Wag the Dog (1997)

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

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writers:

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

Stars:

Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Anne Heche

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 12 nominations.

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

Storyline

After being caught in a scandalous situation days before the election, the president does not seem to have much of a chance of being re-elected. One of his advisers contacts a top Hollywood producer in order to manufacture a war in Albania that the president can heroically end, all through mass media.

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Plot Keywords:

scandal | hollywood | spin doctor | cover up | death | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

New Line Cinema [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Albanian

Release Date:

9 January 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bite the Bullet

Filming Locations:

El Cholo,1121 S Western, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

DEM 709,091 (Germany) (27 March 1998)

Gross:

$43,022,524 (USA) (1 May 1998)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Baltimore Pictures, New Line Cinema, Punch Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the funeral scene, soldiers in the military band are played by members of the Riverside Community College marching band.

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Goofs

In one scene Dustin Hoffman comments that "there is no Academy Award for producing." While there is no Academy Award titled "Best Producer", the Best Picture Oscar is the Oscar awarded to Producers.

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Quotes

Conrad 'Connie' Brean: Stanley, don't do this. You're playing with your life here.
Stanley Motss: Fuck my life! I want the credit.

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Crazy Credits

"Special Thanks to The Cast and Crew for Completing Principal Photography in 29 Days!"

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Connections

Referenced in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

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Soundtracks

"I LIKE THE NIGHTLIFE"
Written by Alicia Bridges & Susan Hutcheson

User Reviews

Fascinating and Interesting.

Barry Levinson's under-rated "Wag the Dog" is a brilliant piece of satire which is to the 1990s what "All the President's Men" was to the 1970s. The president is in trouble after a sexual scandal with an under-aged girl. Enter Robert DeNiro and Anne Heche who want to distract the nation with something else as they try to get their boss out of the hot seat. The only problem is: nothing is going on. So it is up to them to create something to rally the country around the executive-in-chief. Now enter sleazy, but high class Hollywood director Dustin Hoffman (in a well-deserved Oscar-nominated turn) who is contacted to start an imaginary war. He agrees and the plan works, but as time goes by more and more problems occur and the lies continue to snow-ball. Levinson's excellent direction and Hilary Henkin's clever screenplay raise the performances of all involved. Naturally DeNiro and Hoffman are guaranteed to excel in a film like this, but good work is also done by people like Heche, Denis Leary, William H. Macy, Woody Harrelson and even Willie Nelson (!?). Somewhat ignored in 1997, but still one of the best films of that year and one of the more important films of the 1990s. 4.5 out of 5 stars.