Nixon
Writer, Producer, and Director Oliver Stone's exploration of former President Richard Nixon's strict Quaker upbringing, his nascent political strivings in law school, and his strangely self-effacing courtship of his wife, Pat (Joan Allen). The contradictions in his character are revealed early, in the vicious campaign against Helen Gahagan Douglas and the oddly masochistic Checkers speech. His defeat at the hands of the hated and envied John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election, followed by the loss of the 1962 California gubernatorial race, seem to signal the end of his career. Yet, although wholly lacking in charisma, Nixon remains a brilliant political operator, seizing the opportunity provided by the backlash against the antiwar movement to take the Presidency in 1968. It is only when safely in office, running far ahead in the polls for the 1972 Presidential election, that his growing paranoia comes to full flower, triggering the Watergate scandal.
The film commercial failure against its moderate budget of $44.0M, earning $13.7M globally (-69% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its unconventional structure within the biography genre.
Nominated for 4 Oscars. 11 wins & 18 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Nixon (1995) demonstrates deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Oliver Stone's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 3 hours and 12 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Richard Nixon
Pat Nixon
Henry Kissinger
H.R. Haldeman
John Ehrlichman
John Dean
Ron Ziegler
John Mitchell
Alexander Haig
J. Edgar Hoover
Main Cast & Characters
Richard Nixon
Played by Anthony Hopkins
The 37th President of the United States, a complex and paranoid leader whose ambition and insecurities led to his downfall in the Watergate scandal.
Pat Nixon
Played by Joan Allen
Richard Nixon's loyal and long-suffering wife who maintained public dignity while privately struggling with her husband's political obsessions and personal demons.
Henry Kissinger
Played by Paul Sorvino
Nixon's pragmatic and influential Secretary of State who shaped foreign policy and navigated the complexities of Cold War diplomacy.
H.R. Haldeman
Played by James Woods
Nixon's Chief of Staff and fiercely loyal enforcer who managed the White House inner circle and became deeply involved in the Watergate cover-up.
John Ehrlichman
Played by J.T. Walsh
Nixon's Domestic Affairs Advisor and key member of the inner circle who participated in illegal activities and the Watergate cover-up.
John Dean
Played by David Paymer
White House Counsel who initially participated in the cover-up but eventually testified against Nixon, becoming a key witness in the Watergate hearings.
Ron Ziegler
Played by David Hyde Pierce
Nixon's Press Secretary who defended the administration through the Watergate scandal and remained loyal despite mounting evidence.
John Mitchell
Played by E.G. Marshall
Attorney General and Nixon campaign manager whose involvement in illegal activities contributed to the administration's downfall.
Alexander Haig
Played by Powers Boothe
White House Chief of Staff who served during the final crisis period and helped manage Nixon's resignation.
J. Edgar Hoover
Played by Bob Hoskins
Long-serving FBI Director who wielded immense power through secret files and maintained a complex relationship with Nixon.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes March 1974: Nixon alone in the White House at night, drunk, talking to portraits of former presidents. Establishes Nixon as isolated, paranoid, and haunted - a man at the end of his rope before we understand how he got there.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 23 minutes when June 1972: The Watergate break-in occurs. Nixon and his team learn of the botched burglary at DNC headquarters. This event will unravel everything Nixon has built, though he doesn't yet understand the magnitude.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 48 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Nixon makes the active choice to engage in the cover-up. "We're going to stonewall this thing." He crosses the line from plausible deniability into obstruction of justice, setting in motion his own destruction., moving from reaction to action.
At 96 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat False victory turns to defeat: Nixon wins the 1972 election in a landslide, his greatest political triumph. But simultaneously, the Watergate investigation intensifies. Judge Sirica demands answers. The tapes become known. Victory contains the seeds of destruction., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 144 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The Supreme Court orders Nixon to release the tapes (United States v. Nixon). The "smoking gun" tape proves his guilt. All is lost - impeachment is certain. Nixon breaks down, kneeling with Kissinger to pray. The "whiff of death" - his presidency, legacy, and sense of self die., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 156 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Nixon realizes he must resign. Haig and the cabinet make clear he has no support left. Nixon synthesizes all he's learned: he will leave office but on his terms. "I gave them a sword, and they stuck it in and twisted it with relish. I guess if I'd been in their position, I'd have done the same."., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Nixon's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Nixon against these established plot points, we can identify how Oliver Stone utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Nixon within the biography genre.
