Gabriel Over the White House is a 1933 motion picture depicting a fictional President of the United States who has a religious experience and attempts to solve his country's problems through authoritarian means. 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ... The President of the United States is the head of state of the United States. ... In religious experience, or sacred experience, the believer comes in contact with transcendental reality. ... The term authoritarian is used to describe an organization or a state which enforces strong and sometimes oppressive measures against the population, generally without attempts at gaining the consent of the population. ...

The film stars Walter Huston, Karen Morley, Franchot Tone, C. Henry Gordon, and David Landau. It was directed by Gregory La Cava and written by Carey Wilson, who adapted it from a novel by Thomas Frederic Tweed, who did not receive screen credit. Walter Huston Walter Huston (April 6, 1884 – April 7, 1950) was a Canadian-born actor. ... Karen Morley (December 12, 1909 - March 8, 2003) was an American film actress. ... Franchot Tone (February 27, 1905 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor. ... David Landau (born June 22, 1947), better known as David Lander, is an American actor, comedian, composer, musician, and baseball scout. ... Gregory La Cava (March 10, 1892 - March 1, 1952) was an American film director of the 1930s. ...

Synopsis

The film opens during the depths of the Great Depression, during the adminstration of the newly-elected President Judson C. "Judd" Hammond (Walter Huston). Hammond, a corrupt and apathetic, though charismatic, party hack, cares little for the pressing problems of the day, declaring that crushing unemployment and rampant bootlegging are "local problems" that the federal government should stay out of. An isolationist, he ignores other nations, even those that might pose a threat to America. He is much more interested in doling out government jobs to his cronies and having an affair with his "private secretary," Pendie Molloy (Karen Morley), than with doing any actual work. The Great Depression was a massive global economic recession (or depression) that ran from 1929 to 1941. ... Apathy is the lack of emotion, motivation, or enthusiasm. ... Charismatic authority, as defined by the sociologist Max Weber, is one of three forms of authority laid out in Webers tripartite classification of authority, the other two being traditional authority and legal or rational authority. ... Dorothea Langes Migrant Mother depicts destitute pea pickers in California during the Great Depression. ... Bootlegging is the illegal sale or manufacture of cigarettes, liquor, and other consumer goods (such as compact discs or DVDs) subject to taxes for the purposes of evading those taxes, or licensing fees. ... Isolationism is a diplomatic policy whereby a nation seeks to avoid alliances with other nations. ... An affair is a euphemism for a situation where two people are involved in an illicit sexual, romantic and/or passionate attachment, usually for a limited duration. ...

One day, while showing off in his brand-new automobile, President Hammond suffers a near(?)-fatal crash, during which, he believes, he sees the Archangel Gabriel. Upon awakening from an apparent coma, Hammond, believing himself to be under Gabriel's direction, resolves to use whatever means are necessary to transform America into a Utopia. A small variety of cars, the most popular kind of automobile. ... A car accident in Yate, near Bristol, England, in July 2004. ... Tyrael, an archangel from the video game Diablo II. An Archangel is a supernatural being of Zoroastrian Persian, Judaic, Christian, and Islamic theology, counted among the angels. ... Gabriel delivering the Annunciation. ... In medicine, a coma (from the Greek koma, meaning deep sleep) is a profound state of unconsciousness, which may result from a variety of conditions including intoxication (drug, alcohol or toxins), metabolic abnormalities (hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, etc. ... Utopia, in its most common and general meaning, refers to a hypothetical perfect society. ...

Hammond's first act to that effect is to order that food be provided to an army of the unemployed that are marching to Washington, D.C. to demand government aid that will reduce unemployment and poverty. Instead, the leaders of the marchers, including populist firebrand John Bronson (David Landau), are shot and killed by the Army. Coxeys Army was a group of unemployed American workers, led by the populist reformer Jacob Coxey, who marched on Washington D.C. in 1894, the second year of a four-year economic depression that was the worst in United States history to that time. ... Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C., Washington, the Nations Capital, or the District, and historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United States of America, and as such, the word Washington is often used as a... Social welfare can be taken to mean the welfare or well-being of a society. ... Poverty is the state of being without, often associated with need, hardship and lack of resources across a wide range of circumstances. ... Populism is a political philosophy or rhetorical style that holds that the common person is oppressed by the elite in society, and that the instruments of the State need to be grasped from this self-serving elite and used for the benefit and advancement of the people as a whole. ... Shacks, put up by the Bonus Army on the Anacostia flats, Washington, D.C., burning after the battle with the military, 1932. ...

Arriving at the marchers' camp, Hammond goes on the radio to announce the planned formation of an "Army of Construction," a massive public works program that will give a paying job to every man and woman in America. The Works Progress Administration (later Works Projects Administration, abbreviated WPA), was created on May 6, 1935 with the signing of Executive Order 7034. ... The notion of internal improvements or public works is a concept in economics and politics. ...

