THE SECOND CIVIL WAR

US, 1997, 97 minutes, Colour.

Bridges, Joanna Cassidy, Phil Hartman, James Earl Jones, James Coburn, Dan Hedaya, Elizabeth Peña, Denis Leary, Ron Perlman, Kevin Dunn, Brian Keith, Kevin Mc Carthy, Dick Miller, William Schallert, Catherine Lloyd Burns, Jerry Hardin, Hank Stratton, Robert Picardo, Roger Corman, Rance Howard.

Directed by Joe Dante.

One of the several excellent HBO movies made for cinemas and television during the 1990s and into the 2000s. Many of them focused on aspect of American politics, like Path to War, LBJ and Vietnam. However, it was said that HBO did not promote this film after its initial release. But, in later years it became available and well praised. Those intending to watch had to check what this Civil War actually was.

Like the other HBO films, there is a vast expert cast of veteran performers. The screenplay is both serious and often laugh-out-loud funny, by Canadian Martyn Burke. And, of all directors, Joe Dante - whom we remember especially from his Gremlins films. The screenplay is full of satirical targeting at key American issues. The film shows political aspects of the 1990s as well as a frantic television news room, mindful of CNN. The film was released in the Clinton era (and Beau Bridges secessionist Governor of Idaho reminds audiences of philandering leaders). There were issues of migration (here Pakistani orphans after a nuclear disaster), preserving the American population from these inroads, the American dream.

The opening declares that the film is set in the near future, three days when Idaho, full of angry militia types, confronted the rest of the United States well, not exactly, because more and more states, even the Chinese governor of Rhode Island resenting inroads of Chinese migration, began to support Idaho. Borders, military buildup on each side, past rival generals reminiscing about old grudges (and appearing on television as if they were dignified in negotiating). A dithering President, cabinet members, a public relations expert (who forbade the L word, lobbyist), advising the president to be a hawkish Teddy Roosevelt, statesman like FDR, aggressive like Truman, dignified like Eisenhower… And the deadline undermined by a climactic episode of All My Children which the whole of the nation would be watching at the moment of the exploration of the timetable.

But, the focus is the media, CNN-like, frantic boss, wanting ratings, international and local reporters (and some funny shenanigans a touch reminiscent of M*A*S*H), but a dignified anchor-presence with James Earl Jones, political stances and voice-over.

This film was very relevant in 1997. BUT… Watching in later decades – American and the world have lived through most of the screenplay from the 2016 presidential campaign to Donald Trump’s defeat in 2020. As audience watch the film now, they realise how prescient it was, and, as audiences laugh with and at the comedy, they might wonder how the United States and the rest of the world actually lived through the turmoil, the divisions, the sloganeering, the whims of the President, and, gasped in disbelief, with the January 6, 2021 invasion of the Capitol by the militia and rabid types which had been sent up here .

1. A film of 1997? The political issues of the 1990s, the American dream, the Clinton administration?
2. The film as satire, prescient, in the light of subsequent history, 9/11, the war on terrorism, the Trump years? (And the scenario being fulfilled in the Trump era?)
3. The political satire, the American president, cabinet, advisers, public relations, the heritage of previous presidents and their stances, Hawks, doves, re-elections, campaigning, television appearances, the public response, members of Congress?
4. The media satire, the parallel with CNN, the character of Mel Burgess, in charge, hands-on with everything, rallying the troops, urging them on, 24 hours a day and beyond, frantic, the links in Pakistan, attitude towards the orphans and their arriving in prime time, no matter what the difficulties on board, the connection with Christina in Boise, wanting sequences with the governor, Jim Kalla in Washington? Vinnie Franco on the Utah-Idaho border? Wanting everything instantly? Impatient of technical difficulties? The hosts of the news, keeping their cool, bland and his suggestions, Helen Newman and her growing desperation, reaction on screen? The various stances and points of view, the right wing staff member, the clash with Alan, more left-wing? Jim and his being neutral, a reporter, his age, experience, trying to keep a balance, his Jewish wife and her illness, going home? The expert, neglected, his theories and graphs, the explanations? Strategies for the television studio?
5. The Pakistani orphan situation, India and Pakistan and the nuclear conflict, the devastation, the rounding up of the orphans, bringing them to the United States, to Idaho? The staff on the ground, Amelia Sims, her domination, telling people off, on the plane, on the border? The associate on the plane, the behaviour of the children, let loose, the smell…?
6. Idaho, the background of its being right wing, the armed militias, narrow attitudes? The governor, refusing to accept the orphans, closing the border, calling in the militias and the National Guard, and his preoccupation with himself, his liaison with Christina, his reliance on Jimmy Cannon as his aide, fixing everything, his discussions with Christina, her reactions, as a reporter, in love, but her wanting to be a mother, her being sick, the irony of her pregnancy, the governor and his delight, calling his son one Pablo (and memories of Pope John Paul II)? His neglect of his wife and her phone calls, getting aids to do the shopping? The jingoistic attitudes?
7. On the border, the two generals, their past rivalries, the weight, bets, reputation? Jingoism? The television images and their being interpreted as peacemaking! The battle sequences? The soldiers, Vinnie interviewing them, the dangers, the tanks, his wanting to leave, the pressure on him to stay, his photographers? The shootout and the devastation?
8. The arrival of the orphans of the border, Amelia and are wanting to take charge?
9. The character of the PR man, having a word for everything, not wanting to be called a lobbyist, shrewd, campaigning, quotations from past presidents, the writers (multinational) and their coming up with the quotation from Eisenhower? The visuals of Eisenhower? The aggression of Truman, statements if of Roosevelt? (And Teddy Roosevelt and Cuba?)
10. The message about the governor’s speech, the governor abandoning the campaign, reconciliation with Christina? That he was to give a speech about secession? The decision by the White House, the aggression, the devastation? And the discovery that the governor had meant was succession, about who would take over from him?
11. The satire on the American public, soap operas, the climax episode of All My Children, limiting the three day deadline, and the final comment about the public watching the episode and the top ratings?