Dave (movie)

Dave is a 1993 comedy movie written by Gary Ross, directed by Ivan Reitman, and starring Kevin Kline. Ross was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay. Kline's performance was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Related Topics:
1993 - Comedy - Movie - Gary Ross - Ivan Reitman - Kevin Kline - Academy Award - Golden Globe Award

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

Related Topics:
Washington, D.C. - Impersonating - President - Chief of Staff - Frank Langella - Extramarital affair

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When the real President Mitchell suffers a stroke during said affair that leaves him in a coma, Bob Alexander sees an opportunity. Along with Communications Director Alan Reed (Kevin Dunn), Alexander arranges for the stroke to be kept secret. They then con Kovic 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 insane, took office.

Related Topics:
Stroke - Coma - Kevin Dunn - Con - Vice President - Ben Kingsley

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The real idea, of course, is that Alexander will now exercise the power of the presidency through Kovic as a patsy. But instead Kovic spurns Alexander's control and sets his own course of action, which revives Mitchell's popularity with the public, and mystifies both the Washington media and First Lady Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver). Kovic comes to realize that Nance isn't insane, but merely has different political ideas than Alexander. He also is exposed to Ellen, whom he has to convince to hang around in order to maintain the ruse.

Related Topics:
First Lady - Sigourney Weaver

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Eventually Bob Alexander exposed a scandal that implicates Mitchell. In a joint session of Congress, Kovic, as Mitchell, admits to his role in the scandal, but provides evidence proving that Alexander was the mastermind. Kovic then fakes a stroke and is switched back with the still-comatose Mitchell. Mitchell is then declared incompetent under the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, eventually dies, and Nance takes office.

Related Topics:
Scandal - Joint session of Congress - Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution

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In the movie's final scene, Kovic is running his own campaign for city council; Ellen Mitchell comes into the office and kisses him.

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Many political and entertainment personalities have cameos in the film as themselves, notably Oliver Stone, who expresses a conspiracy theory that is in fact correct. It also features a couple segments of The McLaughlin Group created specifically for the movie.

Related Topics:
Political - Entertainment - Cameos - Oliver Stone - Conspiracy theory - The McLaughlin Group

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The story draws from such tales as Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, Anthony Hope's The Prisoner of Zenda, Robert A. Heinlein's Double Star, Moon Over Parador starring Richard Dreyfuss and The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas.

Related Topics:
Mark Twain - The Prince and the Pauper - Anthony Hope - The Prisoner of Zenda - Robert A. Heinlein - Double Star - Moon Over Parador - Richard Dreyfuss - The Man in the Iron Mask - Alexandre Dumas

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