Dave (film)

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Dave
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Produced by Ivan Reitman,
Lauren Shuler-Donner
Written by Gary Ross
Starring Kevin Kline,
Sigourney Weaver,
Frank Langella,
Kevin Dunn,
Ving Rhames,
and Ben Kingsley
Music by James Newton Howard
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date(s) May 7, 1993
Running time 110 min.
Language English
IMDb profile

Dave is a 1993 comedy-drama movie written by Gary Ross, directed by Ivan Reitman, and starring Kevin Kline (in a dual role), Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, Ben Kingsley, and Laura Linney. Ross was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay. Kline's performance was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Kline plays Dave Kovic, who runs a temporary employment agency in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.. As a sideline, he makes appearances impersonating President William Harrison "Bill" Mitchell, whom he greatly resembles (and who is also played by Kline). Mitchell's devious Chief of Staff, Bob Alexander (Frank Langella), hires Dave to make an exit at an appearance of President Mitchell, to cover up Mitchell's extramarital affair with White House staffer Randi (Laura Linney).

When the real President Mitchell suffers a stroke during the affair that leaves him in a coma, Bob Alexander sees an opportunity. Along with Communications Director Alan Reed (Kevin Dunn), Alexander arranges for the President's comatose state to be kept secret. They then con Dave into impersonating the president on an ongoing basis by telling him that the country would suffer if the truth was revealed or if Vice President Gary Nance (Ben Kingsley), who they say is mentally ill, took office. Nance is not mentally ill, but rather an upright politician who refused several of the real Mitchell's underhanded dealings. Due to this, Nance has been sent on a series of extended diplomatic exercises intended to keep him away from the Oval Office.

Apart from Alexander and Reed, only his Secret Service bodyguard, Duane Stevenson (Ving Rhames) and the medical staff tending to the real President Mitchell in the White House basement (being paid hush money by Reed), know the truth. Neither Mitchell's mistress Randi nor First Lady Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver) is informed of the switch.

Alexander's true agenda is to exercise the power of the presidency through Dave as a proxy in the short-term, while in the long term framing Vice President Nance for illegal activities, allowing Alexander to succeed Nance as Vice President, and ultimately become President himself. Since the administration, with the exception of Nance, was largely crooked, this appears to be a simple matter of shifting paperwork. However, Dave gradually sets his own course of action, which revives Mitchell's popularity with the public and mystifies both the Washington media (several well-known personalities make cameo appearances as themselves) and the First Lady, whose public support of her husband has been a cover for bitter marital strife in their private life. When he takes the extreme action of reworking (with the help of his friend Murray, an accountant from Baltimore) the national budget in order to save a $650 million program for helping the homeless -- a project the First Lady supported but Alexander wanted vetoed -- she tricks him into exposing his ruse. Caught, he convinces Duane to take her to see the real President Mitchell, who is not expected to live. Ellen has a minor breakdown and decides to leave the White House, but Dave convinces her to remain and keep up the ruse, when he realizes he has a chance to improve the nation. Despite Ellen's cynicism, she is soon charmed by Dave's sincerity.

Dave realizes that he now has more allies than he expected, and manages to turn the tables on Alexander by recruiting Reed, Ellen Mitchell, and his old friend Murray Blum (Charles Grodin). After Blum, a CPA helps Dave reorganize the national budget to save the homeless program, he demonstrates dramatically in a cabinet meeting that he is a much better actor than anyone gave him credit for. Not only does he shut down Alexander's objections (effectively humiliating him), he sways the cabinet and surrounding press into cheering for the new cuts to save the program. When Alexander realizes that Dave is no longer his puppet, he threatens to expose him, but Dave stands up to him and points out that Alexander has more to lose from revealing the fraud. Dave then holds a news conference announcing that he is firing Alexander, and proposing a comprehensive full-employment program to Congress.

