The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977) review

Condensed overview of the career of America's "Top Cop" J. Edgar Hoover (James Wainwright in younger form, Broderick Crawford in his later years) as he changed the public's perception of the Federal Bureau of Investigation by militarizing his agents, taking down the notorious John Dillinger and going after the "Commies" all while harboring hang-ups with women (and neckties) ... and possibly being in the closet himself along with Associate Director Clyde Tolson (Dan Dailey, in his last role).  It seems stuck in some weird middle area where it can't decide whether it wants to be a serious political movie or drift into full camp and unwisely tries to speed run the entirety of his forty year tenure in under two hours, darting quickly through his apparent rifts with multiple historical figures, including Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (Michael Parks) and Martin Luther King Jr. (Raymond St. Jacques).  Crawford's performance is noteworthy - his version of Hoover is lumbering but publicly dignified as he casually brushes off allegations regarding his "personal life" ... and then, in private, obsesses over unethically acquired wiretaps.  There's nothing in this about his (supposed) cross-dressing, but you do have to wonder why he was so "lenient" on the Mafia....