FINAL DAYS, THE (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television historical drama film, based on the 1976 book of the same name by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, chronicles the collapse of Richard Nixon's presidency during the Watergate investigation of 1972-1974.
After the arrest of five burglars in June 1972 at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex, Nixon addresses the nation, acknowledging that "new information" regarding the scandal has prompted the resignations of aide John Ehrlichman and Chief of Staff Bob Haldeman. General Alexander Haig and Leonard Garment ask lawyer J. Fred Buzhardt to serve as special White House counsel, and Nixon orders Buzhardt to handle "the Dean problem," referring to Presidential Counsel John Dean's comments to the press about Nixon's use of illegal wiretaps, among other things. Nixon admits to Haig that he authorized some illegal surveillance, but cites the political turbulence of 1970 as his justification. He names "national security" as the reason for his instructions to the FBI not to pursue the matter of the $89,000 paid to the Watergate burglars. When the tapes from the March 21 conversation come out, Nixon protests that Dean did not outright tell him about the cover-up; when questioned about his claims of having Dean "on tape," Nixon states that he was referring to a standard Dictaphone, not an illicit recording.
Later, Nixon meets with General Secretary Brezhnev and gifts him with an automobile, then accompanying the Soviet leader for a hair-raising joyride. Buzhardt muses that Dean's testimony is suggestive but "legally inconclusive." When Deputy Assistant Alexander Butterfield is called to the stand, he testifies that Dean was "just guessing" – correctly – about Nixon's secret Oval Office tapes. Nixon instructs Buzhardt to write a memo about the "similar" recording methods used by past administrations and then orders Haig to disconnect the equipment, angrily vowing that no one must ever hear the tapes. Special prosecutor Archibald Cox demands the tapes, however, and Nixon argues that violating executive privilege will "shatter" the presidency for years to come. Haig informs Attorney General Elliot Richardson that Nixon will simply fire Cox if he does not retract the subpoena for the tapes, though Richardson notes that VP Agnew is also facing up to 40 indictable charges of tax fraud and corruption. Nixon decides to mollify Cox with "some kind of summary" of the tapes in question, and Agnew resigns in disgrace.
Despite Nixon's assurances that his summary of the tapes will be "authentic," Cox addresses the press about the president's recalcitrance; when Nixon orders Richardson to fire Cox, Richardson himself resigns in protest. Left with few options, Buzhardt suggests that turning over the tapes would provide "shock value" and undermine Richardson's actions, but notes that some of the tapes have mysteriously gone missing. Nixon suggests manufacturing evidence, and Buzhardt and Garment, realizing that the situation has become untenable, tell Haig and Press Secretary Ron Ziegler that Nixon must consider resignation. Shocked, they argue that his doing so would have a devastating effect on foreign policy. Nixon refuses to see Buzhardt when he travels to Florida to address him in person. Haig decides that Buzhardt must listen to the tapes to craft a "damage-limiting operation," and Buzhardt soon learns that 18 full minutes – not four and a half, as claimed – of the subpoenaed June 20 tape of Nixon's conversation with Haldeman have been erased, allegedly by secretary Rose Mary Woods. Haldeman's notes reveal that their discussion did indeed concern Watergate; though Nixon and Woods both deny intentional wrongdoing, Haig recruits criminal lawyer James St. Clair to assist with the ever-worsening case.
When yet more of the tapes are subpoenaed, Nixon again proposes an abridged transcript omitting the "bad language" used in his conversations, though he then redacts entire sections of the files, telling a frustrated Buzhardt to fill in the gaps with an "appropriate phrase." Haig and Buzhardt hesitantly tell Nixon that the special prosecutor has enough proof to name him as an unindicted co-conspirator but will drop the planned charges in exchange for the actual tapes -- which St. Clair describes as blackmail. Nixon hides an attack of phlebitis as he and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger head to Cairo in an attempt to distract the press from the hearings. An overworked Buzhardt falls ill as Kissinger, seeing the writing on the wall, hopes for a "merciful" end for Nixon. Buzhardt spends his convalescence reading St. Clair's "sloppy" briefs; though Haig tries to dismiss the grim rumors, Buzhardt informs him that there are "awesome differences" between Nixon's transcripts and the evidence unearthed by the House Judiciary Committee. When Buzhardt listens to the June 23 tapes and hears Haldeman's comments about Nixon's orders to the FBI to "stay the hell out of this," he informs Haig that he has indeed found the dreaded "smoking pistol."
