A surprisingly sympathetic account of the life of Richard Nixon from Oliver Stone, NIXON stars Anthony Hopkins as the former American president. Told out of chronological order, the film traces Nixon's life from his strict Quaker upbringing, through his rise in the Republican party, to his wounding defeats in the early 1960s, and finally to the triumph of the presidency and the disgrace of Watergate. Viewing Nixon as a tragic figure, Stone finds the answer to the man's debilitating flaws in the hobbling insecurities fostered by his rigid youth. The film's supporting cast includes Joan Allen, James Woods, Ed Harris, and Bob Hoskins.