Advise and Consent (1962)
- Starring:
- Henry Fonda, Charles Laughton, (more)
- Director(s):
- Otto Preminger
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- NR
My RatingTheatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
The first of Allen Drury "all names changed to protect the guilty" political novels, Advise and Consent was brought to the screen by producer/director Otto Preminger. The film hinges upon the appointment of Robert Leffingwell (Henry Fonda) to Secretary of State. Leffingwell has been hand-picked by the President (Franchot Tone), meaning that there'll be a battle on the Senate floor between adherents of and opponents to the current administration. Among the participants are veteran Dixiecrat Charles Laughton, freshman Senator Don Murray and powerseeker George Grizzard. Burgess Meredith also shows up as a man who is brought into the Senate to "prove" that Leffingwell is a communist. To neutralize Murray, Grizzard threatens to dredge up a homosexual incident in Murray's past, which results in the latter's suicide. Advise and Consent is a slow and old-fashioned film, coming to life only when Laughton and Grizzard are on screen--and in the climax, in which the fate of Leffingwell's appointment is left in the hands of acting President Lew Ayres. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 138 mins
Complete Cast:
- Henry Fonda - Robert Leffingwell
- Don Murray - Sen. Brigham Anderson
- Gene Tierney - Dolly Harrison
- Inga Swenson - Ellen Anderson
- Burgess Meredith - Herbert Gelman
- Paul Ford - Sen. Stanley Danta
- Edward Andrews - Sen. Orrin Knox
- Raoul de Leon - Sen. Velez
- J. Edward McKinley - Sen. Hanson
- Betty White - Sen. Bessie Adams
- Cay Forrester - President's Secretary
- Chet Stratton - Rev. Birch
- Michele Montau - Celestine Barre
- Eddie Hodges - Johnny Leffingwell
- Malcolm Atterbury - Sen. Tom August
- Charles Laughton - Sen. Seabright "Seab" Cooley
- Walter Pidgeon - Sen. Bob Munson
- Peter Lawford - Sen. Lafe Smith
- Lew Ayres - The Vice-President
- George Grizzard - Sen. Fred Van Ackerman
- Franchot Tone - The President
- Russ Brown - Nightwatchman
- Tom Helmore - British Ambassador
- Rene Paul - French Ambassador
- Will Geer - Senate Minority Leader
- Sid Gould - Bartender
- Bill Quinn - Sen. Hendershot
- Paul McGrath - Hardiman Fletcher
- Hilary Eaves - Lady Maudulayne
- Director(s):
- Otto Preminger
- Writer(s):
- Wendell Mayes
- Producer(s):
- Otto Preminger
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- NR(Questionable for Children)
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- 1962 - Advise and Consent - National Board of Review - Best Supporting Actor







