SHADOW CONSPIRACY
US, 1996, 98 minutes, Colour.
Charlie Sheen, Linda Hamilton, Donald Sutherland, Stephen Lang, Sam Waterston, Ben Gazzara, Nicholas Turturro, Theodore Bikel, Gore Vidal.
Directed by George Pan Cosmatos.
Shadow Conspiracy is an interesting if somewhat routine conspiracy thriller. It has a Washington setting and posits the hypothesis that the vice president and the chief of staff have lost faith in the American president and have set up a conspiracy to assassinate him. Information about politicians, their stances and corruption are monitored by a group of computer experts and one of these is an informer after all the others have been killed. The assistant to the president has the dilemma of exposing the conspiracy to the press and to expose his mentor who, it emerges, is the leader of the conspiracy.
Charlie Sheen looks sufficiently worried as the assistant to the president and spends a great deal of the time being chased. Linda Hamilton is a former lover and antagonistic journalist whose help he needs. Donald Sutherland is the chief of staff, Stephen Lang the assassin, Sam Waterston the president, Ben Gazzara the vice president. There is a momentary cameo by Gore Vidal as a politician who is being blackmailed to support a cause. The direction is by George Pancosmatos, a Greek director who made a number of Hollywood films including Cobra with Sylvester Stallone.
1. The popularity of this kind of conspiracy film? Washington conspiracy? Against the government? In the atmosphere of the mid-90s?
2. The Washington settings, the White House itself, the offices, the backrooms, computer centres? The media? The streets and the chases? Editing and pace for the chases? Excitement? The musical score?
3. The plausibility of the plot, the title, a conspiracy within the heart of government, the judgment of arrogance on the president in his second term, the righteousness of the conspirators? Their ruthlessness, resorting to assassination?
4. Bobby Bishop as the young assistant to the president, his being called in by Conrad, given an ultimatum to change the press perception of a document? His phone calls, manner of acting, the West Wing ruthless touch? His antagonism towards Amanda, especially at the press conference? His standover tactics with the congressman, persuading him to come on stage and deny his former story? The applause of the inner council for his efficiency? His meeting with the professor, the information about the shadow conspiracy, the professor shot and dying in his arms? The assassin chasing him? The drama of the chase, Bobby and his being elusive? The phone call to Conrad, the assassin present at the new rendezvous? His suspicions? His calling Amanda, promising to give her the story? His ringing the sub-editor, the arrangement to meet, the death of the sub-editor? The assassin in the paper building? The further chases? The entry into the White House, his persuading the guard to let him through, the casual approach? Hacking into the computer, the discovery that Conrad had given the authorisation for the death of the professor? The chase within the building? The realisation that the president was the target, his getting help, coming into the scene for the assassination, the model plane and its shooting, his pushing the president out of the way? His achievement, the happy ending with Amanda? Conrad killing himself?
5. Amanda, the past relationship with Bobby, her asking the question in the press conference, his going to her, her sharing in the search, the dangers? The happy ending?
6. The assassin, the opening with the computer group, killing them, the professor escaping? His shooting him in the street? His pursuit of Bobby? His going to his office, getting the information, the photos, going to the apartment and killing the professor's assistant? His entry into the site for the visit of the president, setting off the model plane, its mayhem, Bobby and his getting the balloons to fall on the model plane and its explosion? His leaping out shooting and his death?
7. Conrad, Donald Sutherland's dignity, his being Bobby's mentor and supporting him? Audiences not suspecting him of being the criminal? At the meetings, his influence with the group, with the president? His wanting to get Bobby back into the White House? The phone calls? The meetings? His computer being hacked into, the revelation of the truth? His ordering the assassination of the president? His watching, his not being able to kill Bobby, the plan going awry, his shooting himself?
8. The other conspirators, the vice president and his collaboration, his death? The military chief? The computer expert and his resources for surveillance to find Bobby and his car?
9. The picture of American politics, the president, his second term, the condemnation of being liberal and mad, the conspiracy group wanting to get the country back on track and feeling they had the right to do it, mouthing sentiments that they were at the service of the people? Bobby and his criticism of these stances?
10. The combination of conspiracy, assassination attempt, Washington politics and chases?
