Paper trailblazers: investigating democracy in 'All the president's men'

All The President's Men ( Alan J Pakula, 1976) is a gritty, realistic political thriller that seeks to fictionally document one of the most notorious political scandals of the twentieth century. Focusing on the investigation that led to the shameful resignation of President Richard Nixon on 9 August 1974, it follows the work of the two journalists responsible for exposing the so-called Watergate scandal. But despite its sombre mood, by focusing on the determination of these two journalists the film ultimately celebrates the very system of government that it appears to call into question, emphasising their success in the face of overwhelming political corruption. That two normal Americans could bring down a corrupt administration speaks not of the flaws of the political system, but rather its strengths. From this perspective, All the President's Men can be best understood as a monument to democracy in action.