The True Story of J. Edgar Hoover, One of The Top Man in FBI
Stars : Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts, Armie Hammer, Geoff Pierson, Ed Westwick, Judi Dench
Score : 7.0 / 10
The movie tells about the story of a man who has the power in the FBI (the Federal Bureau of Investigation), J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio). Edgar was FBI director from 1924 to 1972 period. At the beginning, Edgar is entering his old age but still served as a director of the FBI. Edgar is receiving a journalist, Agent Smith (Ed Westwick), who was making a book about his life journey. Edgar tells all the story of his life to Smith. The story goes back to 1919, when Edgar was 24 years old. At that time communism is becoming something very concerned in America. Some radical groups aggressively series of robberies, rioting and murder.
On the other side, there are also opponents of communism. They became a target of radical groups. Edgar's boss from the Departement of Justice, the Head of Prosecutor, Mitchell Palmer (Geoff Pierson) is one of them. His house was bombed at night, luckily all his family survived. A group of police rushed to the location. They do not collect the evidence, but clean up the location, eliminating traces of the perpetrators. They are not fools, but that is the police investigation procedures at that time.
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| J. Edgar Hoover |
Edgar began to realize the weakness of the police investigation procedures. He picked up the scattered paper from the location. The paper allegedly belonged to the bomber. Edgar assigned to Division Anti Radical by Palmer. Edgar was very happy for that and told to his mother, Annie (Judie Dench). Edgar has a very close relationship with his mother, especially after his father got dementia.
In his new division, Edgar met Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts). He attracted to Gandy and asked her to a date at the library. Edgar showed Gandy about the catalog system in a library, which is recorded every detail of a book. The system has been very helpful the readers to search a book in the library. Edgar imagines if the identity of each person can be collected and stored, so all of criminals can be tracked. Edgar asked her to be his wife, but she refused. Gandy was not interested in a marriage. Edgar asked her to be his private secretary. Since that time, Gandy became a confidence.
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| Edgar asked Gandy to be his wife |
The radical group activity can not be controlled. They opened fire on the Americans, who had just returned from war. Edgar and Palmer collected names, suspected members of the radical group. They went to the Department of Labor and ask for deportation to the names. But they were refused because they did not have an evidence. Mr. Caminetti, a head of the Labor Department, hated radical activists, Mrs. Goldman. Mrs. Goldman eventually deported. Afterwards, Palmer ordered Edgar to cooperate with local police to rush the radical group quarters and catch the member. Edgar found same paper, so the bombing case at Palmer house was revealed. 4000 activists caught and more than 500 deported. America returned to a safe condition.
Attorney General, Harlan Fiske Stone, calling Edgar and asked him to become director of the Bureau of Investigation. Edgar received it with some requirements, free from political interference, all staff must be university graduates, all appointments must be merit, the promotion must be proved by the ability and the Bureau is responsible only to Stone.
On the first day, Edgar collected all staff and fired them, who did not qualify. In exchange, Edgar opened the job advertisements. Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer), who recently graduated from college, smart and has a charming personality tried to apply to the Bureau. Edgar interested in Clyde and accepted him to work, even though Clyde just wants to find work experience for a few months. They can work well together. Clyde always accompanies Edgar resolve every case that must be handled by the Bureau, including child abduction cases. They often go shopping and spend vacation time together. They admire and love each other, even though having the same gender. No one knows if they are a couple gay. They are so cautious and hide their relationship.
I know this movie from someone when I travel out of town. He knew that I was idolized DiCaprio, so he advised me to watch this movie. He said, J. Edgar is one of the best performances of DiCaprio. I was agree, DiCaprio played total in this movie. I enjoy the action when he was giving a briefing to staff. Edgar accent, which is very fast and sometimes stuttering, successfully performed very well by DiCaprio. And even more surprised for me, DiCaprio played a homosexual role in the movie. I really love to see when he had to acting sad while wearing skirt and necklace like a woman. Four thumbs up for DiCaprio.
Attorney General, Harlan Fiske Stone, calling Edgar and asked him to become director of the Bureau of Investigation. Edgar received it with some requirements, free from political interference, all staff must be university graduates, all appointments must be merit, the promotion must be proved by the ability and the Bureau is responsible only to Stone.
On the first day, Edgar collected all staff and fired them, who did not qualify. In exchange, Edgar opened the job advertisements. Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer), who recently graduated from college, smart and has a charming personality tried to apply to the Bureau. Edgar interested in Clyde and accepted him to work, even though Clyde just wants to find work experience for a few months. They can work well together. Clyde always accompanies Edgar resolve every case that must be handled by the Bureau, including child abduction cases. They often go shopping and spend vacation time together. They admire and love each other, even though having the same gender. No one knows if they are a couple gay. They are so cautious and hide their relationship.
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| Edgar and staff |
I know this movie from someone when I travel out of town. He knew that I was idolized DiCaprio, so he advised me to watch this movie. He said, J. Edgar is one of the best performances of DiCaprio. I was agree, DiCaprio played total in this movie. I enjoy the action when he was giving a briefing to staff. Edgar accent, which is very fast and sometimes stuttering, successfully performed very well by DiCaprio. And even more surprised for me, DiCaprio played a homosexual role in the movie. I really love to see when he had to acting sad while wearing skirt and necklace like a woman. Four thumbs up for DiCaprio.
The movie, directed by Clint Eastwood is actually categorized as a biography, but unfortunately the story of life and the career of the main character is not so clearly described. Only a few cases of major crimes are merely alluded to, without the involvement of Edgar, like John Dillinger crime. Just a reminder, the story of John Dillinger ever filmed in 2009 with the title Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp. One of FBI agent in Public Enemies, Melvin Purvis who killed Dillinger, also alluded to in the movie.
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| Bureau action catch the criminal |
Back to J. Edgar movie review, this is the first time I heard the name of J. Edgar Hoover. And it is not enough to know J. Edgar Hoover, only depends on this movie. I add the reference by reading the following article in Wikipedia, you can read it on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover.
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| J. Edgar Hoover (Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover) |
In my opinion, J. Edgar is more focused on Edgar personality. Edgar personality is clearly shown in this movie. Edgar is a strict and disciplined in the work. Edgar was very confident for all things related to the job, but not for personal issues (especially about love). He became shy and nervous when talking about his personal problems. This maybe caused by Edgar sexual orientation. In this movie, Edgar is shown as a man who likes man and woman. At the beginning, he was attracted to Gandy but then love Clyde. I also have not found a valid article about Edgar sexual orientation, it is very mysterious. Edgar mother, Annie, was an influential figure in the life of Edgar.
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| Clyde and Edgar spend vacation time together on horse racing |
One thing that strikes me is the appearance of a very famous actress in the past. The behaviour and her accent are very adorable. When I was a child, some of her films frequently appeared in private television in Indonesia on Sunday afternoon. I almost never miss it. But, at this time, I never saw it again on TV, whereas most of the film has a very good story. The actress that I mean is Shirley Temple. In this movie, Temple meet, talk and take pictures with Edgar after watching a premiere film in a cinema.
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| Shirley Temple and Edgar |
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| Shirley Temple (Source : http://www.biography.com/people/shirley-temple-9503798) |
Usually, the movie tells the real story has a great meaning that want to share. From this movie I know that nobody is perfect. No matter how great a person, they must have weakness. We can also learn loyalty to the promise, as Gandy did to Edgar.
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