Changes

The movie is not sympathetic to Nixon but it does try and understand the origins of his psychological problems that later manifested themselves as paranoia and depression. The Stone film gives considerable attention to Nixon's difficult boyhood years to explain his peculiar and challenging character. Nixon came from a poor family and he knew hard times.  His relationship with his mother was difficult, his father was very demanding. His austere Quaker mother made him feel very insecure and unloved. His parents instilled in him the idea that happiness was for the next life. Nixon knew tragedy as a boy and the death of his two brothers, affected him deeply<ref> Ambrose, Stephen E. (1987). Nixon: The Education of a Politician 1913–1962. New York: Simon & Schuster), p. 113</ref>. Stone’s movie also accurately shows his humiliations as an untalented football player in which he was used as a tackling dummy by better and larger players. The motion pictures presentation of Nixon’s early years is largely accurate.