Richard Dreyfuss Slams "W" Movie, Calls Oliver Stone A Fascist (VIDEO)

Richard Dreyfuss appeared on "The View" to publicize "W.," in which he plays Dick Cheney, but ended up criticizing the film and director Oliver Stone instead.

When asked why he made the film, he said he did it for "money." Dreyfuss also said, "I think it's 6/8ths of a great film."

Asked how it was to work with Oliver Stone, he said "imagine working for Sean Hannity... you can be a fascist, even when you're on the left."

He also said he isn't sure the film "will have any historical legs."

That and more pointed criticism in the clip below, with a bonus awkward moment at the end.

WATCH:

Comments

[rkx13]

1. Forrest Gump goes to Washington.
2. Mr Smith goes to Washington
3. Godzilla goes to Washington
4. "W" goes to Washington

Which of the above would be most damaging ?
Which of the above did Oliver Stone capture ?

[GingersPawPaws]

I love Richard!! who is he voting for? McCain? If so I will have to stop watching his Movies...lol

[hollybork]

I saw "W" and was puzzled by it. I didn't know what to think, but felt it had balance while being somewhat sympathetic to the President and his family. I suspect W as a president will be debated and written about for many many years. His administration is a disaster, and yet he is not a complete charlatan. The moral of the story is that not just anyone can be a President, Sarah Palin notwithstanding.

W as shown in this Stone movie can be summed up as a man whose ambitions were greater than his abilities, and whose two greatest talents were attracting and marrying Laura and getting elected. He is basically an irresponsible bum, but he has a talent to make people like him, and to be loyal to his wife and family. Dreyfuss performance as Dick Cheney was chillingly good. Superb, actually. I think his assessment is about right. 2/3 of a good movie.

[valleygent]

Hasslebeck has to go...she is a dunce.

[thundermummy]

New show: DUNCING WITH THE STARS!

[GingersPawPaws]

4 real !!!!!

[negotiatethis]

I heard that they are negotiating with Palin to replace hasselbeck

[SeanOcali]

Not sure how "It's 6/8ths a good movie" is slamming. I just saw the movie and it's not bad at all. Well acted, well made. Thandie Newton's awful makeup and impersonation almost ruins it, but other than that I think it was really good.

People who think Bush is a sociopathic evil man will not like this movie.

[4ethicalpolitics]

the title of the article and even the article itself really doesn't speak to the tone of the clip. as others have mentioned, huffpost needs to change it. it's misleading.

[miriada]

I think Richard Dreyfuss was perfectly clear in his slightly bitter ironic way. "Too terrified of our own president"??? That's it!! It's awful that such reason in these modern days pressures a master of cinematography to soften his satire. Because the truth is too terrifying! He probably wanted to give W character some human quality, in his own subconsious disbelief that we, intelligent people, made this monster a president. It must be an awful feeling. Are we leaving in medieval times? ... W's christianity? I don't think "base" Joe-the-6pack's god is Christ! It's the golden ox! Which clouds the judgement, leads to wishful thinking, gambling behaviour and erratic voting . So - look around, clear your head and go vote for humanity!
BTW, I don't think Mr. Stone could be offended by the "leftist faschist" comment. It's probably a little inside joke. Besides, movie directors, especially of his caliber, are quite known for their authoritarian way of governing the set.

[radlib1]

DREYFUSS ON "W."

Richard Dreyfuss gives an Oscar-winning performance as Dick Cheney. When he was first announced as Cheney, I honestly had my doubts. But he was absolutely spot-on. He got all of the physical mannerisms down perfectly. He truly "inhabited" Cheney.

However, his performance was only made possible by the intense, perfectionist, even authoritarian direction of Oliver Stone and by the capable and sensitive editing of Julie Mason.

Mr. Dreyfuss should spread the credit for his performance around. He was, after all, given the words of Oliver Stone and Stanley Weiser. He couldn't have done it without their help -- in the case of Dreyfuss, particularly the help of director Oliver Stone.

He may not appreciate Oliver and his forceful ways, but without him, he never would have given a performance that is Oscar-worthy.

Dreyfuss may have done this film for the "money" (since he doesn't have done much other film work lately), but, believe me, Oliver Stone and Josh Brolin (who really, truly deserves the Academy Award for leading actor) didn't do it for the money.

They did it for the passion and the truth.

Both Oliver and Josh did a majestic thing -- they made us feel for the personal "W," without sympathizing with his monumentally stupid policies.

It's truly a wonderful, fair, and exciting movie.

It's definitely one of the best movies of the year. Thanks to Oliver Stone and Stanley Weiser and Josh Brolin and yes, even Richard Dreyfuss.

