"I'd heard the idea for the play before I ever read it, and I thought: 'intriguing'," reveals Ron Howard, shrugging his shoulders. "But I wasn't bowled over to be honest."

The director is not alone. Really, how interesting could a 116-minute conversation between a self-important president and a poncy journalist be?

Very, it turns out.

"I then read the play," continues Howard, "and I was very surprised by how engrossing, entertaining and surprising it was."

Dead right again.

Described as a "boxing match with words" by playwright and screenwriter Peter Morgan, 'Frost/Nixon' is exactly that: hard-hitting verbal sparring between two worthy adversaries. No car chases. No punch-ups. No explosions. No subterfuge. No mind-boggling plot twists. Nobody even breaks a sweat (well, apart from Nixon's natural predisposition for upper lip perspiration).

But there's a carefully-controlled suspense at this real story's core that keeps you intrigued, wanting to know what happens in the next round and the next even though the final outcome has long been consigned to the history books. Credit to Morgan's lean script and Howard's focused direction, but it's the leads — reprising the roles they played more than 300 times on the West End and Broadway — who deliver the knockout blows.

Michael Sheen appears to be all smiling talkshow-host-insincerity as David Frost, one of the biggest names in '70s TV. But there's lingering insecurity and a gradual realisation that his latest, boldest venture — the very venture that should give him the respect he so craves — may be a step to far. How could someone used to making small talk with celebrities expect to get an on-camera confession out of the man branded Tricky Dicky?

It's a setup that has the former president — interpreted rather than impersonated by Frank Langella — bullishly brimming with confidence, hopeful of a stab at redemption (and an easy payday) three years after being bundled out of the White House.

There's a moment where Frost's befuddlement becomes steely resolve — Sheen using just his eyes to convey the transformation — and Nixon's self-righteous rambling stutters into quiet despair, the fight leaving his voice and steely gaze that highlights the skill and talent of both actors as well as the subtle power of 'Frost/Nixon'.

Extras:

A typically slick 'making of' featurette covers the usual aspects of the project's genesis, casting, characters, production design and filming with appropriately back-slapping interviews with everyone from Howard, Morgan, Sheen and Langella to the guy tasked with recreating Heathrow circa 1977. 'The Real Interview' has the filmmakers reliving the original TV broadcast but, more fascinatingly, shows how closely the screenplay follows the actual transcripts, with some license taken to up the tension. 'The Nixon Library' is a PR piece about his presidential library — incorporating a museum and his birthplace — while the deleted scenes are primarily longer versions of existing scenes highlighting especially the improv talents of supporting players Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt. And Howard's feature commentary reinforces his skill as a story teller as he regales detailed anecdotes about all aspects of the production — from Nixon and the dog to those Italian shoes — instead of the typical running commentary.