The Secret Man

Authors: Alex
Location: Washington State

"The Secret Man"

Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Written by William Goldman
Music by Marc Shaiman

Principal Cast:

Hal Holbrook (W. Mark Felt a.k.a. Deep Throat)
Robert Redford (Bob Woodward)
Jane Fonda (Mark’s daughter Joan Felt)
Dustin Hoffman (Carl Bernstein)

Tagline: "After decades of guesses, the real Deep Throat decides to reveal himself"

Synopsis:If you have promised an informant that his identity will remain a secret, how could you look yourself in the mirror if you then break that promise? The story of how Bob Woodward (Robert Redford), Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) and the others who kept W. Mark Felt’s (Hal Holbrook) secret identity of Deep Throat for so long are. As The Secret Man shows, history has been the loser from such fealty, for it has been deprived of a full, personal explanation by Felt. But that was his choice. And both morality and journalism can be counted as winners. With Holbrook, Redford, and Hoffman reviving their roles from All the President’s Men.

What the press would say:

Author and veteran reporter Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) ends his book of the same name by saying, “There never is a final draft of history.” Perhaps, but his film turns the page on an era and on Deep Throat - the alias of FBI official W. Mark Felt (Hal Holbrook) - the pivotal secret source for the Watergate articles that helped bring down Richard Nixon's presidency. Remarkably, Woodward and his Washington Post partner Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) along with a select few protected their source's identity for more than 30 years. Robert Zemeckis paints a compelling portrait of an almost tortured relationship between Woodward and Felt, a father figure and mentor.

Several times Felt came a hair's breadth from being exposed. Pained, Woodward admits that he missed his chance to uncover Felt's motivations for abetting the Post's investigative crusade. By the time Woodward tried to reconcile their troubled relationship, Felt was 87 and dementia had twisted his memory. Yet, Felt triumphed in his historic clash with Nixon.

Woodward concludes, 'By surviving and enduring his hidden life...in his own way, W. Mark Felt won.' We most highly recommend this film, especially for those seeking a better understanding of the Watergate participants, whose actions will continue to ripple the waters of American politics for many years to come.

Best Picture
Best Director: Zemeckis
Best Actor: Holbrook
Best Actor: Redford
Best Supporting Actress: Fonda
Best Supporting Actor: Hoffman
Best Adapted Screenplay: Goldman
Best Score: Shaiman