An article about Frost/Nixon in yesterday’s Norfolk Virginian-Pilot features some lengthy quotes from Frank Langella. Among his ruminations:
Langella acknowledges that Peter Morgan’s script, adapted from Morgan’s own play, is not historically accurate on all counts.
“History is a lot duller than drama because it takes too long for history to play. Every line that is used from the telecast was actually in the telecast, but Peter took liberties with the personal side of things, and with the meetings between Frost and Nixon. For example, there never was that telephone call in the middle of the night between the two of them before one of the telecasts. But it was needed to emphasize the rivalry, the duel.
“I think it was true that just before the camera rolled on one of the live telecasts, Nixon tried to knock Frost off guard by asking, quite seriously, ‘You do any fornicating last night?’ There was plenty of material to work with. Not much had to be invented.”
Nixon died in 1994, but the actor said, “I talked to Nixon every day and he talked to me. There was something about the man that affected me more than any role I’ve ever played, and I’ve played a lot. On the set, everyone called me Mr. President.”