story unfolds fairly predictably. This, of course, doesn't necessarily negate the film's entertainment value, but I'd have liked a more daring degree of satire. The comedy style itself has its roots in the likes of 'His Girl Friday (1940),' but the jokes are more conservative, the laughs are scarcer, and the characters do not speak with the hilariously-frantic overlapping dialogue of Howard Hawks' film. Nevertheless, the lighthearted jibes at politicians are enjoyable, and it's not much of a stretch for the audience to believe that a clueless half-wit like Senator Melvin Ashton might potentially find himself at the doorstep of the White House. Indeed, recent history has shown us that he could even have gone further.

As Will Rogers said he got a lot of his material from reading the Congressional Record. If Rogers were alive he'd have gotten several humorous monologues from William Powell as Senator Melvin Ashton, United States Senator from some unfortunate state and pompous windbag extraordinaire.

I'm reminded of former Senator Roman L. Hruska from Nebraska who in defending Richard Nixon's nomination of G. Harrold Carswell for the Supreme Court said that in his defense mediocre people also need representation on the Supreme Court. Or Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas who became Vice President under Herbert Hoover who went into partnership with a doctor who prescribed the extract from goat glands for his patients. Sad to say we do have a boob who gets through every now and then.

And Powell has decided that he's got so many relatives on the public payroll now that only the presidency will satisfy all the demands being made on him. He's decided to run for president with a cross country tour denying his ambition on every occasion to the dismay of party bosses like Ray Collins who is updating his role of Boss Jim Gettys from Citizen Kane.

Unfortunately this lummox decided to keep a diary which could sink the whole immediate world something like the expense account kept by that hood from Kansas City in Casino. Powell's publicist Peter Lind Hayes is mad to get it back thinking that investigative reporter Ella Raines might have it. Hayes knows what a boob he is, but also knows the accolades from the political manager types he'll get if he can put the boob over. That's an attitude that's fresh and alive today with many.

Bill Powell looked like he was having a ball in the part of Ashton. 1947 was the year Powell decided to surrender to age and began playing fatherly types. He was after all 55 years old. Had he not been nominated for Life With Father, Powell might well have gotten an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in this part.

One part of the film I'm afraid audiences might not get. As Powell contemplates that his political career might be finished they go through many jobs he could fill and it seems he just hasn't the qualifications for anything. One possibility might be as a sports 'czar' or commissioner of some professional sport as would have a colleague of Powell's just was made.

Albert B. 'Happy' Chandler who was a corn-pone politician of the highest order who was a former governor and then United States Senator from Kentucky became baseball's commissioner in 1945 succeeding Kenesaw M. Landis.

Landis who when he took the job was guaranteed a lifetime contract and ruled like a 'czar' of the major leagues. When he died the owners wanted a presentable front with some reputation and turned to Chandler. He actually surprised them all by overruling the whole lot of them and permitting the integration of major league baseball as Branch Rickey wanted. That show of independence cost him his job when his seven year contract was up and Chandler was succeeded by a group of nonentities that Melvin Ashton would have been superbly qualified to be among for the most part. Powell was just a tad ahead of his time.

Written by Charles MacArthur and directed by George S. Kaufman a pair of the best wits of the last century, The Senator Was Indiscreet is as fresh a political satire now as it was then. It's a short film with a laugh guaranteed every ten seconds.

It is hard not to want see 'The Senator Was Indiscreet' with such an eye-catching title, William Powell in the lead, as someone who likes comedy and satire and a very interesting idea for a story. It could have gone the way of being an intriguing and very funny satire. It also could have gone the way of not being sharp or biting enough and being too silly and contrived.

'The Senator Was Indiscreet' luckily was the former. It is occasionally on the silly side, some parts were a bit of a stretch and the surprises are not always there, but a vast majority of the time it's very interesting, very clever and very funny. Really did enjoy 'The Senator Was Indiscreet' a lot, as one can already see, and it is a shame that it is as underseen and overlooked as it is.

One of its best assets is the cast. Powell has seldom been this tongue-in-cheek and he does a marvellous job here. Ella Raines is fetching and amusing while there are great supporting from Peter Lind Hayes and Allen Jenkins.

Also terrific was the script. It was smart, sharp and didn't hold back while not going over the top. It was unusual back then for a film to poke fun at politics and its institutions as directly and cynically as 'The Senator Was Indiscreet', and must have been a shock back then. The story was always absorbing and lifted by great chemistry within the cast, plenty of amusing moments (like with the tissue paper), a lively pace and also a few nice surprises along the way (especially a not so expected ending.

Visually, 'The Senator Was Indiscreet' looks good and it is a shame that George S. Kaufman didn't direct more films after, he does really well here and is at equal ease at the director's helm as he was as a writer/playwright.

Altogether, very enjoyable and sadly not without the credit it deserves. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I've been waiting to see the 1947 film "The Senator Was Indiscreet" for years - ever since walking by a TV and hearing Ray Collins utter the line: "Don't you think it's time you cut out the part where you laugh at the idea of the U.S. going to war against Japan?" I finally got a copy of the film, and I wasn't disappointed.

"The Senator Was Indiscreet" concerns a senator, Melvin Ashton (William Powell), who announces that he is not, not, not a candidate for President - meaning, of course, that he is. He has several speeches that he recycles, "Whither America" being one. At one point, a neon sign announces: "Tonight: Senator Melvin Ashton: Whither America. Tomorrow: Dog Show." The film is filled with hundreds of little touches like that. Old, blustery, and a buffoon who gives four-hour speeches and proposes bills like having people write on tissue paper to lessen the weight of mailbags, the party doesn't want him. However, they can't get rid of him - he has a diary that he's kept for years. When it goes missing, all hell breaks loose. One man sits on a phone helping party members plan their escape, saying: "There is no extradition between those two countries...We have four people traveling to Siberia..."

William Powell, normally elegant and smiling despite the chaos around him, gets right into it here. He is a RIOT. He looks like Colonel Sanders in his white wig and mustache. His funniest scene (to me anyway) is when he is locked out of his hotel and winds up in the subway while wearing his pajamas and bathrobe. He grabs a broom and quickly sweeps while walking up the stairs, then drops the broom and starts running. Peter Lind Hayes plays the publicist who got him into this high-profile mess. A very versatile and good-looking man, Hayes not only acted but worked as a composer, later pairing in performance with his wife, Mary Healy. His girlfriend is played by Ella Raines. Raines never made it to superstar status despite her striking prettiness and good performances. However, she was in some marvelous films, and this is one of them. She is terrific as an ambitious reporter who refers to Ashton as Ashcan in her writings. One of her headlines reads: "Ashton Declares Opposed to Assassination." Hans Conreid is funny as a bitter Yugoslavian hotel worker, and Ray Collins is great as the frantic head of the party.

The denouement is hilarious, with a very special cameo at the end you won't want to miss. Highly recommended for its comedy and statements about politics and politicians - most of which still apply.