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The Ides of March (2011 film)

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This article is about the film. For other uses, see Ides of March (disambiguation).

The Ides of March
A portrait of a man with the other half of his face obscured of a TIME magazine issue with its cover showing the left side of his face. The text in the magazine cover reads "Is This Man Our Next President?" with the film's title and credits placed below.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGeorge Clooney
Screenplay by
Based onFarragut North
by Beau Willimon
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPhedon Papamichael
Edited byStephen Mirrione
Music byAlexandre Desplat
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • August 31, 2011 (2011-08-31) (Venice)
  • October 7, 2011 (2011-10-07) (United States)
Running time
101 minutes[8]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12.5 million[9]
Box office$76.3 million[10]

The Ides of March is a 2011 American political drama film directed by George Clooney from a screenplay written by Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Beau Willimon. The film is an adaptation of Willimon's 2008 play Farragut North. It stars Ryan Gosling and Clooney alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, and Evan Rachel Wood.

The Ides of March was featured as the opening film at the 68th Venice International Film Festival and at the 27th Haifa International Film Festival, and was shown at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.[11][12] It was theatrically released on October 7, 2011, and grossed $76 million worldwide. The film received positive reviews from critics and was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2011. Gosling earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance, while Clooney, Heslov and Willimon were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Plot

[edit]

Stephen Meyers is a talented political staffer and the junior campaign manager for Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris. Just days before the pivotal primary elections in Ohio and North Carolina, Stephen and senior campaign manager Paul Zara work to secure Morris the Democratic nomination and defeat rival Ted Pullman.

The New York Times reporter Ida Horowicz seeks an inside scoop on the Ohio primary. Paul is confident in Morris’s odds from his career experience while Stephen believes deeply in Morris’s political cause. Ida warns Stephen that Morris will disappoint him. Before leaving, Paul tells Ida off the record that they’re pursuing the endorsement of North Carolina Senator Franklin Thompson, whose control over 356 pledged delegates would secure Morris the nomination.

Stephen takes a meeting with Tom Duffy, Pullman’s senior campaign manager, who offers Stephen a job and calls him “the best media mind in the country.” Duffy claims the race is about to turn in Pullman’s favor and reveals that they won Thompson’s endorsement by promising him the post of Secretary of State. Stephen criticizes this kind of "dirty politics", but Duffy argues that it is necessary to win. Stephen admits that he met with Duffy, angering Paul, and shares Pullman’s deal with Thompson. Morris refuses to make a backroom deal, valuing a “clean” campaign.

Stephen begins a casual sexual relationship with Molly Stearns, a young intern and daughter of DNC Chairman Jack Stearns. One night while Molly is sleeping, Stephen answers her phone to discover Governor Morris on the line. Molly confesses to a one-night stand with Morris that has left her pregnant. She asks Stephen for money to get an abortion, too afraid to ask her Catholic family. Stephen’s faith in Morris begins to fade as he scrambles to avoid the scandal. He allocates funds for Molly’s abortion and fires her from the campaign, claiming that mistakes mean you “lose the right to play.”

Meanwhile, Ida confronts Stephen about his meeting with Duffy. Paul reveals that he leaked the story to Ida and fires Stephen for disloyalty. Enraged, Stephen goes to Duffy to join Pullman’s campaign, promising dirt on Morris. However, Duffy declines, nervous about Stephen’s desire for revenge. He again praises Stephen’s talent but admits that he sabotaged Stephen just to gain a political edge in the campaign. Duffy finally encourages Stephen to leave politics before he grows cynical and jaded.

After her abortion, Molly learns secondhand that Stephen was fired and swore to destroy the campaign. Fearing exposure of her affair and abortion, she fatally overdoses on post-abortion pills. Stephen discovers the scene and blackmails Governor Morris with a fictional suicide note from Molly.

To avoid the scandal, Morris fires Paul and promotes Stephen to senior campaign manager. He invites Thompson to become his Vice President, securing Thompson’s delegates and becoming the de facto Democratic nominee for President. On the way to a press interview, Stephen stonewalls Ida. Following a speech from Morris on dignity and integrity, Stephen prepares to explain how they secured Thompson’s endorsement.

