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Primary Colors (1998)

R  |   |  Comedy, Drama  |  20 March 1998 (USA)
6.7
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Ratings: 6.7/10 from 23,317 users   Metascore: 70/100
Reviews: 156 user | 116 critic | 30 from Metacritic.com

A man joins the political campaign of a smooth-operator candidate for president of the USA.

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(novel) (as Anonymous) , (screenplay)
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Title: Primary Colors (1998)

Primary Colors (1998) on IMDb 6.7/10

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Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 28 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Mamma Stanton
...
Rebecca Walker ...
March
...
Lucille Kaufman
Tommy Hollis ...
William McCullison (Fat Willie)
...
Izzy Rosenblatt
...
Arlen Sporken
J.C. Quinn ...
Uncle Charlie
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Storyline

Jack Stanton is running for president. The election is seen through the eyes of young Henry Burton. Along the way Stanton must deal with a sex scandal. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

He was born to run See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and sexual references | See all certifications »
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Details

Country:

| | | |

Language:

Release Date:

20 March 1998 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Mit aller Macht  »

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$12,045,395 (USA) (20 March 1998)

Gross:

£497,545 (UK) (6 November 1998)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

| | |

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The house used as the Picker house is Oak Alley Plantation - same site of Louis' house in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994). See more »

Goofs

When Gov. Stanton is on "Geraldo" Richard Jemmons compares Henry to Libby "who actually goes crazy when her candidate turns out not to be the rock her church was built on", but his mouth does not sync with "the rock". See more »

Quotes

Richard Jemmons: Hey fuck you!
Henry Burton: Fuck me? Fuck you, you redneck son of a bitch!
See more »

Connections

Spoofs Dirty Harry (1971) See more »

Soundtracks

PRIMROSE LANE
Written by Wayne Shanklin, George Callender
See more »

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User Reviews

Primary Flaws: A Modern Tragedy
20 September 1998 | by (TN) – See all my reviews

As (I think it was) Yogi Berra said, "It's deja vu all over again!" On this, the weekend after the release of the Starr report, the movie rings so true. Travolta was great in por- traying the manic pathology of Stanton/Clinton.

And of course, Kathy Bates was superb as Libby, who in the end was unable to reconcile her loyalty to Stanton with her loyalty to the truth. If Stanton was flawed by his weakness of the flesh, Libby was flawed by her strength - by her inability to give up the best part of herself to the moral malaise that so pervaded the Stanton candidacy.

How ironic that the film ends with the inauguration ball, with Stanton and wife whirling in triumph across the ballroom floor, without a hint of what was to come... I have seen this film labeled a comedy. I cannot see it as anything other than a tragedy, in the Greek sense - a man who with the best of in- tentions, but whose flaws finally undo him.


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