Advise and Consent (1962)

Introduction

Advise & Consent (1962) is a tense, cerebral, and surprisingly daring political drama directed by Otto Preminger, adapted from Allen Drury’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. It offers a razor-sharp look at the inner workings of the United States Senate and the murky interplay of politics, personal secrets, ideology, and power. Shot in striking black and white and featuring an all-star cast of seasoned veterans and rising stars, the film is both a gripping procedural and a bold meditation on American democracy under pressure.

In an era of Cold War paranoia and burgeoning social change, Advise & Consent was daring in its treatment of political blackmail, ideological extremism, and—most notably—homosexuality, a taboo rarely addressed in mainstream American cinema of the time. The film captures the moral ambiguity and high stakes of public service, and like much of Preminger’s work, it refuses to offer easy heroes or villains.

Plot Summary

The plot centres on the controversial nomination of Robert A. Leffingwell (Henry Fonda), a liberal intellectual with suspected Communist ties, as Secretary of State by an ailing President (Franchot Tone). The nomination sets off a fierce confirmation battle in the U.S. Senate, presided over by the calm and respected Majority Leader, Senator Bob Munson (Walter Pidgeon).

Assigned to chair the subcommittee investigating Leffingwell is the upright and young Senator Brigham “Brig” Anderson (Don Murray), a conservative from Utah. Anderson initially appears reluctant to block the nomination, but after uncovering inconsistencies in Leffingwell’s testimony—especially about his alleged Communist past—he begins to oppose the nomination.

Meanwhile, Senator Seabright “Seab” Cooley (Charles Laughton), an old-school Southern firebrand and fierce Leffingwell opponent, joins the fray, seeing the nomination as part of a dangerous leftist agenda. The conflict soon becomes personal when Anderson is blackmailed over a long-buried homosexual relationship, leading to tragic consequences.

The film builds to a vote on the Senate floor, with alliances shifting and loyalties tested, culminating in a finale that is both politically shattering and emotionally devastating.

Performances

Henry Fonda, in a relatively brief but vital role, brings gravitas and restraint to Leffingwell. His intellectual charisma and ambiguity make him both admirable and suspect. Fonda plays him as a man of principle—but whether those principles once included Communism is never definitively answered.

Don Murray is quietly heroic as Brigham Anderson. His journey from loyal party man to tortured conscience of the Senate gives the film its emotional arc. Murray’s performance, especially in his later scenes, is tragic and humane.

Charles Laughton, in his final film role, is unforgettable as Senator Seab Cooley. Blustering, theatrical, and slyly intelligent, Cooley at first seems like a caricature, but Laughton gives him surprising depth. It’s a bravura performance that steals every scene.

Walter Pidgeon, as Majority Leader Munson, provides a steadying influence amid the chaos. His world-weary pragmatism and moral complexity make him the closest thing the film has to a guiding conscience.

Franchot Tone, in a rare late-career role, is powerful as the unnamed President. Though his screen time is limited, Tone conveys the desperation of a man facing his own mortality and trying to cement his legacy—at any cost.

Gene Tierney, returning to the screen after a hiatus, appears as Dolly Harrison, a glamorous Washington hostess. Though her role is small, her presence adds an old-Hollywood elegance and emotional dimension to the film’s personal stakes.

George Grizzard, Burgess Meredith, and Peter Lawford all shine in supporting roles, contributing to an ensemble that feels as diverse and complex as the institution it portrays.

Direction and Visual Style

Otto Preminger directs with his signature long takes, fluid camera movements, and cool detachment. His style allows conversations to breathe, tension to mount, and performances to build organically. The film was shot in Technirama and crisp black and white by Sam Leavitt, giving it a documentary-like realism that enhances its political authenticity.

Preminger’s use of real Washington D.C. locations—including the Capitol Building, Senate offices, and the surrounding city—grounds the film in a sense of place and importance. This isn't a symbolic version of government; it feels real, tangible, and dangerous.

Preminger famously courted controversy and broke taboos. Just as he challenged the Production Code with The Moon Is Blue and The Man with the Golden Arm, here he forces 1962 audiences to confront not just the threat of communism or the cost of public service, but the pain of blackmail based on sexual orientation. It’s presented with relative restraint, but the implications are clear—and devastating.

Themes

Democracy and Its Discontents: The film scrutinizes how personal ambition, ideological extremism, and political manoeuvring can distort the democratic process.

Truth vs. Power: As senators weigh facts against loyalty and optics, Advise & Consent shows that truth in politics is not always the deciding factor.

McCarthyism and Red Scare Paranoia: The shadow of 1950s anti-Communist witch hunts looms large, with Leffingwell’s past—and the tactics used to uncover it—raising questions about guilt, forgiveness, and character assassination.

Private Shame, Public Destruction: Through Senator Anderson’s blackmail subplot, the film quietly critiques the societal stigma around homosexuality, portraying it not as deviance but as a tragic vulnerability exploited by others.

Moral Ambiguity: No character emerges unscathed or morally pure. Even those with the best intentions must make compromises—or suffer the consequences.

Cultural Significance and Legacy

Upon release, Advise & Consent was both praised and criticized for its frankness. It was one of the first Hollywood films to portray a closeted gay man sympathetically, though in a tragic light. Its nuanced view of American politics—neither cynical nor idealistic—was rare for the time and remains deeply relevant.

The film was a modest commercial success and earned critical acclaim, though it was largely shut out of major awards. Today, it is considered one of the finest political dramas ever made, a spiritual precursor to films like All the President’s Men (1976) and The Ides of March (2011).

Final Verdict

Advise & Consent is a slow-burning, impeccably acted, and intellectually rigorous film that examines the American political process with a novelist’s detail and a director’s discipline. Otto Preminger’s icy lens captures both the grandeur and the pettiness of power, while the ensemble cast brings complex characters to vivid life. In its depiction of Washington as a place where ideals collide with ambition and secrets destroy careers, it remains as timely and unsettling today as it was over sixty years ago.

An essential, elegantly composed political drama that dared to challenge the norms of its time—and still challenges audiences to consider the cost of truth in public life.