Wag the Dog (1997)

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writers (WGA):

Larry Beinhart (book)
Hilary Henkin (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

9 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A Hollywood producer. A Washington spin-doctor. When they get together, they can make you believe anything.

Plot:

Before elections, a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer join efforts to "fabricate" a war in order to cover-up a presidential sex scandal.

Plot Keywords:

Scandal | Hollywood | Spin Doctor | Albania | Death

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 12 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Feb. 11	10:00 AM	FX
Fri. Feb. 12	8:00 AM	FX

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Dustin Hoffman	...	Stanley Motss
Robert De Niro	...	Conrad Brean
Anne Heche	...	Winifred Ames
Denis Leary	...	Fad King
Willie Nelson	...	Johnny Dean
Andrea Martin	...	Liz Butsky
Kirsten Dunst	...	Tracy Lime
William H. Macy	...	CIA Agent Charles Young
John Michael Higgins	...	John Levy
Suzie Plakson	...	Grace
Woody Harrelson	...	Sergeant William Schumann
Michael Belson	...	President
Suzanne Cryer	...	Amy Cain
Jason Cottle	...	A.D.
David Koechner	...	Director

Also Known As:

Bite the Bullet (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario) | Denmark:11 | Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M | Brazil:18

Filming Locations:

Bakersfield, California, USA

Company:

Baltimore Pictures

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Barry Levinson]Ralph Tabakin (Southern Man) has appeared in every Levinson picture from Diner (1982) to Liberty Heights (1999).

Goofs:

Continuity: The small private jet which the main characters and Sgt. Schumann board has two engines. When the jet is about to crash, a shot of the cockpit shows throttle and engine controls for a four-engine plane.

Quotes:

Stanley Motss: It's okay, he's not dead.
[gunshot]
Stanley Motss: Uh, strike that.

Movie Connections:

References Jaws (1975)

Soundtrack:

NEWS AND PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MUSIC

The greatest political satire ever

I do not understand the people who did not like the movie. For me this is the greatest political satire since Chaplin's "The great dictator". Both de Niro and Hoffman are great as well. This movie is not about Clinton although they did predict correctly the Kosovo war, and Albanian terrorists. It is about American political system which is made by and for TV. Several lines from that movie ("Why Albania?" - "Why not?", "Albania does not rhyme", "What do you remember about the Gulf war? One smart bomb... I was in that building when we shot that shot", and many more) are impossible to forget because everyday political life does not let us forget them.