Drama

Primary Colors

- What went down on the way to the top.

In this adaptation of the best-selling roman à clef about Bill Clinton's 1992 run for the White House, the young and gifted Henry Burton is tapped to oversee the presidential campaign of Governor Jack Stanton. Burton is pulled into the politician's colorful world and looks on as Stanton -- who has a wandering eye that could be his downfall -- contends with his ambitious wife, Susan, and an outspoken adviser, Richard Jemmons.

Release Date : 1998-03-20

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Universal PicturesMutual Film CompanyIcarusTele MünchenBBCTOHO-TOWAUGC PH

Production Country : FranceGermanyJapanUnited KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Jack Stanton

Original Name : John Travolta

Gender : Male

Character Name : Susan Stanton

Original Name : Emma Thompson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Richard Jemmons

Original Name : Billy Bob Thornton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henry Burton

Original Name : Adrian Lester

Gender : Male

Character Name : Daisy Green

Original Name : Maura Tierney

Gender : Female

Character Name : Howard Ferguson

Original Name : Paul Guilfoyle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gov. Fred Picker

Original Name : Larry Hagman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Libby Holden

Original Name : Kathy Bates

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mamma Stanton

Original Name : Diane Ladd

Gender : Female

Character Name : March

Original Name : Rebecca Walker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucille Kaufman

Original Name : Caroline Aaron

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fat Willie

Original Name : Tommy Hollis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Izzy Rosenblatt

Original Name : Rob Reiner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arlen Sporken

Original Name : Ben Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Uncle Charlie

Original Name : J.C. Quinn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Walsh

Original Name : Allison Janney

Gender : Female

Character Name : Norman Asher

Original Name : Robert Klein

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dewayne Smith

Original Name : Mykelti Williamson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mitch

Original Name : James Denton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ruby

Original Name : Leontine Guilliard

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tawana Carter

Original Name : Monique Ridge-Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brad Lieberman

Original Name : Ned Eisenberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Randy Culligan

Original Name : Brian Markinson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Himself

Original Name : Geraldo Rivera

Gender : Male

Character Name : Himself

Original Name : Charlie Rose

Gender : Male

Character Name : Himself

Original Name : Larry King

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailorman Shoreson

Original Name : O'Neal Compton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lawrence Harris

Original Name : Kevin Cooney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Martha Harris

Original Name : Bonnie Bartlett

Gender : Female

Character Name : Elegant Woman

Original Name : Cynthia O'Neal

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charlie Martin

Original Name : Chelcie Ross

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lorenzo Delgado

Original Name : John Vargas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eddie Reyes

Original Name : Tony Shalhoub

Gender : Male

Character Name : Loretta

Original Name : Bianca Lawson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jimmy Ozio

Original Name : Robert Cicchini

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jack Mandela Washington

Original Name : William Stanford Davis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sam

Original Name : Harrison Young

Gender : Male

Character Name : Anthony Ramirez

Original Name : Rolando Molina

Gender : Male

Character Name : Peter Goldsmith

Original Name : Ross Benjamin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jennifer Rogers

Original Name : Stacy Edwards

Gender : Female

Character Name : Terry Hicks

Original Name : Kristoffer Ryan Winters

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ella Louise

Original Name : Susan Kussman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Amalee

Original Name : Vickilyn Reynolds

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bart Nilson

Original Name : Robert Symonds

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cashmere McLeod

Original Name : Gia Carides

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dr. Beauregard

Original Name : Robert Easton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Danny Scanlon

Original Name : Scott Burkholder

Gender : Male

Character Name : Himself

Original Name : Bill Maher

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chubby Woman

Original Name : Lu Elrod

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shipyard Announcer

Original Name : Michael Haley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pundit

Original Name : Henry Woronicz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Linda Feldstein

Original Name : Daryce Richman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Retiree

Original Name : Rosalie Peck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bugger Bugger Woman

Original Name : Susan Forristal

Gender : Female

Character Name : CNN Voiceover (voice)

Original Name : James Earl Jones

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-08-28

There is something quite worrying about this depiction of an American Presidential nomination campaign - it is plausible... John Travolta ("Jack Stanton") positively oozes charisma - in all it's guises - as he schmoozes, charms, cheats and lies his way through a campaign that simultaneously sees him pat babies on their heads whilst stealing their lollipops... Adrian Lester is the enthusiastic, but naive, campaign manager who together with a feisty Kathy Bates is charged with getting their man into the final race with Emma Thompson as the supportive wife who has to tolerate all that the campaign - and her husband's obvious peccadillos - throw at them. The delivery is fast-paced, witty and authentic; the performances - especially the loyal but principled Bates - really reinforce the ultimate message that Joe Klein's story is trying to convey; and Mike Nicholls manages to keep the whole thing from becoming too overtly Clinton-esque! Adrian Lester is a little out of his depth, though, Emma Thompson isn't on her best form either and though it is nice to see old "J.R" on the screen again, Larry Hagman as a senator in the right place at the right time but with more skeletons in his closet than Roger Corman, doesn't really cut it either. It's also far too long, and struggles when Travolta is away from the action... Certainly entertaining, though...