By Dennis Hartley

(Originally posted on Digby’s Hullabaloo on August 10, 2024)

The President’s Analyst (KL Studio Classics)

Beware the Phone Company! Unlike the empty-headed 60’s spy spoofs James Coburn’s name usually evokes, writer-director Theodore J. Flicker’s 1967 film is one with substance. Coburn plays a psychoanalyst recruited to be the President’s personal shrink by one of his patients (Godfrey Cambridge, in a wonderful performance).  Cambridge is an operative for the “C.I.E.” The ensuing intrigue and conspiracy paranoia plays like Three Days of the Condor on acid (literally, in one memorable sequence).

Granted, it’s a tad silly and “slapstick-y” at times, but the socio-political satire is consistently on point (at times recalling Dr. Strangelove, particularly in one scene where a character is desperately trying to reach the White House on a pay phone). “Summer of Love” trappings aside, the film is quite prescient and bold for its time (e.g. consider Cambridge’s stark monologue recalling his first encounter with racism, played directly to the camera; nothing “ha-ha” funny going on there.)

Also with Joan Delaney, Severn Darden, Pat Harrington, Jr., Walter Burke (stealing all his scenes as an officious “F.B.R.” agent), Will Geer, William Daniels, and Arte Johnson. Look for Barry Maguire (who sang the 60s classic “Eve of Destruction”) as the leader of a band of hippies Coburn hooks up with while he’s on the run from an assortment of nefarious parties.

Kino’s Blu-ray is light on extras (just two commentary tracks), but the 4K scan is a definite step up from the previous Paramount DVD. A must-have for “Conspiracy a Go-go” fans!