Unsatisfied with his venal and corrupt Cabinet, Hammond demands that they all resign. This action triggers impeachment proceedings against him by Congress, which is also portrayed as corrupt and controlled by big business. When President Hammond comes before Congress to anwer their charges, he instead proclaims that, due to out-of-control crime and rampant civil disorder over the economy, he is declaring a state of emergency. He then orders Congress to adjourn indefinitely and assumes the "temporary" power to write and pass legislation. Cabinet meeting on May 16, 2001. ... A resignation occurs when a person holding a position gained by election or appointment steps down. ... Depiction of the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, then President of the United States, in 1868. ... Seal of the Congress. ... Civil disorder is a broad term that is typically used by law enforcement to describe one or more forms of disturbance caused by a group of people. ... A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, may work to alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or may order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. ... Legislation refers 1. ...

Now unfettered by the normal system of checks and balances, Hammond outlaws foreclosures, subsidizes all agriculture, and allocates $4 billion for a variety of new programs to stimulate the economy. Separation of powers is the idea that the powers of a sovereign government should be split between two or more strongly independent entities, preventing any one person or group from gaining too much power. ... Foreclosure is the legal proceeding in which a bank or other secured creditor sells or repossesses a piece of real property due to the owners default on its promissory note. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Next, Hammond tackles the problem of organized crime, legalizing the production of alcohol and nationalizing the industry. In retaliation, crime boss Nick Diamond (C. Henry Gordon) orders the bombing of a government-run liquor store and, in one of the film's more surreal moments, a drive-by shooting of the White House in which Pendie is killed. Organized crime is crime carried out systematically by formal criminal organizations. ... In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-khwl الكحول, or al-ghawl الغول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and often to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). ... Nationalization is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... A crime boss refers to someone in charge of a criminal organization. ... Massive ordinance air-burst bomb. ... Liquor store - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Surrealism is a philosophy, a cultural and artistic movement, and a term used to describe unexpected juxtapositions. ... A drive-by shooting (sometimes referred to merely as a drive-by) is an attack on a person carried out with a firearm discharge from a moving vehicle (or a momentarily stopped vehicle). ... The southern side of the White House The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. ...

Outraged by this affront to his authority, Hammond declares martial law and forms the "Federal Police," a paramilitary force that answers only to him. Suspending the writ of habeas corpus, Hammond sends the Federal Police to round up Diamond and his men. The gangsters are placed before a military tribunal led by Hammond's top aide (Franchot Tone) and tried and convicted without evidence or a chance to mount a defense. Immediately after the proceedings, the criminals are taken behind the courthouse and executed by a firing squad. Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect (usually after a formal declaration) when a military authority takes control of the normal administration of justice (and usually of the whole state). ... For other uses of the abbreviation SS, see SS (disambiguation) The Schutzstaffel (Protective Squadron), or SS, was a large paramilitary organization that belonged to the Nazi party. ... A paramilitary is a group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion. ... In English Common Law habeas corpus refers to a variety of writs by which courts order the presence of persons in court or determine the lawful authority of the state to imprison persons. ... What constitutes a military tribunal varies according to nation and sometimes even military branch and regional jurisdiction. ... The law of evidence governs the use of testimony (eg. ... In most litigation under the common law adversarial system the defendant, perhaps with the assistance of counsel, may allege or present defenses (or defences) in order to avoid liability, civil or criminal. ... World War I firing squad Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, especially in times of war. ...

Satisfied that he has settled his country's domestic problems, Hammond turns his gaze on the rest of the world, where many countries are refusing to pay their war debts from the Great War and, instead, are busily stockpiling weaponry for use in new wars. World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machineguns, and poison gas. ...

Ordering an immense buildup of the military, particularly the Air Force and Navy, he calls the Heads of State of all of the warlike and debtor nations of the world together for a conference aboard a battleship. There, he displays the massive amounts of raw power possessed by the American military and intimidates the leaders of the world into signing a treaty in which they pledge disarmament and promise to repay all of their debts to America. Violation of the treaty, it is implied, will result in destruction. Seal of the Air Force. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Though a term originally coined for Republican presidents, a head of state or chief of state is now universally known as the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions... The term conference can be used to describe any meeting of people that confer about a certain topic. ... HMS Victory in 1884 In naval history, battleships were the most heavily armed and armored warships afloat. ... A treaty is a binding agreement under international law concluded by subjects of international law, namely states and international organizations. ... Arms control is a broad term alluding to a range of political concepts and aims. ... Debt is that which is owed. ...

Having restored a stable economy, eliminated organized crime, and created world peace, Hammond dies suddenly (implicitly, because Gabriel stops sustaining him) and ascends into Heaven. World peace is a future ideal of freedom, peace and happiness among and within all nations. ... The heavens are the sky, the celestial sphere, or outer space. ...

