All the President's Men (1976)

A political drama thriller that chronicles the investigative journalism of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein from The Washington Post. The film begins with a break-in at the US Democratic Party National headquarters in the run-up to the 1972 elections. Woodward, a relatively new reporter, is assigned to cover what initially seems to be a minor story.

Woodward discovers that the five men arrested, primarily Cuban immigrants, have high-powered lawyers and connections to the White House. This arouses his suspicions and he starts digging deeper into the case with fellow reporter Bernstein. They uncover names and addresses of White House fund organizers on the accused, leading them higher up in the White House.

The duo’s perseverance, supported by their editors, reveals that the break-in was part of a much larger network of illegal intelligence gathering activities. Their investigation focuses on Woodward’s secret source, “Deep Throat” (later identified as FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt), who provides crucial guidance when they encounter roadblocks.

Following Deep Throat’s advice to “follow the money”, they uncover that funds donated to President Richard Nixon’s re-election campaign were diverted to the burglars. This leads them to discover that the scandal reaches into the White House itself.

The film underscores the importance of investigative journalism in holding power accountable.