"That'll do, Pres. That'll do."

By PHILIP WUNTCH
Film Critic Emeritus
An item in today's Variety made me grin. James Cromwell has signed to play the senior President George Bush in Oliver Stone's "W," a study of current president George W. Bush's "formative" years.

Although Cromwell remains best-known as the pig's farmer in "Babe," he's also had high-ranking roles. He played Prince Philip to Helen Mirren's "The Queen" and is currently before the cameras as Lyndon Baines Johnson in "Flying Into Love," another inspection of the JFK assassination.

But what tickles me about Cromwell playing a Bush is that he's the son of blacklisted director John Cromwell. He shares his late father's political views and has spoken openly in interviews about the dangers of W's policies. John Cromwell was a respected director whose credits include the 1944 homefront valentine "Since You Went Away" with Claudette Colbert, the 1934 "Of Human Bondage," which made Bette Davis a star, the 1937 classic adventure "The Prisoner of Zenda" with Ronald Colman and the 1938 "Algiers," in which Charles Boyer's Pepe le Moko inspired the cartoon character Pepe le Pew.

Yet by the early 1950s, the shameful McCarthy Era blacklisting rendered him no longer welcome in the film industry. He did good work on stage productions, but his movie career never regained momentum. He also acted on occasion, including a role in revered iconoclast Robert Altman's "A Wedding." Somewhere he must be smiling at the thought of his son playing a Bush. I know I am.

Meanwhile, Ellen Burstyn, who last won raves as a drug addict in "Requiem for a Dream," will play Barbara Bush. Elizabeth Banks, she of the "Spider-Man" franchise and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," will play Laura. And, as previously reported, non-other than Josh Brolin, stepson of Democrat Barbra Streisand, will play "W" himself. Photos of Josh in full make-up show a remarkable resemblance to the current White House dweller.

Director Stone has said the movie will surprise Bush supporters as well as Bush detractors. I, for one, can't wait.