THE ENEMY WITHIN
US, 1994, 90 minutes, Colour.
Forrest Whittaker, Sam Waterston, Jason Robards, Dana Delaney, George Dzundza, Josef Sommer.
Directed by Jonathan Darby.
The Enemy Within is a Home Box Office telemovie, a remake of John Frankenheimer classic 1964 film, Seven Days in May. This film was part of the nuclear focus of films like Dr Strangelove and Failsafe in the early '60s. It has now been adapted from Rod Sterling’s (The Twilight Zone) script by Darrell Pontiac (The Last Detail, Cinderella Liberty) and Ron Bass, the prolific writer of a range of films that include Rain Man and Snow Falling on Cedars. Instead of the nuclear threat, this conspiracy film offers a group of right-wing politicians conspiring against the president, putting on an allegedly training manoeuvring day to test going into a country to get nuclear weapons. However, it is to be coup detach - though, using the American Constitution, using Amendment 25 to place letters claiming the incompetence of the president, so that the vice-president could take over in the interim. (The screenplay says that this amendment was made after the death of John F. Kennedy.)
The film is brief in its running time, depends very strongly on the presence of Forrest Whittaker (in a role that we might be more accustomed to see Denzel Washington) and he acquits himself as a very honourable colonel who is the whistleblower against the chief of staff at the Pentagon, played very effectively by Jason Robards. Sam Waterston is the president. Dana Delaney is his personal assistant.
The film is interesting from the point of view of a conspiracy film of the '90s anticipating some of the terrorist incidents of 2001 and their repercussions.
1. The adaptation of a film classic? For the television audience? For the
'90s and the different crises for American politics?
2. The title and the focus on the general, the politicians, the dissatisfaction with the president, the criticism of the liberal president, the right-wing militaristic agenda?
3. The Washington settings, the Pentagon, the White House, the political buildings, the military? The streets? An authentic atmosphere? The musical score?
4. The Seven Days in May and the mounting tension, the continued reference to the deadline? The atmosphere of tension by focusing on Mac Casey, his concerns, his being caught up in the processes?
5. Forrest Whittaker as Mac Casey, the black officer in the Pentagon? The whistleblower? His relationship with General Lloyd? Loyalties, military precision, politics? Crisis of conscience? The whistle blowing? Casey as a family man, militaristic with his son, his son's stealing and the therapist? Relationship with his wife? Her tempering his severity? Basketball with his son, eliciting the truth from him? His wife's suspicions? The danger and getting them out of the house? His moral decisions, work, suspicions, Operation Slam-Dunk? The approvals for chemical weapons, live ammunition? His seeing Potter with the general? His attitude towards the president? His ringing Betsy, her arranging for him to see the president, their first interaction and the questions and speculations? His being sent on three days' leave? The computers, the information? His being pursued, the irony of the Russians and their interest? His meeting Jake, the discussion at the baseball match? The influence of the Russians, the Russian saving his life against the military assassins? The further discussions, time running out, trying to get evidence? The death of the attorney-general, his interrogation of the secretary, her being a plant and a spy, her being shot? His own life being endangered? The discussions with the general, calling him a traitor? The final confrontation, his strategy of confessing to everything to bring on the downfall of the conspirators? His winning the day? The return to his family?
6. Jason Robards as General Lloyd, the veteran, loyal, his militaristic statements, situation of the United States and its weakness, his contempt for the president? The conspiracy, his being used by the politicians? His relationship with Potter? Sending Casey off for leave, the young officer sent to Hawaii? The confrontation with the president, the upper hand? The president turning the tables? His resignation?
7. The president, the Clinton-type liberal? Betsy and her loyalty, arrangements, advice? His attitude towards the politicians, towards Potter? Surprise at their disloyalty? Attitude towards the vice-president? The interviews with Casey, the need for evidence, the strategies? The final confrontation after the investigation of the 25th Amendment? His being prepared, Casey's turning the tables, his own strategy for talking to the American public, getting the resignation of all the politicians over a year?
8. The politicians, Potter and the secretary of defence, his controlling the conspirators, relationship with General Lloyd, the vice-president and his television message about the letter and the president's incompetence? His finally being routed? The vice-president as a cypher? The other members of the conspiracy, watching the president's final speech?
9. The Russians, the changed situation in the '90s, the president's sympathy towards the situation in the former Soviet Union? The assassins, the spies, the attorney-general's secretary as a plant? Saving Casey's life?
10. The plausibility of the scenario, military coups in other cultures, a military coup in a democracy and using the Constitution to mask it as well as the media?