Eventually, Dave meets the returning Vice President Nance, who chastises "Mitchell" for framing him in a financial scandal. Dave realizes that the affable Nance isn't mentally ill, but has merely been used by Alexander. Shocked by this, Dave discovers that much of Mitchell's indiscretions have been maliciously attributed to Nance by Reed and Alexander in order to cover their tracks. Eventually Bob Alexander tries to destroy Dave by implicating him in a Savings and Loan scandal - only this time, as Reed tells Dave seriously, the real President Mitchell is actually guilty. At the same time, Alexander pushes his own candidacy for the presidency.

During the uproar over the scandal, Dave refuses to stop pushing his employment bill. Later, Dave and Nance have a short conversation where Dave inquires about Nance's start in politics. During the discussion, Nance reveals that he has always been opinionated, and after complaining for years about poor city administration, decided to run for office with his wife's encouragement. Running on a shoestring budget of $6,000, he began his political career as a city councilman, to which Dave compliments with sincere admiration. The two bond briefly, and Dave admits later a real admiration for Nance's dedication despite his humble beginnings as a disgruntled shoe salesman. Dave and Ellen agree that Nance is a genuinely public-minded man, and would make a fine president.

In a joint session of Congress, Dave, as Mitchell, admits to his role in the scandal, but introduces evidence (provided by Reed) proving that Alexander was the mastermind and that Nance was innocent. He then seals this by turning to Nance, who is presiding over the joint session, publicly apologizing to him and vindicating him by stating his civic virtues. In the middle of making a formal apology to the nation, Dave fakes a stroke and is switched back with the still-comatose Mitchell. Mitchell is then declared incapacitated under the 25th Amendment, and eventually dies. The groundswell of affection generated by Dave's brief time in office is transferred to the real Mitchell, as the public and the media mourn his death. The ruse apparently remains undiscovered; although Bob Alexander is later arrested and indicted, there is no indication that he reveals the secret, since doing so would compound his liability. Nance becomes President and promises to carry out "Mitchell's" employment program. In his Inaugural Address he states that this is still "Bill Mitchell's" term, and dedicates himself to continuing the spirit of Dave's administration.

Five months later, Dave is running his own campaign for city council and has recruited Murray and his own office staff to help with the campaign while continuing to help people find jobs. Ellen Mitchell, now a widow, comes into the office which is now littered with campaign materials, asking for a job, and kisses him. When the door of his office closes, Duane steps in front, indicating that he is now working for Dave.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Cameos

[edit] Political Figures

[edit] Media Personalities

In addition, several fictional segments from shows frequented by political junkies were created specifically for it, including The McLaughlin Group (with McLaughlin, Barnes, Clift, Matthews and Kondracke), The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno, and Larry King Live where Oliver Stone is interviewed by King. Stone, in a self-parody, describes a conspiracy theory that turns out to accurately reflect the developments unfolding in the movie (see plot description above).

[edit] Political party ambiguous

The film is purposely oblique as to the matter of which political party President Mitchell is a member. However, the "television interviews" given by various Senators towards the end of the film seem to indicate that Mitchell is a Republican. This can be seen most clearly when Senator Simpson refers to having the responsibility of "carrying the water" (political jargon meaning "acting in support") for the President. Further, Ben Stein, well known as a Republican, is shown as a guest at Bob Alexander's home in one scene.

However, at one point, Senator Paul Simon refers to Dave's new proposals as similar to the ones he made when running for president "four years ago". Sen. Simon ran for president in 1988, which would mean the time frame of the story is circa 1992-3. (This is supported by a commentator referring to the "new Bill Mitchell administration".) In 1993, the newly elected president was Bill Clinton, a Democrat.

[edit] See also

[edit] Similar movies

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Films directed by Ivan Reitman

Foxy Lady (1971) • Cannibal Girls (1973) • Meatballs (1979) • Stripes (1981) • Ghostbusters (1984) • Legal Eagles (1986) • Twins (1988) • Ghostbusters II (1989) • Kindergarten Cop (1990) • Dave (1993) • Junior (1994) • Fathers' Day (1997) • Six Days Seven Nights (1998) • Evolution (2001) • My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)