Summary.

Biopic of J. Edgar Hoover told by Hoover as he recalls his career for a biography. Early in his career, Hoover fixated on Communists, anarchists and any other revolutionary taking action against the U.S. government. He slowly builds the agency's reputation, becoming the sole arbiter of who gets hired and fired. One of his hires is Clyde Tolson who is quickly promoted to Assistant Director and would be Hoover's confidant and companion for the rest of Hoover's life. Hoover's memories have him playing a greater role in the many high profile cases the FBI was involved in - the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, the arrest of bank robbers like John Dillinger - and also show him to be quite adept at manipulating the various politicians he's worked with over his career, thanks in large part to his secret files.

1. Which character in the film did you like best? Why?

2. Which character did you like least? Why?

3. What emotions does this film arouse?

4. What did you like best about the film? Why?

5. Was there anything you did not understand about the film? What was it?

6. Which events in the film were the most realistic?

7. Did the ending of the film seem appropriate? Why or why not?

8. How would you have ended the film?

Task 1. Define the following notions.

FBI, secret, kidnapping, arrest, secret file, deportation, stutterer, Attorney General, press conference, surveillance, wiretapping, ransom, scrapbook, courtroom, cohabitation, Department of Justice

 

Task 2. Complete the sentences with the correct combination or the word from the list.

have the courage of one's convictions (opinions), the whorls of one’s fingerprints, overthrow the government, establish precedent, foreign national, pose a threat

1. They identified a criminal by _________________________.

2. “He claims that a Jezebel Baley is a member of a Medievalist society dedicated to __________________ by force.”

3. He is a ________________ but is absolutely accessible for the investigators.

4. He’s always _________________________, so a lot of people don’t like him.

5. That situation is abnormal, and, unless it is dealt with responsibly and seriously, it will continue _______________ to international peace and security.

6. Then I suppose we must follow _________________ for such cases.

 

Task 3. Match the words with their meanings.

kidnapping, secret service, espionage, wiretapping, criminal record, courage, mud-slinging, target

1. an act of abducting someone and holding them captive.

2. the ability to do something that frightens one; bravery.

3. the practice of connecting a listening device to a telephone line to monitor conversations secretly.

4. a government department concerned with espionage.

5. the practice of spying or of using spies, typically by governments to obtain political and military information.

6. a list of a person’s previous criminal convictions.

7. the use of insults and accusations, especially unjust ones, with the aim of damaging the reputation of an opponent.

8. a person, object, or place selected as the aim of an attack.

Task 4. Make a presentation about intelligence agencies around the world. Don’t forget to mention about outstanding persons who served/is serving in them.

 

 

“Frost/Nixon”

 

Release date: 2008

Director: Ron Howard

Genre: Drama | History

 

Summary.

Writer Peter Morgan's legendary battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced president with a legacy to save, and David Frost, a jet-setting television personality with a name to make, in the story of the historic encounter that changed both their lives. For three years after being forced from office, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in office and the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprised everyone in selecting Frost as his televised confessor, intending to easily outfox the breezy British showman and secure a place in the hearts and minds of Americans (as well as a $600,000 fee). Likewise, Frost's team harbored doubts about their boss' ability to hold his own. But as cameras rolled, a charged battle of wits resulted.