The President’s Analyst **** (1967, James Coburn, Godfrey Cambridge, Severn Darden) – Classic Movie Review 6240

‘The picture dedicated to life, liberty and the pursuit of happenings.’ Writer/ director Theodore J Flicker’s 1967 little gem is a Swinging Sixties modish mix of farce and satire with a trendy James Coburn as the psychiatrist who foolishly accepts the US president as his patient.

Naturally, the world’s spies emerge from the woodwork to unlock the couch secrets from him. But there is something corrupt at the heart of the US nation’s telephone service…

It is a great idea for a movie, and it is delightfully developed by writer/ director Flicker, as well as brightly played all round, especially by the cucumber-cool Coburn, Godfrey Cambridge as the American spy, and Severn Darden as the Russian agent.

Also in the cast are Joan Delaney, Pat Harrington, Eduard Franz, Barry Maguire, Joan Darling, Will Geer, Arte Johnson, Sheldon Collins and William Daniels.

It is shot in Technicolor and widescreen by William A Fraker, produced by Stanley Rubin and scored by Lalo Schifrin.

On location in New York City’s Lower West Side, Coburn was being chased by two actors dressed as New York cops, when a real NYPD officer, dropped him with a nightstick.

RIP Theodore J Flicker, who died on 13 September 2014, aged 84. Co-writing the 1966 Elvis Presley romantic comedy musical Spinout was his first break in features.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6240

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