The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 66

Kissinger-Nixon relationship: The stuff of great drama By LYNN ELEER As1-' IAFI ll I'Hf ssF. "Kissinger and The drama deals with a very complicated and serious event the endgame of the negotiations in Vietnam. 7 tonight on TNT. Repeats Tuesday and Friday. was said to whom, hat was the tone, and what it led to." Kissinger apparently didn't lake the film lightly.

He sent Silver a -1 1-page letter backed up by what the actor describes as "300 pages of appendices and material." "But you have to take things with a grain of salt, because candor can be the most intimate and effective instrument of deception," Silver said. Kissinger objected to certain aspects of the screenplay, from minor points of fact to meatier questions of motivation, according to Chetwynd. His comments became part of the body of research used for the film, which relied primarily but not solely on Isaacson's work, the producer said. Although Silver said he remains ambivalent about Kissinger's actions regarding Vietnam, he considers him an "engaging personality" and developed an empathy for the statesman. "He was trying to accomplish certain things; whether he did it in the most gracious and noble way, whether he did it in another fashion, I leave to others to decide." Gen.

Alexander Haig, George Takei as North Vietnam's foreign minister Le Due Tho and Ron White as Nixon chief of staff H.R. Haldeman. The close but wary relationship between Nixon and Kissinger, ho later served as secretary of state, is the stuff of great drama, Silver believes. "In some ways there was a tremendous amount of respect and disrespect they had for each other," he said. "1 think Claudius said of Hamlet 'madness in great ones must not un-watched "1 think at some point Kissinger was very protective because he saw this downward spiral that Nixon was on," Silver said of the president eventually forced from office by the Watergate scandal.

The actor already has proven himself adept at rendering a real-life character, playing a memorably feisty Alan Dershowitz, the attorney, in the film "Reversal of Fortune." When it came to "Kissinger," Silver's interest was excited by more than writer-producer Lionel Chetwynd's solid script: He was a student of politics who had considered a CIA career and was an admirer of Kissinger's skills. "My graduate studies were involved in geopolitical strategies and foreign affairs, so I was very familiar with Kissinger's ork before I became an actor," he said. "So this is something I had been doing for my pleasure in my leisure time. It was nice to marry what I do professionally with my avocation." Silver prepared carefully for the role and for meetings with Kissinger, whom he knew socially and whose perspective he sought in two lunch meetings. "Knowing Kissinger, I tried to do my homework as best I could," Silver recalled.

He read Kissinger's writings as well as books by Nixon and administration figures, including Haig and Haldeman. "I re-created a calendar for those six months in '72. 1 put everybody's recollections of hat happened each day on the calendar, in different ink," he said. All the players, Silver found, agreed on the facts. "But what's interesting is the subjective interpretation of what Los Angeles, Calif.

Ron Silver lobbied with a politician's zeal for the role of Henry Kissinger in the new TV film "Kissinger and Nixon." "Yon don't see a script like this very often," Silver said. The Turner Net work Television movie spotlights President Richard Nixon and his national security adviser in their machinations to finish the Vietnam War. "It was a very sophisticated text that dealt in a profound way, particularly for television or the movies, with a very complicated and serious event the endgame of the negotiations in Vietnam," Silver said. The movie, based on Walter Isaacson's best-selling biography, examines the period August 1972-January 1973 as the United States and Vietnam grappled for a political end to the war and as Nixon campaigned for reelection. Personalities, policy and ambition collide, sometimes openly, sometimes ihwiiiim iiuii wmm niw mmfm mm i A i i k-' i i i i 1 1 under layers of secrecy which historians such as Isaacson are beginning to strip away.

Silver plays opposite Beau Bridges as Nixon in the film debuting tonight on the cable channel emerging the same month as Oliver Stone's theatrical release "Nixon" to create a mini-Nixon film festival. Both Silver and Bridges were transformed for their roles by mask-and-niakeup artistry; Silver adds an uncanny impression of Kissinger's freight-train rumble of a voice. Also featured are Matt Frewer as Holiday Programs and Father Christmas" Animated. 1:30 p.m., Disney, "Holiday Splendor" Carol Lawrence presents a celebration of holiday traditions front cultures around the world. 6 p.m., Disney, "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" 7 p.m., CBS, "Martha Stewart's Home for the Holidays" 7 p.m., WGN, Movie: "Miracle on 34th Street" 7 p.m., Disney, "Mole's Christmas" Animated.

7 p.m., TNN, "Christmas in Dixie" Repeats at 1 1 p.m. 8 p.m., CBS, Movie: "A Holiday to Remember" Premiere. Connie Selle-ca, Randy Travis. Wednesday, Dec. 13 7 a.m., Family Channel, "Tinimy's Gift" Animated.

