Roger Ailes Painted as Genius and Monster in 'Divide and Conquer' Trailer

Was former Fox News chief Roger Ailes a genius, a monster or both? That’s a question posed by the new documentary “Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes.”

“It’s easy to make somebody into a monster. It’s hard to see that you’re on that path too,” says former Fox News personality Glenn Beck in the first trailer for the film.

Directed by Alexis Bloom and executive produced by Alex Gibney, the doc tells the life story of Ailes, from coaching Richard Nixon as a media advisor to his sexual harassment scandal at Fox News prior to his death. The film describes him as a Shakespearean figure who was “more important than America,” who “was profoundly paranoid” and who used power and manipulation as tools to build his media empire and shape a nation.

Also Read: 'RBG' and 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' Among 166 Documentaries Submitted for Oscars

One chilling story featured in the trailer involves Ailes sleeping on the top bunk of a bunk bed as a child, his father told him to jump before stepping away and not catching him.

“Don’t trust anyone,” an interview subject says in the trailer. “That story is not true,” another responds.

Magnolia Pictures is releasing “Divide and Conquer” in theaters on demand, on iTunes and on Amazon Prime Video starting Dec. 7.

Watch the trailer above.

The Evolution of Roger Ailes, From 'The Mike Douglas Show' to Fox News Innovator (Photos)

The television executive has evolved from producing a talk-variety show to running one of the biggest satellite news television channel in the U.S.
Fox News
Born and raised in Ohio, Roger Ailes attended Ohio University as a young man, majoring in radio and television. During his time there, he served as station manager for the university's WOUB radio for two years.
Ohio University
Ailes worked his way up to executive producer on the syndicated daytime talk show "The Mike Douglas Show," which began as a local program in Cleveland before expanding nationwide.
Westinghouse Broadcasting Company
In 1968, Ailes got an Emmy nod when "The Mike Douglas Show" was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming, ultimately losing to NBC's "Today" show.
After first meeting Richard Nixon on the set of "The Mike Douglas Show," Ailes was hired by the then-presidential candidate to be his media advisor during the campaign, which marked his first professional foray into politics.
Ailes continued consulting on presidential campaigns, serving as media consultant for three successful Republicans: Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
Ailes produced the famous "revolving door" ad for Bush, which painted Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis as soft on crime. The piece was widely regarded as the most influential ad of the political cycle.
In 1988, Ailes co-authored a self-help book with Jon Kraushar. "You Are the Message" shared Ailes' tips for effective communication and public performances.
Simon and Schuster
In 1992, Ailes served as executive producer on a syndicated late-night talk show hosted by right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, which ran for four years before coming to an end in 1996.
Ailes Productions
Ailes was named president of CNBC in 1993, where he launched the new cable network America's Talking, which was shut down and replaced with future Fox News competitor MSNBC.
America's Talking
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch hired Ailes to serve as founding CEO and Chariman of the Fox News Channel in 1996, which soon grew to become the most popular cable news network in the country.
Getty Images
In 2016, Ailes was accused of sexual harassment by ousted Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. In July, Carlson filed a lawsuit against Ailes, claiming years of inappropriate behavior and sexual advances.
Getty Images
On July 20, 2016, Ailes was forced to resign from Fox News amid the growing outcry over the sexual harassment allegations.
Getty Images
Ailes died on May 18, 2017 at age 77.