The Price of Power (1969)

Cast

• Giuliano Gemma
• Warren Vanders
• Maria Cuadra
• Rai Saunders
• Fernando Rey
• Antonio Casas
• Benito Stefanelli
• Van Johnson

Inventory

• A suicidal hanging
• Four beers
• A philosophical doctor
• The worst beard in the history of movies
• A press conference
• A flashback
• A head butt
• Two gunfights in the dark
• Russian Roulette
• An IED

Summary

Our story begins in Dallas, Texas. Judging from the portrait of Lincoln and the American flag being thrown on a bonfire, it's after the Civil War and not everyone is happy. Within the first five minutes, we learn that the President is on his way to visit Dallas and there is a plot to kill him, led by the sheriff. When the plot is told to a local rancher, it becomes necessary for him to meet his end at a poker party. Apparently having a poker shoved through your torso causes you to fold.

We soon meet the President, who looks and sounds like Hedy Lamarr in Blazing Saddles. This movie doesn't seem to be particularly concerned with history, as the President is clearly neither Andrew Johnson or U.S. Grant. Also, to the best of my recollection, there was never a first lady named Lucretia.

Update

I stand corrected. James Garfield's wife was named Lucretia. Garfield was also a great proponent of African-American rights and education, as depicted in the movie. Since Garfield was also assassinated, although in nothing resembling the manner depicted in the film, I feel obliged to retract my comment about the filmmakers' concerns with history. I will point out that they could have saved me the embarrassment of writing this update had they simply pasted a beard on Van Johnson's face. Without it, he looks much more like Chester Arthur, minus the mustache. As an aside, not that it would have made any difference to my guessing who the president was supposed to be, Maria Caudra is much prettier than Lucretia Garfield.

Fortunately for the republic, the rancher's son, who fought for the Union, and a black man are on the case. After surviving an ambush, the son disrupts the unrepentant renegades' attempt to blow up what has to be the most magnificent railroad bridge in the country, a soaring steel masterpiece.

It turns out that the plotters are racist tea baggers who've bought and paid for the Vice President. Soon there are snipers in the book depository (sorry, on the overpass — no, really, that's what they call it) and the President is shot in the neck. He falls into the arms of the first lady, who cries, "Help me! Won't someone help me?"

Later, a newspaperman says that no one person could have fired twice in less than ten seconds. and there is even a Warren Commission-like medical report that confirms the lone gunman theory, including the angle of the shot. Naturally, a single doctor who repudiates it.

The allegory is laid on thick and fast. The only thing that I have to say in favor of the bad guys is that they have a seemingly inexhaustable supply of incompetents that can be thrown into any gunfight

Dialogue

"Some people dream of things and ask 'why?' I dream of things and ask 'why not?'"

Story

I really wanted to hate this movie after the first half-hour, but I have to admit that it grew on me as it went on. There were enough threads and twists to keep things moving. I certainly wouldn't claim that the characters were well developed, but at least there was a healthy variety of stock roles.

It's actually a fairly imaginative spin on the Kennedy assassination in an entirely different drama. I'd complain about the dialogue, but it's no worse that Oliver Stone's version in that regard.

Music

A decent original soundtrack, with significant incidental music. There is a song and dance number in the middle which is out of place, but not awful.

Acting

All of the voices are overdubbed. Everyone who did the dubbing appears to have been well sedated. With a few exceptions, most of the actors do a reasonably good job of acting. It's a shame that the voice work is so flat.