Gore Vidal's American Presidency: Heroes or Villains? on AllMovie

This film presents writer and political commentator Gore Vidal at his acerbic best, offering his off-beat views of past American presidents, from George Washington through Bill Clinton. Vidal, the author of essays and historical novels such as "Lincoln", and "Burr", has been a controversial figure in the American popular culture for decades. He went on to chronicle his view of life as a homosexual in America and his spoof of Hollywood, Myra Breckenridge, starring a transsexual protagonist, make him a pop icon. Satirized on Saturday Night Live by Lily Tomlin, his was a familiar personality on the pop scene. He was a party to a unique moment in broadcasting history when he and arch-conservative William Buckley, engaged in their infamous fisticuffs before a national television audience. Vidal shows his flair for political insight in this documentary.