J. Edgar

It's a safe bet that throughout the release of Clint Eastwood's drama, J. Edgar, scores of historical commentary and criticism will pour out about the most powerful and notorious figure in law enforcement.  For instance, a television reality series entitled American Gangster profiles Hoover as a ruthless bigot bent on destroying Martin Luther King.  Allegedly the F.B.I.'s chief sought to expose the black leader as a Communist and a sexual deviant. The motion picture shows Hoover's attack on King's character by using wiretaps and exposing racy audio tapes of extra-marital affairs.  But there's definitely a grey area between fact and fiction. Government records show Hoover didn't instigate wiretaps and surveillance of King-- that was the work of the Kennedy administration. The President and his brother Robert tried to quell King's involvement with known Communist figures, and fearing potential political fallout, felt the need for controversial surveillance tactics.


Unfortunately, most of the media attention surrounding the film concerns Hoover's alleged homosexuality and relationship with Clyde Tolson--not to mention his rep as a cross dresser (a scandalous 1993 biography details this as does a scene in the film). Eastwood and the cast have played down those aspects of his life in interviews, but it's worth noting that screenwriter/gay activist Dustin Lance Black also penned Milk, starring Sean Penn as San Francisco's tragic homosexual politician who was assassinated by Dan White.  

Although Hoover attempted to keep his private life private, he wasn't shy about using his muscle towards a pro-F.B.I. image on celluloid. Upset over the glorification of gangsters in the 1930's-era movies, Hoover insisted that actors like James Cagney should die when playing a hoodlum. Hoover also had a heavy influence in the making of G-Men, which featured Cagney as a tough guy F.B.I. agent. As a consultant on 1959's The F.B.I. Story, Hoover personally approved the casting of James Stewart. 


Hoover's impact on Hollywood goes deeper, as he kept secret files on scores of celebrities, including Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Abbott & Costello,  Jimi Hendrix, and Elvis.  Prominent figures and politicians, including Truman and Kennedy, feared retaliation against Hoover, unsure if the director had dirt on them. 


Read more about Hoover here.