Cast

[edit]
Ryan Gosling
George Clooney
Ryan Gosling in 2017 (left) and George Clooney in 2016
  • Ryan Gosling as Stephen Meyers, Morris' junior campaign manager and press secretary.[13]
  • George Clooney as Mike Morris, the charismatic Governor of Pennsylvania and a Democratic presidential candidate.[13]
  • Philip Seymour Hoffman as Paul Zara, Morris' campaign manager and Stephen's superior and mentor.[14]
  • Paul Giamatti as Tom Duffy, Ted Pullman's campaign manager.[15]
  • Evan Rachel Wood as Molly Stearns, an intern for Morris's campaign[15] and Stephen's love interest.
  • Marisa Tomei as Ida Horowicz, a reporter for the New York Times.[15]
  • Jeffrey Wright as Franklin Thompson, Democratic Senator from North Carolina.
  • Max Minghella as Ben Harpen,[14] a member of Morris's campaign staff.
  • Jennifer Ehle as Cindy Morris, wife to Governor Mike Morris and the First Lady of Pennsylvania.
  • Gregory Itzin as former Senator Jack Stearns, father of Molly Stearns and the chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
  • Charlie Rose as himself.
  • Michael Mantell as Ted Pullman, Senator from Arkansas and Morris's opponent in the Democratic primaries.

Production

[edit]

In October 2010, Variety reported that Clooney signed on to produce, direct, and star in the film adaptation of Beau Willimon's Broadway play Farragut North. Exclusive Media Group, Cross Creek Pictures, Smoke House Pictures, and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions financed the film.[15] Filming in Cincinnati, Ohio began in February 2011 in Downtown Cincinnati at Fountain Square, Over-the-Rhine historic district, Northside, Mount Lookout, Xavier University, other neighborhoods and at Miami University's Farmer School of Business and Hall Auditorium (Miami University and Hall Auditorium are located in Oxford, Ohio).[16][17] Principal photography also took place in Downtown Detroit and Ann Arbor, Michigan. On 14 March, filming began at the University of Michigan and included 1,000 extras.[18]

The theatrical release failed to recognize Cincinnati in the credits as a filming location. Producer and screenplay co-writer Grant Heslov said that "the omission of Cincinnati in the credits was an inadvertent mistake, something that slipped through the cracks." He also said that the credits would be corrected for the home release of the film.[19]

Music

[edit]
Main article: The Ides of March (soundtrack)

Release

[edit]

The Ides of March premiered on August 31, 2011 as the opening film of the 68th Venice International Film Festival.[20] Sony Pictures Entertainment bought the distribution rights for the United States only, while Alliance Films bought Canadian distribution. Sony wanted Clooney to keep the play's title, but The Ides of March was picked as the title.[13] The Ides of March was originally planned to have a limited release in December 2011 and a wide release in January 2012.[13] However, Sony eventually moved the film's opening date to 14 October 2011.[21] This was later moved again, to October 7, 2011.

Reception

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 84% based on 243 reviews, with an average rating of 7.38/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "While not exactly exposing revelatory truths, The Ides of March is supremely well-acted drama that moves at a measured, confident clip."[22] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 43 critics, indicating "generally positive reviews".[23] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.[24]

Some critics gave the film mixed or even negative reviews.[25][26] A. O. Scott of the New York Times wrote, "But it is difficult, really, to connect this fable to the world it pretends to represent. Whatever happens in 2012, within either party or in the contest between them, it seems fair to say that quite a lot will be at stake. That is not the case in The Ides of March, which is less an allegory of the American political process than a busy, foggy, mildly entertaining antidote to it."[27]

Accolades

[edit]
List of awards and nominations
Awards group Category Recipients and nominees Result
84th Academy Awards Best Adapted Screenplay George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Beau Willimon Nominated
65th British Academy Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association[28] Best Acting Ensemble Nominated
Casting Society of America[29] Outstanding Achievement in Casting for a Studio or Independent Drama Feature Ellen Chenoweth, Amelia McCarthy Nominated
Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards[30][31] Best Film Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
Best Ensemble Nominated
Actor of the Year George Clooney (Also for The Descendants) Nominated
Actor of the Year Ryan Gosling (Also for Drive and Crazy, Stupid, Love.) Runner-up
David di Donatello Awards[32] Best Foreign Film Nominated
68th Venice International Film Festival.[33] Brian Award Won
Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards[34] Best Film – International Nominated
Best Screenplay – International George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon Won
Best Actor – International Ryan Gosling Nominated
69th Golden Globe Awards[35] Best Picture – Drama Nominated
Best Director George Clooney Nominated
Best Actor – Drama Ryan Gosling Nominated
Best Screenplay George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon Nominated
Hollywood Movie Awards[36] Hollywood Editor Award Stephen Mirrione Won
National Board of Review[37] Top Ten Films Nominated
Palm Springs International Film Festival[38] Chairman's Award George Clooney (Also for The Descendants) Won
Producers Guild of America Award[39] Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Brian Oliver Nominated
World Soundtrack Awards 2012[40] Best Score of the Year Alexandre Desplat Nominated
Best Soundtrack Composer of the Year Alexandre Desplat Nominated

