La vie privée d'un sénateur

The perfect precursor to what Aaron Sorkin and company so wonderfully wrought, Alan Alda and Jerry Schatzberg's intelligent and telling political drama/romance is more like the made for TV movie genre than first run feature. That having been said there's little to take to task here and much to be grateful for including some great character actor turns by Rip Torn and Melvyn Douglas (watch for the gumbo eating/policy thrashing scene) and some shrewd Washington insiders' observations. Somehow, it's hard to imagine Bush, Cheney and the neo cons having nearly half the fun.

Streep anchors the proceedings, investing a level of sophisticated theatricality that gives this film its necessary edge. Her robust good nature at proclaiming, "He's my Daddy!", while piloting a small plane, suggests both her southern belle roots as well as her tenacious appetite to be THE woman behind THE man.

Whatever happened to the rabbit was high on my list of questions and thoughts at the conclusion of The Seduction of Joe Tynan, but that's not actually a good thing. Sure, Alda, Streep, Douglas, and Torn all give solid performances which lifts the material above its inherent quality, but only so much. There's the Washington story which is well written and mostly solid. Then there is the family story which does not work as well. Much of the dialogue in this section feels clumsy and at times unnatural. The direction is fine but it's the script here that let's Joe down and leaves the viewer with an unremarkable film.

How did she pilot that plane ? Maybe it should have been run on Netflix Rip Torn's character is a real pig but at least know it In the bedroom scene between Alda and Streep in a room with a bed and that's what the room is for his character to get her character in bed this is less about politics and more about the sex but I did not think the sex scene was all that funny a man betraying his family and children is not funny didn"t someone say that Karen Traynor helped him fight another senate battle which says this wasn't their first go round with one another and he was power tripping from the get-go the trivia it never mentioned that Alan Alda had personally picked Meryl Streep for this picture

I was a senatorial intern in the 70's. (Fortunately never seduced.)

But this film accurately depicted the City of the Time.

Watch for the two or three second bit that depicts the "auto-pen."

When I was an intern, I was interviewed by my small-hometown-newspaper, and instructed by my supervisor that I could discuss anything, I could even disagree with the Senator, but I WAS NOT TO MENTION THE AUTO-PEN!!!

The auto-pen was a device that manipulated an actual felt-tip pen to produce a signature replica to make it appear that the Senator had actually signed a letter.

Strong drama of morals and ambition. Alda has written himself a showcase part and does very well in the lead providing a strong center to the picture and he's aided by two superior actresses, one, Meryl Streep, on the way up and the other Barbara Harris always under-appreciated. Meryl is vulnerable and appealing but Barbara Harris is the treasure, giving the film's best performance and providing the heart that would be missing with her contribution. An incredibly skillful actress who was too unique for Hollywood to utilize properly she speaks volumes without saying a word through subtle facial expression. Also notable is Melvyn Douglas giving another of the marvelous supporting performances that were a staple of the twilight of his career.