DICK

US, 1999, 85 minutes, Colour.
Kirsten Dunst, Michelle Williams, Dan Hedaya, Will Ferrell, Bruce Mc Culloch, Teri Garr, Dave Foley, Jim Breuer, Ana Gasteyer, Harry Shearer, Saul Rubinek, Ted Mc Ginley, Ryan Reynolds, G. D. Spradlin
Directed by Andrew Fleming.

Dick was not commercial success in 1999 as had been anticipated. However, in retrospect, it is quite amusing, especially in view of the distance between the Nixon era and the present, of the number of films about Nixon, personified by Anthony Hopkins, speculations about Nixon, for instance, Nixon and Elvis and Michael Shannon as Elvis Presley in the White House.

The screenplay writers have taken the theme of Deep Throat, not identified officially at the time of the making of the film. Rather, this is a satirical look at Woodward and Bernstein, their reporting, their rivalries, petty jealousies, the role of Ben Bradlee as editor of the Washington Post. And, instead of a White House official being the informant, it is two15-year-olds, who have a crush on Nixon and are disillusioned when, by accident, they hear some of his tapes and his double dealing and, especially, swearing.

Kirsten Dunst was the right age in taking this role, while Michelle Williams was two years older. They were at the beginning a very successful film careers. There is a very good supporting cast with Will Ferrell and Jim Breuer hamming it up as Woodward and Bernstein, G.D.Spradlin in a cameo as Ben Bradley. Teri Garr is one of the mothers and, at the end of the film, Ryan Reynolds appears in a mistaken role. There are character actors impersonating Nixon’s advisers including Haldeman, John Dean and, especially, Saul Rubinek very good as impersonating Henry Kissinger.

The screenplay has a lot of amusing mixups, the girls and their friendship and their devotion to Nixon, the school tour of the White House and their encountering the President and becoming his dog walkers and, when he learns they live at Watergate, being secretly sworn in as his young advisers – but, their interpreting the secrecy liberally, writing stories about their experiences and telling everyone.

It is also amusing to see the access they have to the White House and to the President and to Kissinger vouching for them.

When they become disillusioned, they decide to ring the Washington Post and arrange to meet Woodward and Bernstein secretly and come upon the name Deep Throat from Betsy’s brother’s pornography.

It all leads to Nixon’s downfall and his resignation – all because of security, cookies that the girls bring to the White House impregnated with pot, and some of the severe aspects of American politics. George W Bush and Donald Trump were yet to come!

1. The Nixon era? Nixon as president? His past, anti-Communist? VP to Eisenhower? Rival to JF Kennedy? Elected in 68, the Vietnam war? Watergate, his resignation?

2. Nixon as seen 25 years later? From the 21st century retrospective?

3. The title, the ambiguity? Tricky Dick?

4. Washington DC in 1973, the Watergate hotel, the interiors? Schools, apartments, the White House, the grounds, interiors? The Washington Post? The garage rendezvous for Deep Throat? The domestic scenes? The musical score, the songs?

5. The film as a spoof? The film as satire? Light-hearted mockery, satirical criticism? 20th century perspective? 21st century? Spoofing Nixon and Watergate?

6. The prologue, Woodward and Bernstein? Being interviewed? The comic send-up? The rivalry between Woodward and Bernstein? The issue of Deep Throat?

7. The focus on Betsy and Arlene? Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams as teenagers? The successful later careers? Girls of the 70s, Betsy’s parents, Arlene’s mother and the separation, drinking, the later spy relationship? Betsy’s brother, the drugs, the draft? Scenes of domestic life?

8. The girls at the Watergate, unlocking the door, getting out, the security, the guards? Their being fans of Nixon?

9. School visit to the White House, the tour, their wandering off, the guards, security, their access, encountering the President, the dog? The return to the school, no Mc Donald’s, the students angry? The irony of the paper stuck on the shoe of the official in the White House?

10. Audience knowledge of Nixon, of Haldeman, Liddy, John Dean? The performances and the re-creating the characters with the touch of satire and criticism? The portrayal of Kissinger, his role, with Nixon, diplomacy, with the girls?

11. The girls, the dog, interrupting the president, his talking with them, their walking the dog, their access to the White House, security letting them in? Kissinger vouching for them? Haldeman and his suspicions? Nixon’s secretary and her welcoming them? Their baking cookies, the brother’s special ingredients? Everybody getting high on the cookies? The return, the security at the gate, Nixon?

12. Arlene in love with Nixon, her scrapbook, the visualising of her dreams, her declaration of love? Assumptions about his goodness?

13. The background of the Vietnam war? Their talking to the president about peace? The news of the Paris Accord? Their taking the credit? At school, their essays? Seen as fantasy? Their secrecy about being sworn in as advisers? But telling everyone?

14. At Watergate, the recordings, Arlene and the long recording? Rewinding? The president, his swearing? The explanations? The disgust at his lies? Seeing the shredding of the documents?

15. Woodward and Bernstein at the Post? The investigations into Watergate? The personalities, the rivalry, the clashes? The discussions with Ben Bradlee and his wanting the
story and verification?

16. Betsy and Arlene upset, phoning the Washington Post, the conversations, becoming Deep Throat, the brother and his pornography and their choice of the title? Arlene shocked at the pornography? The phone call, being distracted, Woodward and Bernstein assuming the silence was confirmation of the list? The list in their scrapbook – and the
dog eating it?

17. The pettiness of Bernstein and Woodward, the visits, the garage, the phone calls, the claims? Writing the articles?

18. The girls at home, then followed in the car, the spy and Arlene’s mother? The visit to the Haldeman house and mistaking the visitor for his son? Spying, search, the kissing?

19. The popular response – and the downfall of Nixon?

20. The satirical imagination on Nixon, his advisers, Watergate, his resignation at the scene of him leaving, his victory sign? Spoof imagination? – And subsequent American history and presidents?