Oliver Stone's Structural Approach
Among the 15 Oliver Stone films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Nixon represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Oliver Stone filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional biography films include After Thomas, Taking Woodstock and The Fire Inside. For more Oliver Stone analyses, see Any Given Sunday, Alexander and Natural Born Killers.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
March 1974: Nixon alone in the White House at night, drunk, talking to portraits of former presidents. Establishes Nixon as isolated, paranoid, and haunted - a man at the end of his rope before we understand how he got there.
Theme
Flashback to Nixon's mother Hannah: "Strength in this life, happiness in the next." The theme of sacrifice, ambition, and the cost of power is stated through his Quaker mother's austere philosophy that shaped Nixon's worldview.
Worldbuilding
Non-linear setup interweaving 1974 crisis with flashbacks to Nixon's early life, his brothers' deaths, his relationship with Pat, early political career, and the formative experiences that created his insecurities and drive for power.
Disruption
June 1972: The Watergate break-in occurs. Nixon and his team learn of the botched burglary at DNC headquarters. This event will unravel everything Nixon has built, though he doesn't yet understand the magnitude.
Resistance
Nixon debates how to respond to Watergate. Advisors like Haldeman and Ehrlichman counsel cover-up. Flashbacks show Nixon's earlier defeats and comebacks, establishing his pattern of fighting back against threats, his paranoia about enemies, and his belief in political hardball.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Nixon makes the active choice to engage in the cover-up. "We're going to stonewall this thing." He crosses the line from plausible deniability into obstruction of justice, setting in motion his own destruction.
Mirror World
Pat Nixon confronts Richard about his choices and the toll on their family. She represents the human cost of his ambition and serves as the emotional/moral mirror - showing what he's sacrificing for power. "You want them to love you, but they never will."
Premise
The "promise of the premise" - watching Nixon at the height of power while simultaneously watching the Watergate investigation close in. Foreign policy triumphs (China, USSR) juxtaposed with domestic unraveling. The film explores Nixon's complexity: brilliant statesman and paranoid criminal.
Midpoint
False victory turns to defeat: Nixon wins the 1972 election in a landslide, his greatest political triumph. But simultaneously, the Watergate investigation intensifies. Judge Sirica demands answers. The tapes become known. Victory contains the seeds of destruction.
Opposition
The walls close in: John Dean testifies, the Saturday Night Massacre backfires, impeachment proceedings begin. Nixon becomes increasingly isolated, paranoid, drinking heavily. His own recorded words betray him. The past catches up as the "enemies" he feared destroy him.
Collapse
The Supreme Court orders Nixon to release the tapes (United States v. Nixon). The "smoking gun" tape proves his guilt. All is lost - impeachment is certain. Nixon breaks down, kneeling with Kissinger to pray. The "whiff of death" - his presidency, legacy, and sense of self die.
Crisis
Nixon's dark night of the soul. Drunk, paranoid, talking to paintings, reflecting on his life and failures. He wanders the White House like a ghost. Pat and his daughters stand by him. He must decide whether to fight impeachment or resign.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Nixon realizes he must resign. Haig and the cabinet make clear he has no support left. Nixon synthesizes all he's learned: he will leave office but on his terms. "I gave them a sword, and they stuck it in and twisted it with relish. I guess if I'd been in their position, I'd have done the same."
Synthesis
The finale: Nixon's farewell address to his staff (emotional, rambling, revealing). The final walk to the helicopter. The resignation becomes official. Ford is sworn in. Nixon flies away from Washington, his career ended but having maintained a shred of dignity in departure.
Transformation
Nixon and Pat walk on the beach in San Clemente. Contrast to the opening: he's no longer alone in the White House but with his wife, facing an uncertain future. Defeated but somehow freed. Text reveals his later rehabilitation. The complex legacy of a tragic figure.