‘The Post’: How do you confront adversity?

The most touching aspect in “The Post” is witnessing the personal cost and risks every individual, both publicly and privately, must bear to unleash the actual value of the media. The theme that resonates most with me is the personal struggle of Kay Graham, the female publisher. Despite her high position and wielding significant power, she feels like an outsider until she gradually finds confidence and courage in the crisis.

"The Post" is a collaboration between the acclaimed director Steven Spielberg and the powerhouse duo of Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. It stands out among the nine films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars this year as the one most in tune with public taste. The movie is based on actual events from 1971 when "The New York Times" first reported the classified "Pentagon Papers" (research on U.S.-Vietnam relations from 1945 to 1967). The papers revealed that the Secretary of Defense and several presidents, including John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson, knew the U.S. couldn't win the Vietnam War but chose to conceal the truth and let young soldiers perish. The U.S. Attorney General warned "The New York Times" that they violated espionage laws and endangered national defense, leading to a federal court injunction against further reporting. At this juncture, "The Washington Post," aspiring to transition from a regional to a national newspaper, obtained the classified documents. Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), the executive editor, and Kay Graham (Meryl Streep), the publisher, had to decide whether to risk opposing the Richard M. Nixon administration, potentially jeopardizing the future of the newspaper and even facing imprisonment, to bring the truth to light.

The approach to the theme from "The Washington Post" perspective initially seems unusual. After all, the most critical and thrilling part of the "Pentagon Papers" involves the military analyst Daniel Ellsberg stealing the information and the subsequent meticulous research and censorship by the Nixon administration documented by "The New York Times." "The Washington Post" merely takes over later. However, this perspective introduces intriguing new topics. Firstly, "The Washington Post" had seen the consequences faced by "The New York Times." With previous financial struggles and a pending public listing, challenging the government was a risky endeavor. Secondly, Kay, the owner of "The Washington Post," is the first female publisher among major U.S. newspapers. She doesn't fit into the circle of her colleagues, and the outside world sees her as a wealthy woman; how would Kay make such a daring decision and withstand it in such challenging circumstances?

1972 was an election year, and President Nixon's level of intimidation was equal to several current world leaders. At that time, the key figures at "The Washington Post" agreed to report on the "Pentagon Papers," fully aware of the intense retaliation they might face. I believe this is the primary reason why director Steven Spielberg was eager to produce "The Post"—he wanted to remind everyone, especially during Donald Trump's presidency, of the actual value of the news media. The most poignant part of "The Post" lies in observing the personal sacrifices and risks every individual must undertake, both publicly and privately, to create a good news story and unleash the genuine value of the media. Kay Graham and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara had a close personal relationship, and Ben Bradlee had good relations with the Kennedy family. Exposing documents severely detrimental to these friends was undoubtedly a challenging task. Other risks, such as the newspaper being shut down or the owner and editor going to jail, further amplify the courage demonstrated by "The Washington Post."

The initial script of "The Post" was written by the then-untested screenwriter Liz Hannah. Director Steven Spielberg read it in March last year, paused other projects, urgently enlisted Josh Singer, the award-winning screenwriter of "Spotlight," for revisions and refinement, and began shooting in May, aligning with the 2017 movie awards season. Spielberg, known for his meticulous work, had an urgent need to release "The Post," perhaps wanting to remind the public during the #FakeNews era, in an age when the sitting president attacks the media daily and questions its value, of the actual role and importance of the press.

Another theme that resonates strongly with me is Kay Graham's struggle. In 1971, Kay had been at the helm of "The Washington Post" for almost eight years. Originally belonging to her father, it later passed to Kay's husband Philip until his suicide, compelling Kay to take over to preserve the family's stake. The legendary executive editor of "The Washington Post" after Kay's takeover was Ben Bradlee, recruited from the Washington bureau of Newsweek.

During that era, it was customary for female members to gracefully retire to another room for gossip after dinner, allowing men to continue discussing important topics like politics and economics. Despite her high position and wielding considerable power, Kay felt like an outsider. Others perceived her as inadequate, and she walked on thin ice, fully aware that neither others nor herself completely trusted her abilities. Meryl Streep, portraying Kay, exudes a subtle sense of insecurity in the movie's first half, gradually gaining confidence and courage in the crisis, finally embodying the image of a leader. This nuanced and natural performance is enlightening when viewed against current social realities.

Steven Spielberg is a traditional director, and his methods and solid craftsmanship inject rhythm and a particular enchanting atmosphere into what might otherwise be a plain narrative. The outcome of the events is mostly known to the audience— at least everyone knows that "The Washington Post" wasn't shut down by the government. Thus, the details resembling a spy thriller during the process of "doing journalism," such as using public phones, clandestine meetings in cheap motels, and searching for classified documents, don't create suspense but rather showcase how journalists rigorously, earnestly and desperately pursue a good news story. Today, these scenes and the newspaper equipment of yesteryears, like typewriters and printing machines, exude a nostalgic charm. The character development is intelligent, and the breakfast conversation between Kay and Ben in the movie's early part immediately establishes the characters' personality traits and the mutual respect between them. While major supporting characters have limited screen time, they all leave a lasting impression.

Certain plotlines and dialogues may approach didacticism, but Spielberg compensates by scrutinizing many facts and real characters (such as Ben Bagdikian, Howard Simons, etc.). The movie incorporates real-world information, like the actual filming of the documents being brought back to Washington, Kay indeed being called away to answer a phone during a party speech, Ben's daughter genuinely running a lemonade stand at home, and the legal department of The Washington Post indeed opposing the publication of "Pentagon Papers" content. Even the crude and threatening conversations of President Nixon in the movie are based on authentic recordings. Listening to Nixon's tyrannical talks, "The Post" sheds its aura of righteous preaching, reminding the audience how the powerful expand and encroach upon individuals in the real world.

Moreover, the movie underscores the critical information of the crucial secret "Pentagon Papers," concealed for so long by leaders of different political parties, emphasizing the duplicity and hypocrisy of political figures. It clarifies that such issues can only be prevented through robust and powerful oversight, irrespective of party lines and external appearances.

"The Post" can be seen as a prelude to "All the President's Men" (the final scene in "The Post," where the building is broken into, marks the beginning of the events in "All the President's Men"). After "The Washington Post" followed up on exposing the "Pentagon Papers," they continued reporting on the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, based on leaks from the anonymous informant "Deep Throat" (revealed more than thirty years later to be former FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt), and the investigative research by journalists. The result was the "Watergate scandal," a story portrayed in "All the President's Men." The main character in that movie, Ben Bradlee, holds an almost impossible position in my mind, with Jason Robard's portrayal being nearly impossible to surpass. However, Tom Hanks' performance in "The Post" is quite engaging; he plays a role less restrained than his usual characters while retaining a charming and benevolent quality.

"The Post" has a poster featuring the two main characters standing in front of an endless staircase, seemingly heading upwards. I love the imagery this picture conveys. If you have lofty ideals, you surely know that those ideals are like an endless staircase; the journey will be arduous, never perfect enough, always presenting new difficulties and obstacles, always requiring more effort. The focus is on continuing to move forward.