J. Edgar

Information Equals Power
J. Edgar, R, ****1/2, Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts, Armie Hammer, Judi Dench. Warnter Bros. film. Director Clint Eastwood. Length: 136 minutes.

J. Edgar Hoover is known by everyone who has studied history. However, information in this film did not make some of the History books. Leonardo DiCaprio gives a riveting performance as Hoover when he was an employee and later as the leader of the Bureau of Investigation. The film continues all the way to his death in 1972. I have heard many stories about J. Edgar Hoover, and his ability to keep files on his enemies and potential enemies. This backup plan became blackmail and apparently it worked.
Several Presidents had plans to dismiss him from the Bureau, because of his methods, prejudices, and corruption. Although they wanted to rid the Bureau of his presence, it did not happen.
I learned a little more than I really wanted to know about “J. Edgar,” but as we all say – “Information is Power.” Hoover used his information to keep his job, and get his way about law enforcement and how it should be conducted.
Presidents could not fire him. How could a President of the United States allow files that could destroy his reputation or have him impeached if the files Hoover possessed were made public. President Johnson was going to fire him until he found out Hoover had a file on him.
Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts) became Hoover’s secretary. She was loyal and apparently was in charge of his secret files. Annie Hoover (Judi Dench) is J. Edgar’s mother. Annie was the authoritarian figure in his life up until her death.
Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer) became Hoover’s colleague and closest friend. The two men worked together, took trips, dined with each other, and apparently were extremely close. They stayed in the closet for many reasons. Publicly Hoover did not like minorities or gays along with a long list of others.
Hoover did a lot of good things during his long career to help America. Hollywood seemed to be exploiting gangsters in their movies. James Cagney played gangsters, Edward G. Robinson, and a long list of others.
After The Bureau cleaned up a lot of corruption, it appeared Hollywood began to make heroes out of G-Men and law enforcement officers. The Bureau killed John Dillinger and helped get crime under control through the leadership of Hoover. His force in changing the corruption was demonstrated with a strong sense of dedication to his job.
With Hoover’s persistence The Lindbergh Law was passed. It made kidnapping a Capital Offense. Much of the film revolves around the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh’s son. The case was finally solved, but it seemed some people did not believe that the accused man, Bruno Hauptmann, was guilty.
J. Edgar Hoover brought science and research to the Bureau of Investigation. By doing so, this helped to give more credence to the evidence found at the scene of the crime.
The film moves from the beginning of Hoover’s career to the final days. This technique gives a more thorough look at Hoover’s life and what made him tick. A great deal of the film is dedicated to the Lindbergh case and how it was brought to trial. “J. Edgar” delivers great acting by DiCapro and excellent direction by Clint Eastwood. I recommend this film for a blast from the past along with information that the viewer may or may not want to know. However, it is a part of history. If we do not learn from history, it has the possibility of repeating itself.
Hoover had some shady ways of solving crimes, but it worked for him. He certainly was not right about some things, but he did help create and work diligently with The Federal Bureau of Investigation.
As Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” This is a message for all of us - Do not allow evil to triumph. Do not sit by and do nothing. Get involved in righting wrongs.