By: James Halsell
Edited By: Eric Omorogieva
Let’s face it, sometimes reading gets boring. If you’re like me, you’ve occasionally gone searching for a film related to the subject matter of the course you’re in to take a break from the week’s reading, while still staying thematically connected. In the spirit of that concept, here’s a list of the best films which would fit in on a SAIS syllabus:
10. Argo – The 2013 winner for Best Picture, directed by and starring Ben Affleck, revolves around the 1979 hostage crisis in Iran. In the wake of the capture of 52 Americans from the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, 6 diplomats manage to escape capture and go into hiding at the Canadian ambassador’s home. Affleck, portraying a CIA operative, stages a covert mission under the auspices of a Canadian film crew scouting filming locations for a new movie. The film’s depiction of the Iranian Islamic Revolution is nuanced and tense, and the portrayal of diplomatic efforts to secure the safe extraction of the diplomats is skillful. It could land on Professor Nasr’s Political Economy of the Middle East class,Professor Lawrence’s Great Powers in the Middle East and North Africa or Professor Bajoghli’s The Iranian Revolution.
9. Charlie Wilson’s War – This film tells the story of how Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson became the champion of the covert program to arm the Afghan resistance during the Soviet invasion of the 1980s. With its depiction of the budgetary process, lobbying, and back channels used to secure funding for the weapons program, this film would fit right in on the syllabi for Professor Sharp’s U.S. Defense Budget Analysis class or Professor Stevenson’s Congress and Foreign Policy.
8. The Constant Gardener – This sweeping drama about a British diplomat in Kenya stars Ralph Fiennes, who, if you didn’t know, pronounces his first name “reif.” This nearly qualifies the film for a spot on a language class syllabus, but not quite. The film focuses on government corruption, the power of multinational corporations, and activism. With themes of unethical research involving human subjects in the pharmaceutical industry, this film would fit on the syllabus for Dr. Kocher’s DIA Research Methods I class, while its exploration of corporate malfeasance could just as easily find itself on Professor Gardner’s Corporate Sustainability, Business & Human Rights class.
7. The Post – Stephen Spielberg directed this drama starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks about The Washington Post newsroom that broke the 1971 Pentagon Papers story. This event brought to light wide-reaching deception on the part of the U.S. government about the Vietnam conflict. It’s a logical choice for beloved Professor Charlie Stevenson’s Congress and Foreign Policy class with its themes of oversight, freedom of the press, and government accountability.
6. The Report – Starring Adam Driver and exploring the real-life investigation into the CIA’s use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” following the September 11 attacks, this is the most contemporary entry on this list. Driver portrays a Senate staffer who is tasked with leading the investigation for the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Report delves into the moral, legal, and political implications of torture, and the efforts to conceal their lack of efficacy from both Congress and the public. With its themes of governmental transparency, the balance of power, and the role of Congress in overseeing intelligence agencies, it would fit seamlessly on syllabi for Professor Karlin’s Leadership, Ethics and Decision-making, or Professor McLaughlin’s American Intelligence: Role Practice and Impact.
5. Children of Men – A little more of a stretch, this Alfonso Cuaron directed work of sci-fi starring Clive Owen is not a historical drama but a dystopian thriller set in 2027, where global infertility has led to the impending extinction of humanity. This mirrors real-world concerns about declining birth rates in certain regions and broader global population issues. The global crisis leads to authoritarian governments, refugee crises, and societal collapse. The film explores themes of human rights, state control, and the ethical treatment of refugees. The demographics issues make it right at home in a discussion during Professor Yascha Mounk’s Politics of Population, while the societal disarray makes it a fit for Professor Vukovic’s Principles and Practices of Conflict Management.
4. Thirteen Days – Centered around the Cuban Missile Crisis, this film could easily be featured in a number of courses, from Professor Gavin and Dean Steinberg’s Kissinger Seminar to Professor Potter’s American Foreign Policy Since World War II. The movie chronicles the 13-day standoff between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, illustrating the brinkmanship of nuclear warfare and the delicate diplomacy that averted global catastrophe. Kevin Costner portrays a key aide to President Kennedy, navigating tense backdoor diplomacy. Themes of deterrence, high pressure decision-making, and international relations are front and center, making this a gripping examination of the Cold War’s defining moment. It leaves viewers to ponder the balance between power and restraint in global conflicts.
3. Hotel Rwanda – This movie about the 1994 genocide in Rwanda could easily make the syllabus for a range of classes, from Professor Miller’s Humanitarianism, Aid, and Politics to Professor Dee’s Democracy, Political Reform and Civil Society in Africa. The film features the onset of ethnic violence between the Hutus and Tutsis, a toothless depiction of the associated UNAMIR Peacekeeping Operation which did little to quell the violence, and a heroic hotelier portrayed by Don Cheadle. Additionally, it depicts themes of international inaction and the moral responsibilities of the global community and is sure to leave the viewer questioning the role of external actors in genocidal conflicts.
2. Persepolis – This animated memoir about the Iranian Revolution and its aftermath would make a compelling addition to Professor Berland’s Comparative Politics or any Middle Eastern studies course. Based on Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel, the film offers a deeply personal view of life under authoritarian rule, the challenges of cultural identity, and the global repercussions of political upheaval. Through the lens of one girl’s coming-of-age story, the movie brings to light the impacts of revolution, repression, and exile, and is among the most visually striking on this list.
1. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb – If you haven’t seen Stanley Kubrick’s satirical masterpiece offering commentary on Cold War brinkmanship between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, stop what you are doing and stream it immediately. Peter Sellers plays three different characters, including the demure British Colonel Lionel Mandrake, the nameless American president, and the eponymous Dr. Strangelove. Rumor has it, Sellers was also originally slated to portray the cowboy-waving bombardier iconically brought to life by actor Slim Pickens but couldn’t nail the folksy southern accent. This film ultimately concludes with (SPOILER ALERT) the end of the world, making it a fine addition to the syllabus for Professor Vaynman’s Nuclear Deterrence, Strategy, and Arms Control class or Dean Steinberg’s Theories of International Relations, but honestly, there’s something here for everyone (other than econ, sorry MEIFs).