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Sony acquires Clooney's 'Ides of March'". Variety. November 1, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  2. ^ "Sony acquires Clooney's 'Ides of March'". Variety. November 1, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  3. ^ "Sony acquires Clooney's 'Ides of March'". Variety. November 1, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  4. ^ "Sony acquires Clooney's 'Ides of March'". Variety. November 1, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  5. ^ "The Ides of March". Variety. August 31, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  6. ^ "Sony acquires Clooney's 'Ides of March'". Variety. November 1, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  7. ^ "Sony acquires Clooney's 'Ides of March'". Variety. November 1, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  8. ^ "The Ides of March (15)". E1 Films. British Board of Film Classification. September 12, 2011. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  9. ^ Kaufman, Amy (October 6, 2011). "Movie Projector: 'Real Steel' to crush 'Ides of March'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  10. ^ "The Ides of March (2011)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  11. ^ "TIFF 2011: U2, Brad Pitt, George Clooney Films Featured At 2011 Toronto International Film Festival". HuffPost. The Canadian Press. July 26, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
  12. ^ Evans, Ian (2011). "Ides of March premiere photos". DigitalHit.com. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  13. ^ a b c d Fischer, Russ (November 2, 2010). "Sony Picks up George Clooney's 'The Ides of March' For December 2011 Release". /Film. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  14. ^ a b "The Ides of March (2011)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  15. ^ a b c d McNary, Dave (October 27, 2010). "Clooney to direct Gosling in 'Ides of March'". Variety. Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
  16. ^ "George Clooney films at Xavier". WCPO-TV. E. W. Scripps Company. February 28, 2011. Archived from the original on May 19, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  17. ^ Kiesewetter, John (February 28, 2011). "Clooney team films 'Ides' at fast pace". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  18. ^ "Movie extras needed for George Clooney film in Ann Arbor". WXYZ-TV. February 15, 2011. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
  19. ^ "'Ides' credits forget to thank Cincinnati". The Cincinnati Enquirer. October 7, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  20. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (June 22, 2011). "Venice confirms 'Ides' as opener". Variety. Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  21. ^ McClintock, Pamela (March 3, 2011). "Sony Sets Release Date for George Clooney's 'The Ides of March'". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on August 5, 2011. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  22. ^ "The Ides of March". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  23. ^ "The Ides of March Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  24. ^ Kaufman, Amy (October 9, 2011). "Box Office: 'Real Steel' KOs competition, including George Clooney". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  25. ^ Murray, Noel (October 6, 2011). "The Ides of March | Film". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  26. ^ Edelstein, David (October 2, 2011). "Review: 'The Ides of March' and 'The Human Centipede 2'". New York. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  27. ^ Scott, A. O. (October 6, 2011). "Estranged Bedfellows". The New York Times. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  28. ^ "17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards (2012) – Best Picture: The Artist". Criticschoice.com. December 13, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  29. ^ "Casting Society of America Announces Artios Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. August 20, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  30. ^ Tapley, Kristopher (January 2, 2012). "'Tree of Life' leads the way with Central Ohio critics nominations". HitFix. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  31. ^ "Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA) - 2011 Awards". cofca.org. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  32. ^ Lyman, Eric J. (April 12, 2012). "Marco Tulio Giordana Drama Earns 16 Nominations for Italy's Top Film Honors". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  33. ^ "Brian Award at Venice Film Festival 2011". Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics (in Italian). September 9, 2011. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
  34. ^ "AACTA International Award Nominees" (PDF). Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). January 15, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  35. ^ "The Artist Leads 2011 Golden Globe Nominations With Six Bids". Time. December 15, 2011.
  36. ^ "2011 Hollywood Film Awards Honorees". Yahoo! Movies. October 7, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  37. ^ Corliss, Richard (December 1, 2011). "Year-End Awards: National Board of Review Says 'We Go with Hugo'". Time. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  38. ^ Pond, Steve (November 18, 2012). "Clooney gets Palm Springs film festival Chairman's award". Reuters. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  39. ^ "PGA ANNOUNCES THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURE AND LONG-FORM TELEVISION NOMINATIONS FOR 2012 PGA AWARDS". producersguild.org. January 3, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  40. ^ "World Soundtrack Awards". worldsoundtrackacademy.com. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
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