Nixon denounces Buzhardt as panicky, but Haig tells him that he cannot defy Judge Sirica's court order. Nixon decides to review the tapes himself. He issues a statement to the press promising full compliance, but he then hears his own damning statements on the tapes and realizes the end is near. The Judiciary Committee soon votes for impeachment and Ehrlichman is sentenced to prison. Haig tells Ford that upcoming "catastrophic" revelations will likely result in his becoming the next president, then hinting that he will have "unrestricted" powers to pardon. Nixon assembles his family members and provides them with copies of the damning evidence, though his daughters remain steadfast in their belief that he should not resign. Haig publicly admits Nixon's "erroneous omissions" regarding the FBI instructions, and Nixon learns that the Congressional reaction "went the way they expected." Wondering about Nixon's mental state, Buzhardt tells Haig about his sense of embarrassment in listening to the tapes and hearing Nixon confessing his many "fears and obsessions" aloud. Nixon tells Kissinger that he intends to resign, wondering how "just a burglary" could have caused such profound events; he tearfully begs Kissinger to pray with him as Kissinger assures him that he will be remembered as a patriot and "a peacemaker."
Nixon then breaks the news to his family and takes photos of the scene for "history." As he prepares to make his statement to the country, he wonders if he will be criminally prosecuted, suggesting that he is "just like Gandhi" in his unfair vilification by his peers and the press. Vowing that there will be no presidential pardons, he formally resigns on Aug. 9, 1974, and then gives a speech to his staffers and family about his journey, praising his parents' efforts and quoting Theodore Roosevelt's 1910 "Citizenship in a Republic" speech. He then departs the White House for the last time, flashing his signature "V for victory" gestures as he leaves. Includes commercials for AT&T and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 29, 1989 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:55:39
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:15661
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; History - American; Nixon, Richard M.; Watergate Affair, 1972-1974; Politics
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1989
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - AT&T telephone services
- TV - Promos - "Anything But Love"
- TV - Promos - "Chicken Soup"
- TV - Promos - "Crocodile Dundee"
- TV - Promos - "Doogie Howser, M.D."
- TV - Promos - "Good Morning America"
- TV - Promos - "Kojak"
- TV - Promos - "MacGyver"
- TV - Promos - "Mission: Impossible"
- TV - Promos - "Roseanne"
- TV - Promos - "Small Sacrifices"
- TV - Promos - "The Barbara Walters Special"
- TV - Promos - "The Wonder Years"
- TV - Promos - "The Young Riders"
- TV - Promos - "Who's the Boss?"
- TV - Promos - "thirtysomething"
- TV - Promos - ABC World News Tonight
- TV - Promos - Monday Night Football
CREDITS
- Stu Samuels … Executive Producer
- Richard L. O'Connor … Producer
- Susan Weber-Gold … Co-Producer
- Richard Pearce … Director
- Hugh Whitemore … Writer
- Bob Woodward … Based on the book by
- Carl Bernstein … Based on the book by
- Cliff Eidelman … Music by
- Lane Smith … Cast, Richard Nixon
- David Ogden Stiers … Cast, General Alexander M. Haig Jr.
- Ed Flanders … Cast, Leonard Garment
- Theodore Bikel … Cast, Henry Kissinger
- Graham Beckel … Cast, Ron Ziegler
- James B. Sikking … Cast, Elliot Richardson
- Richard Venture … Cast, James St. Clair
- Gregg Henry … Cast, John Dean
- Richard Kiley … Cast, J. Fred Buzhardt
- Ramon Bieri … Cast, Judge John J. Sirica
- Ann Hearn … Cast, Julie Nixon Eisenhower
- Amanda Wyss … Cast, Tricia Nixon Cox
- Alan Fudge … Cast, Gerald Ford
- George D. Wallace … Cast, Archibald Cox
- Susan Brown … Cast, Pat Nixon
- Diana Bellamy … Cast, Rose Mary Woods
- Gary Sinise … Cast, Richard Ben-Veniste
- James Edgcomb … Cast, Alexander Butterfield
- Wayne Tippit … Cast, Senator Edward Gurney
- Newell Alexander … Cast, Ollie Atkins
- Elizabeth Norment … Cast, Jill Volner
- Patrick Massett … Cast, Edward Cox
- Milo Kevin Floeter … Cast, David Eisenhower
- Paul Yeuell … Cast, Stephen Bull
- Bros Sichkin … Cast, Leonid Brezhnev
- Matt Roe … Cast, Dick Keiser
- Kate Williamson … Cast, Mrs. Buzhardt
- Julio Medina … Cast, Manolo Sanchez
- Arell Blanton … Cast, Lt. Col. Brennan
- Vasek Simek … Cast, Russian Interpreter
- Mort Sertner … Cast, Doctor
- Richardson Morse … Cast, Reporter
- Tom Miller … Cast, Newscaster
- Susan Ware … Cast, Production Assistant
- Dick O'Connor … Cast, TV Director
- Sue Ann Gilfillan … Cast, Secretary #1
- Diane Behrens … Cast, Secretary #2
- Jeff Perry … Cast, Staffer
- For "ABC News Brief":
- Tom Jarriel … Anchor