The Apprentice, a film about the early years of Donald J Trump (DJT) is a masterpiece both horrific and full of humour. The actors Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong – playing Trump and his lawyer Cohen respectively – are magnificent. Maria Bakalova, starring as Ivana Trump, is a goddess who first attracts Trump and towards the end of the movie repels him.
The movie shows the influence of Donald’s father, Frederick Christ ‘Fred’ Trump, the real estate developer and businessman, who wanted nothing more than his sons to be a chip off the old block. Donald, born June 14 1946, is the fourth of five children born to Fred and Mary Anne. Mary Anne MacLeod Trump is the Scottish interest in this film. She comes across as more Russian than Scottish, but that may be just a very poor attempt at a Hollywood Highland West Coast accent.
Trump is ambitious from the get-go. The New York of 1968 was poor and full of opportunities for ambitious, ruthless young men who were prepared to exploit others and who have a poor ability to distinguish right from wrong. Although it is never said explicitly, the Mob are present in abundance, and they recognize another gangster who wants to make a name for himself in what is an urban jungle. He meets and becomes enthralled by the lawyer Cohen, who takes a liking to the young wannabe entrepreneur. Cohen mentors the ruthless Trump in the ways of the New York property jungle. The ‘Donald’ is good and his rise to the top of the tree guaranteed. He is later subsumed by his own success. He has learnt well from the ruthless Cohen.
This film gives an insight into the life of the 45th President of the United States and now the president-elect. This film is a must-see for anyone who seeks to understand the man behind the political phenomenon that is Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Ambitious, ruthless, driven are my three go-to words to describe the man behind the orange glow. I was completely taken aback to find myself in an audience of three at the Birks Cinema, Aberfeldy for this film. I’m sure many more people will flock to it in far greater numbers when they realise this is a story they must have a handle on to help them prepare for the ride of their political lives, which is about to start in January.
Ivana is a great beauty who attracts the young man about town, and they have a passionate start to their married life. Donald admits that he tires of her as the story unfolds. It is the beginning of a descent to a now familiar reliance on prostitutes that haunts the President we’ve come to know. A sad outcome from a once passionate affair between two of New York’s ‘it’ set.
I leave it to ‘The Donald’ to tell you himself about the film. He did speak exclusively to me at Bylines Scotland.
‘This is probably the best film ever made about the life of any President of this great country of ours. I’m in it so it has to be great, it really has. It’s true, even though I say it myself. The best, the greatest. By starring in this movie, I will make American cinema great again. I really will folks.’
PS: If you believe that, you could be running for a job in the White House from January 2025.
Got to stop now. The phone’s ringing off the hook.
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