The Phantom President Reviews

Notable only as George M. Cohan's first (and almost last) talkie, THE PHANTOM PRESIDENT is a predictable political comedy which sees the "Yankee Doodle Dandy" playing a dual role: a lackluster presidential candidate with all the charm of a sofa, and his exact double, a smooth-talking medicine man. Desperate to win, the candidate's supporters hire the medicine man to impersonate their boss so the crowds will think he's got some spunk. Of course identities get confused, as does the candidate's girl friend, Colbert. The candidate gets so upset at these developments that he arranges for the medicine man to be bopped on the head and shipped out to sea, but the goons goof and the would-be president is the one taking the slow boat out. THE PHANTOM PRESIDENT was not a pleasant experience for those involved because an egotistical Cohan tried to grab control of the production, thinking he was the only one capable of writing, producing, and directing a George M. Cohan show. He even went so far as to refuse any publicity outings and the film died at the box office. Rodgers and Hart did the songs, which included the unmemorable: "Give Her a Kiss," "The Country Needs a Man," "Somebody Ought to Wave a Flag," and "The Convention."