Henry Fonda for President

No, the American actor Henry Fonda never ventured from the red carpet to the corridors of power, unlike his fellow entertainers who went into political office; those such as Ronald Regan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Glenda Jackson or even award-winning actor Donald Trump – who won a Golden Raspberry award for worst supporting actor, thanks to his appearance in 1989’s Ghosts Can’t Do It. The title of director Alexander Horwath’s intriguing documentary references an imagined parallel history for the United States, with Fonda’s everyman persona front and centre.

The film presents the idea of Fonda as an ideal (and perhaps idealised) man of his time who could have done a fine job of helping America (and the world) navigate the social and political turmoil of the 20^th century. It’s a comprehensive piece of work that performs a type of deep dive into both real and even hypothetical history, utilising an impressively vast range of archival footage of Fonda. There’s a lot to take in over the feature’s three-hour running time, but the format and central premise are surprisingly absorbing.

A curator and film historian by trade, Henry Fonda for President is Alexander Horwath’s debut feature. The end result could easily have been a disjointed mess or something altogether too celebratory. Horwath’s admiration for Fonda is clear, but this doesn’t cross over into indiscriminate adoration. The documentary quickly establishes the director’s personal connection to Fonda, detailing his cinematic awakening after a trip to Paris in 1980, where he became fascinated with Fonda’s craft and image. Making great use of one of Fonda’s last interviews, the film almost acts as a collaboration between Horwath (who narrates) and Fonda (who passed away in 1982).

One of the unexpected treats of the 2024 Berlinale, Henry Fonda for President may be too crowded or too speculative for some, but the parallels it draws linger long after Fonda has ridden off into the sunset. Much more than a mere clip show, the documentary is surprisingly stirring.

Oliver Johnston

Henry Fonda for President does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Berlin Film Festival 2024 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Berlin Film Festival website here.