Scenario
Henry Fonda’s Life, Roles, and Final Interview in 1981 chronicles a journey through American history from 1651 to the presidency of the 1980s, personifying the complexities of the nation via a road trip from Fonda, NY, to the Pacific. Probably the best film I saw at the 74th Berlinale, and definitely the most interesting. It was made by Alexander Horwath, the former director of the Austrian Film Museum, among other things, and his expertise in film history can be seen in every minute of this essay. However, Henry Fonda for President doesn’t just focus on film history; it connects Henry Fonda’s life and films with American history in a delightful way, from the 16th century to the present. Horwath said in the interview that his first draft was over 6 hours long, but he and his editor and cinematographer Michael Palm condensed it very efficiently. The film takes its time, as all Fonda films do, but it never gets boring despite its three-hour running time.