'Frost/Nixon:' The Rise and Fall of Celebrity

An able cast of supporting players helps raise the stakes for this momentous interview and gives an insider look at just how easily the entire program could have imploded. Brian Sgambati as prolific anti-Nixon biographer Jim Reston, Antony Hagopian as Frost's producer John Birt, and Bob Ari as respected American reporter Bob Zelnick crackle as they prep and prod their celebrity host to take this interview to Nixon's jugular. Ted Koch as Nixon's Chief of Staff Jack Brennan is suitably loyal and protective while Stephen Rowe as his Hollywood agent Swifty Lazar negotiates deals in a manner worthy of his nickname. Roxanna Hope as Frost's girlfriend du jour Caroline Cushing is attractive but also smart window dressing.

The question that still resonates for Americans old enough to remember the Senate Watergate hearings is the one that Frost used to open his landmark interviews: "Why didn't you destroy the tapes?" The fact that Nixon didn't - and that he somehow connected those incriminating recordings to a greater glory instead of to his ultimate demise - is the essence of this great American tragedy.

As Frost/Nixon illustrates so fascinatingly, Frost may have delivered Nixon's apology to the American people. But he fell short of delivering an answer.

PHOTOS: Alan Cox as David Frost; Stacy Keach as Richard M. Nixon; Antony Hagopian as John Birt, Alan Cox, Bob Ari as Bob Zelnick, and Brian Sgambati as Jim Reston

Jan Nargi is owner and creative director of JMN Publications, a marketing and public relations firm based in Boston, Mass. She provides consultation, communications, and writing services to clients in the health care, entertainment, financial, retail, manufacturing, non-profit, and sports industries. As a freelance writer, Jan has had hundreds of articles published in business and high-tech magazines. Theatrically, she has reviewed, written, directed, acted, produced, sung, danced, managed publicity, pounded nails, and designed lighting and sets. Jan has even acted in the occasional B-movie, playing a zombie, a psycho shrink, and a clueless news reporter. You may visit her on the web at www.jmnpublications.com.

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