Death of MacArthur (2017)
1963 marks 30 years since Douglas MacArthur (Carl Reiner) had taken over Cuba and set up the exiled government of the United States. However, the stress of continued insurgency, attempts on his life, and American Havana's position as a Cold War hotspot has taken a toll on his health, along with increasingly erratic behavior, such as firing Avery Brundage, the head of the American Olympic Committee (in exile) for a disappointing showing in the 1960 Games.
In this state, policy is influenced by Attorney General Robert Kennedy (James Marsden) and First Secretary Hamilton Fish IV (Josh Brolin), who have a more liberal attitude than MacArthur. They are hampered by conservatives Secretary of War Edwin Walker (Jim Parsons), NBI Director Allen Dulles (Cedric Smith) and MacArthur's long time Vice President John S. Wood (Chris Parnell). In the meantime, MacArthur is grooming his son Arthur MacArthur IV (Fredrick Long*), recently graduated from Oxford with an English degree, to succeed him as President, comparing himself to Julius Caesar and Arthur to Augustus.
However, Wood is called to MacArthur's office one morning, and learns that MacArthur is forcing him to resign, wanting a newer face (like say, his son) to take his place. That night, MacArthur makes one final appearance at a gala, with figures including Jack Warner (Stanley Tucci), Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio), William Randolph Hearst, Jr. (BJ Novak), Meyer Lansky (Richard Dreyfuss), David Rockefeller (Jon Favarau), William Clay Ford (John Michael Higgins), and Robert's father, Joe Sr. (Bruce Dern), before retiring to his bedroom. Joe Sr. and Lansky note MacArthur's health, and discuss taking advantage, using Robert as a pawn to gain more influence.
The next day, his butler finds him in his bedroom, dead. The butler contacts a number of figures, including Bobby, Fish, Wood, Joe Sr., Walker, and Arthur. They argue for a bit, with Walker having the Presidential Palace locked down, with staff captured and interrogated, as well as a state of emergency in Havana. When it is determined that MacArthur died of natural causes, Kennedy forces Walker to lift the emergency. However, a staffer notes the conversation from last night to one of Walker's aides.
With Wood out as VP, there is significant confusion as to proper leadership. As First Secretary, Fish temporarily takes over as interim President. Walker is able to manipulate Wood into contesting that he had proper right towards the position, and that his dismissal from the Vice Presidency was part of MacArthur's addled actions. Joe wants to have his son in the position, and begins to use his extensive business and political connections to make it so. Dulles has the reluctant Arthur position himself as the true successor, per his father's wishes. All intend to use this to situate themselves as the true leader of Cuba and the "true" leader of Cuba".
Kennedy soon finds allies in David Rockefeller and brother, John III(Alan Alda), as well as Warner (an old contemporary from Joe's Hollywood days), and calls in a favor from Lansky to help sway corrupt NSF members.
Walker, meanwhile, begins to use loopholes to slowly amass more influence and prestige right under Fish's nose, and bring the other members of the Cabinet on his side. Dulles brings the staunchly conservative NSF members onto his side, claiming that Arthur MacArthur will carry on the MacArthur legacy.
British ambassador Alec Douglas-Home (Hugh Grant) informs Fish at MacArthur's funeral that the Franco-British Union would much prefer Kennedy over either Walker, who they fear will start a war with the UASR, which would spark a nuclear exchange or Arthur, who they feel is deeply unqualified and a definite puppet for Dulles.
Walker attempts to appeal to Arthur to take him from Dulles' influence and increase his own standing. Arthur declines out of mistrust for Walker. In the meantime, as his prestige increases, Walker begins to push the aged Wood out of the picture to seize power for himself. Hughes and real estate developer Fred Trump (Ryan Reynolds) also provide Walker's public campaign with significant funds. He also spreads stories of Joe's other sons: John being a communist judge, Joseph Jr. a Nazi war criminal, and recently annoited congressman Ted (Matthew Perry) a womanizer and drunkard. Dulles spreads rumors that Joe had poisoned MacArthur to place Bobby in charge, with help from mob associates. Dulles also has MacArthur's last wishes to have Arthur take over published in LifeTime Magazine.
Both Robert and Arthur tire of being manipulated. Arthur finally splits with Dulles, declining the presidency and forming an alliance with Robert, who splits with his father and his mob friends, to ensure Walker doesn't become leader. They quickly work to find a way to rid of Walker and place Kennedy as head.
Through interviews with various Walker affiliates (and some snooping), Robert learns that Walker was notorious for groping and fondling soldiers within his own guard. Under this pretext, Kennedy has Walker arrested, and an intense scene, Walker pleads guilty. Dulles, under pressure from Fish, retires as head of the NBI.
Fish formally resigned, and Kennedy takes over as full-term President, which he would hold until bowing out for the first free Cuban election in 1971. Arthur would defect to the United Republics in 1969, taking up residence in a New Hampshire dacha. Walker was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but was paroled in 1977. He would quietly live out the rest of his days in Havana before his death in 1993.
And seriously, Arthur MacArthur the 4th?! Does he like the name that much or is he that uncreative?
