WAG THE DOG
US, 1998, 97 minutes, Colour.
Dustin Hoffman, Robert de Niro, Anne Heche, Dennis Leary, Willie Nelson, Andrea Martin, Kirsten Dunst, William H. Macy, John Michael Higgins, Woody Harrelson, Craig T. Nelson.
Directed by Barry Levinson.
A sardonic political satire, with acute contemporary US overtones, which shows when there is a presidential sex scandal, call in the spin doctors to manufacture 'truth' in the media, preferably a war, and your election is won. Sometimes the comedy here has one gasping in disbelief as well as laughing. It does not paint a complimentary picture of the US and does not let up even at the end.
David Mamet is a skilful playwright and his sharp dialogue is often hilarious. Dustin Hoffman enjoys himself as a Hollywood producer, full of cliches as well as hype inventiveness. Robert de Niro also enjoys himself as the genial but ruthless Mr Fixit. There is an entertaining supporting cast including Willie Nelson composing and conducting patriotic country and western songs and Woody Harrelson as the fake hero.
Compared with Primary Colors it lacks some finesse and writing polish, but, if you want your anti-American sentiments reinforced, you won't be disappointed. US presidential fact and fiction.
1.The impact of the film in the late 90s? The political situation? Republicans and Democrats? The presidency of George Bush, the presidency of Bill Clinton? The Gulf War and its aftermath? Clinton and the sex scandals and Monica Lewinsky? Important for 1998? Its relevance now?
2.The title, the novel The American Hero? Its irony? Wag the dog and the comments about the strength of the dog and the strength of the tail which wags the dog?
3.The Washington DC settings, the White House and the bunkers? Hollywood, the mansions and studios? The crossing of America?
4.The musical score, the patriotic song composed for the campaign, The Ballad of Old Shoe?
5.The importance of satire, black comedy? Plausible, considering the events of the 1990s? The reality of wars, invasions, the reasons for invasions, spin doctors, the use of the media, fabricating footage? The status of America’s interests? Elections and rigging of elections? Advertising and campaigns, slogans? Headlines? Television campaigns, talk shows, interviews? The Monica Lewinsky context?
6.The satire on spin, invention, rumour, using the media, the plausibility of this kind of fabrication? The public, its response, the strong patriotism? Throwing the shoes on the trees? The elections, the polls? The loyalty to the American president?
7.The opening, the advertisement and the slogan about changing horses, the president, Senator Neal and his opposition? The situation, the sex scandal in the White House? The president’s visit to China? The eleven days to the election? The staff in the bunker? The press conferences, the indication of rumours about no bomber three? The general flying to Seattle…?
8.Connie, the mystery man, his influence in the White House, the Mister Fix-It?, in himself, assured, as played by Robert de Niro and his style? The talker, persuasive, challenging the staff to think laterally? The working with Winifred? His double-talk? The situation, finding a solution, deciding that there should be a war, the talk about B3s, the denial of rumours, the general to Seattle, his think tank? The press conference, the delaying of the president in China?
9.The decision to go to Hollywood, the flight, his discussions with Winifred? Stanley Motss, his mansion, sun lamp, the spiel to him, his self-opinion, his career, producing the Oscars, not getting an Oscar? His watching the television, condemning the president, the campaign? His asking for the press conference to say particular words – and their immediately being said? His decision to be involved, the discussions about what he was to produce, its being a pageant? His enjoyment of production, Grace as his assistant, their sharing jokes, his ringing up his friends in order to get them to come? Connie playing along with him? Winifred amazed?
10.The arrival of Stanley’s friends, Johnny Dean and his composition work, the Fad King and his brainwaves and marketing, Liz Butsky and her ideas? Their conference, sharing of ideas, brainwaves? Connie and the war? The hiring of the girl, wanting a kitten, deciding to do everything digitally? In the studio, the director, Stanley as producer, making decisions, insterting the village, inserting the music, the fire, the bridge? The merchandising? The comment on the Gulf War and the clever bombs smart going down chimneys and the way that this was replayed on media and influenced public opinion? The reliance on images? The survey of images from Iwo Jima, Churchill’s V for Victory, the little girl in Vietnam?
11.The shoot, Tracy and her work, unable to tell anybody about it, the performance, its being presented on TV, the voice-over commentary about the rebellion, the Muslims, the fundamentalists and the uprising against the United States? The declaration of war on Albania? (And the specious reasons given about Albania, the Albanian desk, the motivation for war, especially fundamentalism and terrorism – and the relationship to Iraq and Iran at the beginning of the 21st century?) The press conference, the ceremony commemorating the Albanian festival and the president giving his coat? The journalists fomenting the rumours by asking questions based on rumour?
12.The composition of the patriotic song, Johnny Dean conducting it, the idea of Old Shoe? The song, the composition, the janitor helping Johnny Dean? The song itself, planting it in the Library of Congress archives? Its being played, becoming a bestseller?
13.The CIA following Connie and Winifred, the discussion, the single-mindedness of the CIA, the deal – and the irony of Senator Neal declaring the war was over? Doing a better deal with the CIA?
14.The new song, Stanley and his getting more ideas? The prisoner behind the lines? Old Shoe – and searching the records for a name like Shoe? The planting of the record? The finding of Schumann? The promises to the American public? Their support and patriotism about Old Shoe? Tossing the shoes on the trees and the lamp-posts?
15.The campaign, the news, patriotism, the throwing of the shoes, the throwing of the shoes onto the basketball court?
16.Shoe himself, mad, on the plane, Winifred and her bewilderment? It seeming that everything was over? The accident in the plane, the madness of Shoe (and his rape and imprisonment, his medication, getting the medication)? The shooting, his shooting himself? The bright idea about the funeral, the solemnity of the funeral, the polls?
17.Stanley and his wanting the credit, watching the funeral, his creating the whole pageant? His being upset, wanting to tell people? Connie and his reaction, sinister? The picture of his mansion – and the breaking news that Stanley had died of a heart attack?
18.American satire, America’s ability to satirise itself? The wit and ingenuity of the screenplay? The strong cast giving life to this kind of satire? American response? Response around the world?
