Wag the Dog
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Barry Levinson
Robert De Niro
Dustin Hoffman
Anne Heche
Kirsten Dunst
John Cho
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Less than two weeks before election day, a scandal erupts that threatens to cripple the President's bid for a second term. But before the incident can cause irreparable damage, a mysterious fixer is called to the White House. The ultimate spin doctor, Conrad Brean has the uncanny ability to manipulate politics, the press and most importantly--the American people. Anticipating the frenzied press corps, Brean deftly deflects attention from the President by creating a bigger and better story -- a war. With the help of Stanley Motts, a famed Hollywood producer and his irreverent entourage, Brean assembles an unlikely crisis team who orchestra a global conflict unlike any ever seen on CNN.
Director
Barry Levinson
Cast
Robert De Niro
Dustin Hoffman
Anne Heche
Kirsten Dunst
John Cho
George Gaynes
Harland Williams
Jennifer Manley
Richard Lawson
William H. Macy
Derrick Morgan
Jim Cox
Maurkice Woods
Edwin T Morgan
Merle Haggard
Drena De Niro
Michael Reid Davis
Stephanie Kemp
Alberto Vazquez
Sean Masterson
Ron Mccoy
Garry R Roleder
Michelle Levinson
Chris Ellis
Suzie Plakson
Denis Leary
Edrie Warner
John Michael Higgins
J Patrick Mccormack
Andrea Martin
Willie Nelson
Woody Harrelson
Jack Esformes
Michael Belson
James Belushi
Jenny Byrne
Guy Fletcher
Kenneth Kern
Suzanne Cryer
David Koechner
Phil Morris
Pops Staples
Bernard Hocke
Brant Cotton
Jason Cottle
Crew
Steve Abrams
Chuck Ainlay
Chuck Ainlay
Halo Amrani-gor
Ken Arlidge
Nick Arnds
Roger Awad
Rhonda Baer
Shelley Barbour
Larry Beinhart
Richard Bennett
Alison Benson
Roger Blanc
Lee Bognar
Mike Boudry
Bob Bowen
Michael W Brennan
Paul Broucek
Lindakay Brown
Gil Carreras
Mauni Caves
Robin Chambers
Ellen Chenoweth
Barry Clint
Rick Colosimo
Chad Cromwell
Blair Daily
Brad Davis
Michael De Luca
Robert De Niro
Amy Demarte
Greg Dennison
Joseph Dianda
Ted Eccles
Tony Eckert
Hedi El Kholti
R Shawn Ensign
Avy Eschenasy
Jamie Franta
Liegh French
David Gamerman
Joe Louis Garcia
Emily Glatter
Ben Gold
J R Grubbs
Madeleine R Gubbins
Holly Hagy
Terry Ham
Jim Hanson
Geoff Harding
Hilary Henkin
Tammy High
Timothy Hillman
Lora Hirschberg
Tim Holland
Doc Kane
Mark S. Kaufman
Dennis King
Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Carlos Kotkin
Scott Larue
Mary Helen Leasman
Nancy Lefkowitz
Adam Leichtman
Chris Leidholdt
Jim Leidholdt
Alan Jay Lerner
William Leslie
Barry Levinson
Stu Linder
Diane Linn
Jeanne Lipsey
Frederick Loewe
Kimberly Lynn
David Mamet
Cathy Marshall
Fredrick W Marx
Scott Maziroff
Marilyn Mccoppen
Eric Mcleod
Eric Mcleod
Roger Meilink
Sean Mennie
Frank 'pepe' Merel
Barron Miller
Kevin Milligan
Daniel P Moore
Al Nelson
Craig Owens
Romano Paoletti
Scott Patten
Reinhart Peschke
Kait Pickering
Julie Pitkanen
Steven Pollock
Susan Popovic
Paul Prokop
Mark Ralston
Joshua Ravetch
Ed Reife
Charlene Richards
Robert Richardson
Dale Riggs
Jane Rosenthal
Claire Rudnick Polstein
Rita Ryack
John Sanchez
Claire Sanfilippo
Dana Sano
Amy Sayres
Gregor Schaer
Amy Schmidt
Lori Silfen
Michael Silvers
Maria Spaeth
Greg Steele
Robert Studenny
Christopher Swartout
Ezra Swerdlow
Gregor Tavenner
David Terry
Wynn Thomas
Dennie Thorpe
Louise Tolan
Tami Treadwell
Kelly Uchimura
Jana Vance
Raymond Vigil
Harriet Voyt
Bonnie Weis
Bonnie Weis
Ray L. Wilkerson
Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz
Glenn Worf
Mary Works
Mark Worthington
Debra Zane
Film Details
Technical Specs
Award Nominations
Best Actor
Best Adapted Screenplay
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Winner of the 1997 award for Best Supporting Actress (Anne Heche) from the National Board of Review.
Released in United States Winter December 25, 1997
Limited Release in United States January 2, 1998
Wide Release in United States January 9, 1998
Released in United States on Video July 1, 1998
Released in United States February 1998
Released in United States July 1998
Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (in competition) February 11-22, 1998.
Shown at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival July 3-11, 1998.
Hilary Henkin and David Mamet were nominated for the 1997 award for Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published by the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Based on the Larry Beinhart satirical novel "American Hero," though the filmmakers changed the premise that George Bush started the Gulf War to boost his approval rating.
Special Thanks to cast & crew for completing principal photography in 29 days!
2nd unit photography wrapped March 4, 1997.
Began shooting January 13, 1997.
Completed shooting February 26, 1997.
Released in United States Winter December 25, 1997
Limited Release in United States January 2, 1998
Wide Release in United States January 9, 1998
Released in United States on Video July 1, 1998
Released in United States February 1998 (Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (in competition) February 11-22, 1998.)
Released in United States July 1998 (Shown at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival July 3-11, 1998.)
Winner of The Special Jury Prize at the 1998 Berlin International Film Festival.
