Wag the Dog in 35mm

Wag the Dog in 35mm

Selected by the Marketing and Public Relations Branch

Selected by the Marketing and Public Relations Branch

When an American president becomes embroiled in a sex scandal, his advisers conspire with a Hollywood producer to stage a fictitious war in Albania as a public relations ploy to divert the nation’s attention. Director Barry Levinson assembled a stellar cast for this darkly comic look at the intersection between politics and the entertainment industry. Dustin Hoffman was nominated for his memorable comedic performance as flashy producer Stanley Motss. Hilary Henkin and David Mamet were also nominated for their witty screenplay, adapted from Larry Beinhart’s novel American Hero.

DIRECTED BY: Barry Levinson. WRITTEN BY: Hilary Henkin, David Mamet. WITH: Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Anne Heche, Denis Leary. 1997. 105 min. USA. Color. English. Rated R. 35mm. Print courtesy of the Academy Film Archive.

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