[johnnyjust]

Richard, maybe he left out how "frightened" (OH NO!!!!!) everyone in the country was of their President because it wasn't--and isn't--true. Normal people go on with their lives no matter who is in office, and they don't allow the media to tell them how they should feel.

Normal people know that most of the idiocy said about Bush is just that, idiocy, and that's why they not only cannot trust the easily led in Hollywood, but they have a deep distrust for the media.

I don't include internet blogs in the once-respected field called journalism as the blather that comes from them is simply the hum of the unstable.

[rshrink]

Johnny, what planet do you reside on. Bush who began giving incentives for companies to pull out of America, got us into an impossible war in Iraq which caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and made more than that refugees, caused a skyrocketing effect on the debt and import/export deficit, made the wealthy wealthier and lowered income for the rest, deregulated to the point of possibly still putting us in a depression, jailed people without known causes, spied on americans, deregulated banks and credit companies so that they were allowed to charge outrageous fees, often without justifiable cause, ignored escalating healthcare and education costs without doing anything about it, wasted more time and money on abortion, appointed crooks and cronies to government posts, including attorney general, could go on like this all night. Oh yah, you don't have to be on another planet, just watch Fixed news and that will do it.

[SKayum]

Well I give it to you that "normal" people are not usually concerned with political current events - but I find it hard to believe that the months leading up to the Iraq war, the odd and deceptive Mission Accomplished, the PATRIOT act, the smartly timed terror alerts all didn't combine to instill a little bit of apprehension in any "normal" thinking individual.

[BlueBirdyIsBack]

I always respected Richard Dreyfuss' and based upon the 'MISREPRESENTATIVE' title of this article, I was afraid I was about to become disenthralled with him. But I agree with the last couple of posters, who asserted that his statements were not a slam against 'W', or Oliver Stone! Rather, in his wry, understated way, and as often characteristic of the roles he has played, I believe he was simply expressing his desire for movie viewers to think more critically... suggesting people FIRST SEE Farenheit 9-11 and Passion of Christ, BEFORE... before reaching their foregone conclusions! And, by his reference to the THE LAST 8 'T E R R I B L E' YEARS... WE'VE BEEN LIVING THROUGH... A VERITABLE HORROR SHOW... suggests where his sympathies might lie! LydiaJean? If the folks on watch at the time of 9-11, had been ON TOP OF THEIR GAME... WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ATTACKED! ACCORDING TO CONDOLEZZA RITE... er RICE... SHE HAD A MEMO ON HER DESK THAT AN ATTACK ON OUR SOIL WAS IMMINENT! NORAD WAS ON 'STAND DOWN'! You really should watch Farenheit 9-11!

[Melissa]

The four witches on The View must have been in a tizzie.

[hortonhearsawho]

Close encounters of the republican kind....

[Brian Ross - Huffpost Blogger]

The article lead here needs to be changed. Dreyfuss was right on track. The movie has no end, is sympathetic to Bush, which is fine, if you explain why. We never get that idea. It also misses a lot of stuff, like Bush's dalliance with National Guard service, elements which probably would have not reinforced Oliver's point. He has always been a bit of a flawed filmmaker, without a phenomenal editor, and this movie is a testimony to that.

[surenadelnorte]

I watched the clip and I agree - the story and its title misrepresented what Dreyfuss said. Hope this isn't typical on HuffPost

[Burkelbile]

it happens all the time.

[rshrink]

I got a different impression of what he was saying. I didn't think he was trashing the film. He did not like how it was sympathetic of Bush and did not incorporate the view of those of us who have endured his 8 years in the white house. Likely, Stone wants people to be able to have their own reaction, rather than trying to manipulate people into feeling a certain way. I haven't seen the film however, so perhaps I am reading too much in to what Dreyfuss was saying. I think RIchard would have liked to have trashed Bush more, make him pay for his errant ways.

[lydiajean]

He's a BIG HAS BEEN. Is the View that desparate?

[Okieborn]

BULL CRAP lydiajane !!
DREYFUSS is still BIG BOX OFFICE.
HE WAS STATING THAT STONE DIDN'T SHOW THE REAL UN-CARING BUSH.
THE BUSH WHO HAS NO TOLERANCE FOR THE POOR OR MIDDLE CLASS !!!!

[gd h]

Maybe-maybe not. But at least he WAS SOMETHING. Apparently you're a big something now or you wouldn't be so critical of him..?

[RealityCheck101]

Why are so many actors eccentric? Its like in their DNA to be weird.

[bemusedcanadian]

They're a breed apart...

[rshrink]

Weird is mostly just something unfamiliar. Personalities mostly develop in reaction to what is going on around in one's family and community. Perhaps in the acting community, you would be weird.