Gabriel Over the White House

Has anyone seen this movie. Not sure if this is the correct forum for this as I am fairly new here. It is an early 1930's movie about a president in time of economic turmoil going the dictatorship route and he is the hero in this movie. Made me think about the fact that politics and corruption was bad in the thirties and it is maybe even worse now. Interesting film.

reply to post by bintim


An oldie but definitely a goldie - saw it years ago - think I'll watch it again as it seems rather timely doesn't it?

Thanks YT for the full movie too.



Plot:-

When the film opens, U.S. President Judson C. 'Judd' Hammond (Huston) is variously described as "a Hoover-like partisan hack" or "basically a do-nothing crook, based on, to some extent, Warren G. Harding." Then he suffers a near-fatal automobile accident and goes into a coma.

Through what Portland State University instructor Dennis Grunes calls "possible divine intervention", Hammond (an "FDR lookalike") miraculously recovers, emerging "a changed man, an activist politician, a Roosevelt."President Hammond makes "a political U-turn," purging his entire cabinet of "big-business lackeys." When Congress impeaches him, he responds by dissolving the legislative branch, assuming the “temporary” power to make laws as he "transforms himself into an all-powerful dictator."

He orders the formation of a new “Army of Construction” answerable only to him, spends billions on one New Deal–like program after another, and nationalizes the manufacture and sale of alcohol.[6] The reborn Hammond's policies include "suspension of civil rights and the imposition of martial law by presidential fiat." He "tramples on civil liberties," "revokes the Constitution, becomes a reigning dictator," and employs "brown-shirted storm troopers" led by the President's top aide, Hartley 'Beek' Beekman (Tone).

When he meets with resistance, the President "suspends the law to arrest and execute 'enemies of the people' as he sees fit to define them," with Beekman handing "down death sentences in his military star chamber" in a "show trial [that] resembles those designed to please a Stalin, a Hitler or a Chairman Mao," after which the accused are immediately lined up against a wall behind the courthouse and "executed by firing squad." By threatening world war with America’s newest and most deadly secret weapon, Hammond then blackmails the world into disarmament, ushering in global peace.

The film is unique in that, by revoking the Constitution, etc., President Hammond does not become a villain, but a hero who "solves all of the nation's problems," "bringing peace to the country and the world," and is universally acclaimed “one of the greatest presidents who ever lived.”

The Library of Congress comments: “ The good news: he reduces unemployment, lifts the country out of the Depression, battles gangsters and Congress, and brings about world peace. The bad news: he's Mussolini.Wikipedia...

reply to post by bintim
I just watched it this afternoon. Apparently Louie B Mayer did not want it's fascist overtones reflecting on the Republican president and had it's release held up until Roosevelt took office.
Definately an inflammatory flick.

reply to post by Sublimecraft


Thanks for posting the links. I watched on Turner this evening. Lots of parallels to what we read on some of the forums here.................at the time Hitler was starting his move in Germany and Mussoline was dictator of Italy. One review said it was National Socialist oriented and another said Communist. I think they were both so similar in some of their goals that it may be a cross of both of them. They only wanted to save the world right?