Advise and Consent

A companion piece to Anatomy of a Murder and The Cardinal, tackling Washington politics with the best-selling mixture of sophistication and evasion characteristic of Preminger in his 'problem picture' mood. More McCarthy than Watergate, the exposé of political barter and blackmail not unnaturally looks a little quaint now, but still grips like a vice thanks to the skill with which Preminger's stunning mise en scène absorbs documentary detail. A decided bonus is the fact that the need to let every viewpoint have its say gives a starry cast opportunities gratefully grabbed all round.