Dana and Tom with 5x Club Member, Christine Duncan, and Adam Freed (Managing Editor and Senior Film Critic at (MovieArcher.com)) discuss The American President (1995) for its 30th Anniversary: directed by Rob Reiner, written by Aaron Sorkin, cinematography by John Seale, music by Marc Shaiman, editing by Robert Leighton, starring Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, and Richard Dreyfuss.

Plot Summary: President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) is a widowed, popular U.S. president preparing for re-election. His life changes when he meets Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), a passionate environmental lobbyist. Their romance quickly blossoms, but it also sparks political controversy as the media and his rival, Senator Bob Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss), question his judgment and character.

As public pressure grows, Shepherd must choose between protecting his political career or following his heart. With the help of his loyal Chief of Staff A.J. MacInerney (Martin Sheen) and adviser Lewis Rothschild (Michael J. Fox), he learns that true leadership means standing up for what’s right — even when it’s unpopular.

Guests:

Christine Duncan - Wife of Dana and Mother of Tom

• 17x guest: Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, There's Something About Mary, My Fair Lady, Pillow Talk, The Odd Couple, Bringing Up Baby, A Few Good Men - Revisit, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Top Gun, Dial M for Murder, Anatomy of a Murder, Gone Girl, Roman Holiday Revisit, The Apartment, Men of Honor (2000)

Adam Freed

• Managing Editor and Senior Film Critic at (MovieArcher.com)
• @moviearcher on Twitter and Instagram
• Previously on Batman (1989), Pulp Fiction (1994) Revisit, Return of the Jedi (1983)

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction, Cast, and Background for The American President

03:10 Welcome Back Christine and Adam

05:53 Rob Reiner and The American President

10:16 Relationships with The American President

25:42 What is The American President About?

31:54 Plot Summary for The American President

32:52 Did You Know?

40:39 First Break

41:28 What's Up with Christine and Adam

47:05 Welcome to Our Newest Listeners

48:44 GMOAT Hall of Fame - November 2025

01:00:53 The Cinema Legacy Poll Rankings - #30-26

01:15:59 Best Performance(s)

01:29:22 Best Scene(s)

01:45:08 Second Break

01:45:47 In Memoriam

01:50:29 Best/Funniest Lines

01:54:53 The Stanley Rubric - Legacy

02:04:10 The Stanley Rubric - Impact/Significance

02:08:02 The Stanley Rubric - Novelty

02:12:26 The Stanley Rubric - Classicness

02:18:35 The Stanley Rubric - Rewatchability

02:23:56 The Stanley Rubric - Audience Score and Final Total

02:26:02 Remaining Questions for The American President

02:32:16 Thank You to Christine and Adam

02:33:40 Remaining Thoughts

02:38:43 Credits

You can also find this episode in full video on YouTube.

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For more on the episode, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/the-american-president-1995-ft-christine-duncan-and-adam-freed

For the entire rankings list so far, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/greatest-movie-of-all-time-list

Keywords:

American President, Rob Reiner, Aaron Sorkin, Michael Douglas, romantic comedy, political film, leadership, character development, feminism, film trivia, cinema, film, nominees, Hall of Fame, performances, rankings, genres, memorable moments, film analysis, political films, romantic comedies, legacy, impact, novelty, classicness, rewatchability, audience engagement, Michael J Fox, Martin Sheen, Annette Benning, Marc Shaiman, Richard Dreyfuss

Ronny Duncan Studios