Context and analysis

Controversial since the time of its release, Gabriel Over the White House is widely acknowledged to be an example of propaganda, although contention exists as to which ideology it is propaganda for. North Korean propaganda showing a soldier destroying the United States Capitol building. ... The Elections and Parties Series Democracy Representative democracy History of democracy Referenda Liberal democracy Representation Voting Voting systems Ideology Elections Elections by country Elections by calender Electoral systems Politics Politics by country Political campaigns Political science Political philosophy Related topics Political parties Parties by country Parties by name Parties by...

Filmed during the 1932 presidential election on the orders of media magnate William Randolph Hearst, the film was intended to be an instructional guide for Franklin D. Roosevelt during his presidency. Hammond as he exists prior to his accident is an amalgamation of caricatures of Presidents Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover, Roosevelt's immediate predecessors. After his accident, he is Hearst's idealized image of the perfect president, the president he wanted Roosevelt to be. Presidential electoral votes by state. ... William Randolph Hearst William Randolph Hearst (April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American newspaper magnate, born in San Francisco, California. ... Order: 32nd President Vice President: John N. Garner Henry A. Wallace Harry S. Truman Term of office: March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945 Preceded by: Herbert Hoover Succeeded by: Harry S. Truman Date of birth: January 30, 1882 Place of birth: Hyde Park, New York Date of death: April 12... Amalgamation, meaning to combine or unite into one form, has several uses: In chemistry, amalgamation is the blending of two elements, and usually an amalgam is a metallic alloy with the element mercury, often used in tooth fillings. ... Caricature of Alan Greenspan by Jan Op De Beeck. ... Order: 29th President Vice President: Calvin Coolidge Term of office: March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 Preceded by: Woodrow Wilson Succeeded by: Calvin Coolidge Date of birth: November 2, 1865 Place of birth: Near Blooming Grove, Ohio Date of death: August 2, 1923 Place of death: San Francisco, California First... Order: 30th President Vice President: Charles G. Dawes Term of office: August 3, 1923 – March 3, 1929 Preceded by: Warren G. Harding Succeeded by: Herbert Hoover Date of birth: July 4, 1872 Place of birth: Plymouth, Vermont Date of death: January 5, 1933 Place of death: Northampton, Massachusetts First Lady... Order: 31st President Vice President: Charles Curtis Term of office: March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933 Preceded by: Calvin Coolidge Succeeded by: Franklin D. Roosevelt Date of birth: August 10, 1874 Place of birth: West Branch, Iowa Date of death: October 20, 1964 Place of death: New York City, New...

These facts, coupled with the film's almost chilling accuracy at predicting Roosevelt's economic programs, lead many, particularly conservatives, to believe that film is a sympathetic portrayal of what might be American liberalism's worst excesses. For conservatism in the United States and Canada, see Conservatism in North America. ... American Liberalism (also called modern liberalism) arose in the early 19th century as an alternative to realpolitik, the dominant political ideology of the time. ...

Liberals often counter these claims by declaring that the film's politics trend more toward fascism than liberalism. They point out that both Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini took steps similar to Roosevelt's in stabilizing their countries' economies and both men were much more like Hammond in their social and foreign policies (e.g., massive military buildup, martial law, secret police, show trials, etc.) than Roosevelt. They further point to Hearst's well-known dalliance with Nazism, including his attendance of the 1934 Nuremberg Rally, as evidence of their theories. Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, was the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. ... Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889–April 30, 1945) was the Chancellor of Germany from 1933, and Führer und Reichskanzler (Leader and chancellor) of Germany from 1934, to his death. ... Benito Mussolini created a fascist state through the use of propaganda, total control of the media and disassembly of the working democratic government. ... A secret police (sometimes political police) force is a police organization that operates in secret to enforce state security. ... The term show trial serves most commonly to label a type of public trial in which the judicial authorities have already determined the guilt of the accused: the actual trial has as its only goal to present the accusation and the verdict to the public as an impressive example and... The term National Socialism has been used in self-description by a number of different political groups and ideologies, some of which have no connection with the Nazis; see National socialism. ... 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Nuremberg Rally (officially, Reichsparteitag, literally imperial party congress) was the annual rally of the National Socialist German Workers Party in the years 1923 to 1938 in Germany. ...

Recently, author and history professor Robert S. McElvaine wrote an editorial for the left-wing OpEdNews.com in which he compared current President George W. Bush to Judson Hammond. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... An editorial is a statement or article by a news organization (generally a newspaper) that expresses an opinion rather than attempting to simply report news. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms that refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially but not exclusively in the American sense of the word... Order: 43rd President of United States Vice President: Dick Cheney Term of office: January 20, 2001 – Present (His second term will end on January 20, 2009. ...

External links

Gabriel Over the White House at the Internet Movie Database

McElvaine's article on Bush and Hammond