The Assassination of Richard Nixon

The Assassination of Richard Nixon is a 2004 American film, directed by Niels Mueller. It stars Sean Penn, Don Cheadle and Naomi Watts, and is based on the story of would-be assassin Samuel Byck, who plotted to kill Richard Nixon in 1974. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.

Characters

The main characters are:

• Samuel J. Bicke - (Penn) a salesman with a history of short-lived jobs. His name was changed in the film to avoid offending living relatives.
• Marie Andersen Bicke - (Watts) Bicke's ex-wife.
• Bonny Simmons - (Cheadle) Bicke's best friend and potential business partner.

Plot

Bicke is portrayed as an individual who wants the world to function according to honesty, honor and ideas, yet he's often paranoid and dishonest, and he gets flustered and angry when things don't go according to his plans. He clearly wants to reconcile with his ex-wife Marie but doesn't notice that she's done with him and has moved on. He states that he stopped working for his brother because he perceives that his brother forced him to lie in his job, yet he lies about his marital status to get employment. He attempts to join the Black Panthers, as he believes that discrimination affects poor white people just as much as it does blacks.

While out drinking with his new employer at an office furniture sales office, the employer describes Richard Nixon as the greatest salesman in history,...
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