47/18
Synopsis
The life, roles, and voice of Henry Fonda’s last interview in 1981 tells a journey through American history from 1651 to the era of the presidency in the 1980s, personifying the complexities of the nation through a road trip from Fonda, NY to the Pacific
Probably the best film I saw at the 74th Berlinale, certainly the most interesting
It was directed by Alexander Horwath, former director of the Austrian Film Museum among others, and you can see his expertise in the history of cinema in every minute of this essay
However, Henry Fonda for President does not limit itself to the history of film, but connects Henry Fonda’s life and his films with the history of the United States in a sympathetic way, from the 16th century to the present day
interview that its first version was over 6 hours long, but he and his cinematographer Michael Palm condensed it very effectively, the film takes its time for each Fonda film but never becomes boring despite its three-hour running time