7:30 a.m., Family Channel, "Hmrny's Special Delivery" Animated. 12:05 p.m., TBS, Movie: "Miracle in the Wilderness" Kris Kristoffer-son. 1 p.m., Discovery, "Start to Finish" 1:30 p.m., Disney, "The Family Circus Christmas" Animated. Jeffy wants Santa Claus to bring his grandfather back from heaven. 6 p.m., Disney, "The Year Without Santa Claus" Animated.

Santa decides to take the day off. 6 p.m., Nickelodeon, "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" Emmet and his mother compete in a talent contest. 6 p.m., USA, "A Chipmunk Christmas" Animated. Alvin and the Chipmunks are asked to perform at Carnegie Hall 1ft, Sunday, Dec. 10 8:30 a.m., Discovery, "Start to Finish" Crafts and collectibles for Christmas and Hanukkah.

9 a.m., Disney, "The Nutcracker Prince" Animated. 9:05 a.m., TBS, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" The perennial animated classic about the evil Mr. Grinch and the dastardly things he perpetrates on the holiday celebrations of the Whos. 10:30 a.m., Disney, "A Claymation Christmas Celebration" The California Raisins. 12 p.m., USA, Movie: "Scrooged" 12 p.m., Family Channel, "Frosty's Winter Wonderland" Animated.

Frosty is about to marry, until Jack Frost puts him into a deep freeze. 5 p.m., Lifetime, Movie: "Ebbie" Female version of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" 6:30 p.m., Family Channel, "The Christmas Wife" A holiday friendship brightens a widower's life. Jason Robards. 8 p.m., Family Channel, "Holiday Greetings From the Ed Sullivan Show" Bob Newhart presents a look at the best holiday performances from "The Ed Sullivan Show." Monday, Dec. 11 7 p.m., WGN, Movie: "It Nearly Wasn't Christmas" Charles Dum- ing.

7 p.m., TNN, "A Sam's Place Christmas" Gary Chapman, Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapan and Hal Ketchum perform. Repeats at 1 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12 7 a.m., Family Channel, "Babar 7 p.m., TNT, "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Special Edition" 9 p.m., NBC, "Christmas in Washington" Thursday, Dec.

14 7 a.m., Family Channel, "Santa's Christmas Crash" 8 p.m., "Carols From Kings" 9:30 p.m., "Swing Into Christmas" Favorite holiday songs, including Come All Ye Faithful" and "Carol of the Bells." Friday, Dec. 15 9 a.m., Nickelodeon, "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" 5:30 p.m., Family Channel, "Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" Animated. 6 p.m., Family Channel, "Jack Frost" Animated. 7:05 p.m., TBS, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" See Sunday listing. 7:30 p.m., Disney, Movie: "One Magic Christmas" 7:35 p.m., TBS, "A Flintstones Christmas Carol" Animated.

9:15 p.m., TBS, "A Christmas Carol" Reginald Owen, Gene Lock-hart. Colorized. (1 hr, 30 min.) 9:30 p.m., Disney, "The Honey-mooners' First Christmas" Saturday, Dec. 16 7 a.m., Showtime, "On Christmas Eve" Animated. A girl receives a visit from fairies.

7 a.m., Family Channel, "Santa and the Three Bears" Animated. 7:30 a.m., Showtime, "The Night Before Christmas" 8:30, a.m., AMC, "Holiday Affair" Stewart's Home for the Holidays." 2 p.m., Nickelodeon, "Weinerville Chanukah Special" 2:05 p.m., TBS, "A Flintstones Christmas" 2:30 p.m., Disney, "1954 Christmas" 1954 Christmas show featuring Donald Duck. 3:30 p.m., Disney, "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" See Tuesday listing. 3:35 p.m., TBS, "A Flintstones Christmas Carol" HOLIDAY Please turn to next page Miss Piggy is a guest on "Martha 8:30 a.m., Discovery, "Start to Finish" See Sunday listing. 10:30 a.m., Disney, "The Teddy Bears Christmas" Animated.

A teddy bear helps Santa make a girl's Christmas wish come true. 1 1 a.m., TNT, Movie: "Miracle in the Wilderness" See Wednesday listing. 12 p.m., USA, "A Chipmunk Christmas" See Dec. 13 listing. 12:30 p.m., USA, "Christmas Every Day" 1 p.m., TNT, "Christmas in Con-necticut" A i 4-TV Df Moines Srwrw RrotWRR DmNHtKR I.