J Edgar Hoover Analysis

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J. Edgar
Clint Eastwood’s 2011 film, J. Edgar staring Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover, depicts the personal accounts and reflections of Hoover’s life and professional journey (J. Edgar Hoover). Responsible for the advancements of modern day crime investigation, and the initial establishment of the Federal Beau Of Investigation, J. Edgar Hoover successfully directed the FBI for 50 years. Narrated in retrospect, the film portrays significant events throughout his career. In the film J. Edgar Hoover was accurately portrayed as rabidly anti-communist and his manipulation tactics were true to life as well. However, Hoovers flashback in the movie of arresting high profile criminals and solving key cases is dramatized emphasizing he did it all. In the end of the film Hoover’s partner Tolson accurately reveals Hoovers historic false claim to fame of arresting high profile criminals.
J. Edgar Hoover began the establishment of the FBI alongside his partner Clyde Tolson and secretary, Helen Gandy. Hoover directed the FBI during eight presidential terms ranging from Coolidge, until his death during Nixon’s presidency. He began his career at the U.S Department of Justice in 1917, quickly rising from attorney General A. Mitchell Palmers’ assistant, to the head of the General Intelligence Division, and eventually reaching the position of director of the FBI (“J. Edgar Hoover”). Next, as the director of the Bureau of Investigation Hoover increasingly became fearful and anti-communist, focusing on the Black Panthers, Martin Luther King and many other political groups he saw as threatening to society. Though various methods of manipulation including blackmail, wiretaps, raids and unnecessary arrests, Hoover did everything in his power to disp...

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...t. The actual arrest was made by agents Clarence Hurt and Dwight Brantley” (Bardsley, Marylin). Further proving that Hoovers false glorification of himself was true, and depicted correctly though Tolson’s clarification.
Following the correct sequence of events, setting and people, this movie consistently portrays the Hoovers role in the establishment of the FBI correctly. Overall the movie J. Edgar remains historically accurate. The representation of issues faced by Hoover corresponds consistently with the time periods and the people involved. The establishment of the FBI is explained by Hoover, retrospectively and correctly displaying his use of blackmail and manipulation, fear of communism and glorified fame of arresting criminals. Conveying Hoover’s ambition and motives, the movie accurately represents his true role in the establishment of the FBI.

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