Wag the Dog (1997)
- Starring:
- Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, (more)
- Director(s):
- Barry Levinson
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Category:
- Comedy
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In a 29-day shoot, Barry Levinson filmed this $15 million political and media satire, adapted by Hilary Henkin and David Mamet from Larry Beinhart's novel, American Hero. Two weeks prior to re-election, the President (Michael Belson) is accused of cornering an underage girl in the Oval Office. To keep the media from learning of this, Presidential adviser Winifred Ames (Anne Heche) brings in political consultant and spin doctor Conrad Brean (Robert De Niro), a specialist in such salvage operations. Brean suggests fabricating denials of non-existent emergencies -- such as denials about the B-3 bomber. The denial, of course, is true, since no B-3 bomber exists. Brean visits the mansion of Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) and gives him the assignment to create a patriotic campaign centered around a war in Albania. Motss assembles a creative team -- Liz Butsky (Andrea Martin), the trend-setter Fad King (Denis Leary), and songwriter Johnny Green (Willie Nelson). Treated like an ad campaign, the songs and symbols are transmitted directly from a Hollywood soundstage to CNN. The star of their campaign is a "rescued" pilot -- in reality, a psychotic military prisoner (Woody Harrelson), who's a ticking time bomb. The flag-waving song, "The American Dream" was written for the film by Tom Bahler (who co-wrote "We Are the World"). Beinhart's original novel involved a real President (Bush), a real war (the Gulf War), and the premise that George Bush and Saddam Hussein staged it. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 110 mins
Complete Cast:
- Dustin Hoffman - Stanley Motss
- Anne Heche - Winifred Ames
- Denis Leary - Fad King
- Andrea Martin - Liz Butsky
- Suzanne Cryer - Amy Cain
- Suzie Plakson - Grace
- William H. Macy - Mr. Young
- Merle Haggard - Himself
- Robert De Niro - Conrad Brean
- Woody Harrelson - Sgt. William Schumann
- Willie Nelson - Johnny Green
- Michael Belson - President
- John Michael Higgins - John Levy
- Kirsten Dunst - Tracy Lime
- Jason Cottle - "A D" (Assistant Director)
- Roebuck "Pops" Staples - Himself
- Director(s):
- Barry Levinson
- Writer(s):
- David Mamet, Hilary Henkin
- Producer(s):
- Robert De Niro, Barry Levinson, Jane Rosenthal
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Profanity, Adult Situations, Mild Violence, Watch With Your Teen)
- Categories:
- Comedy
- Closed Captioning:
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- Subtitles:
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- 1998 - Wag the Dog - Berlin International Film Festival - Silver Bear - Special Jury Prize
- 1997 - Wag the Dog - National Board of Review - Best Supporting Actress
