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The Second Civil War (1997) (TV)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
15 March 1997 (USA) moreTagline:
A very uncivil comedyPlot:
A simple immigration issue spins wildly out of control for those involved, ranging from the President of the United States, to a news producer. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 1 nomination moreUser Comments:
Welcome to the Human Race. moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Beau Bridges | ... | Gov. Jim Farley | |
| Joanna Cassidy | ... | Helena Newman | |
| Phil Hartman | ... | The President | |
| James Earl Jones | ... | Jim Kalla | |
| James Coburn | ... | Jack Buchan | |
| Dan Hedaya | ... | Mel Burgess | |
| Elizabeth Peña | ... | Christina | |
| Denis Leary | ... | Vinnie Franko | |
| Ron Perlman | ... | Alan Manieski | |
| Kevin Dunn | ... | Jimmy Cannon | |
| Shelley Malil | ... | Congressman Singh | |
| Brian Keith | ... | Maj. Gen. Charles Buford | |
| Kevin McCarthy | ... | Chief of Staff | |
| Dick Miller | ... | Eddie O'Neill | |
| William Schallert | ... | Secretary of Defense |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for language and some war violence.Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
97 minCountry:
USAColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Dolby SRFun Stuff
Trivia:
Executive producer Barry Levinson was originally supposed to direct the film, but had to bow out. moreQuotes:
Mel Burgess: He's closing the borders, people! Thank God for arrogance, lust, and greed or we'd all be doing infomercials. moreFAQ
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In the near future, a planeload of immigrant orphans are on their way to a charity facility in Idaho when the Governor of the state closes its borders and refuses them entry. This sparks a division of military forces, between states government's National Guard and federal government's Army, each hell bent on protecting their own version of the American Dream, as well as their media images. At the center of this Constitutional storm is a President unable to make a decision without checking with his advisers and referencing one of his predecessors, a Governor more interested in liaisons with his immigrant news reporter mistress than dealing with immigration laws, a newsroom where facts and truth balance with viewer shares, and a TV audience more interested in their favorite daytime soap opera. The Great American Melting Pot is about to uncivilly boil over.
This HBO black comedy is an excellent mix of political and news media parody, race relations satire, and morality tale. Wonderfully quirky, and sometimes deeply meaningful, dialogue. Characters run the gamut from dignified to loony. Performances from a large cast are all vibrant and spot on. A movie gem. Favorite Line(s): "Can't make an omelet without busting some sacred eggs. We're making history here and you ain't with us, are you?" "No I'm not." "You should be. Why not?" "Maybe because I'm a reporter, I ain't with anybody. Maybe because too many sacred eggs are getting busted. See, I rode the buses back in the 60s to bring people together. Pretty unfashionable now, isn't it?" "Your wife, she's Jewish, ain't she?" "You know, I forgot what she is, all I remember is that we met on the back of a bus." "I'm trying to remember the words to the Pledge of Allegiance. I said it a million times when I was a kid. Right now I can't seem to remember the words."