Dave (film)

Dave
Theatrical release poster
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 Ben Kingsley
Music by	James Newton Howard
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	May 7, 1993
Running time	110 minutes
Language	English
Box office	$63,270,710 (Domestic)

Dave is a 1993 comedy-drama film written by Gary Ross, directed by Ivan Reitman, and starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver. Co-stars include Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, and Ben Kingsley.

Plot

Dave Kovic (Kline) runs a temporary employment agency in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., and, as a side job, makes appearances impersonating President Bill Mitchell (Kline), whom he resembles, at events such as car lot and supermarket openings.

He is requested by Secret Service agent Duane Stevenson (Rhames) to make an appearance as the President at a hotel where he is making a speech. Dave assumes it is a matter of security, but it is really to cover up Mitchell's extramarital affair with a White House staffer (Laura Linney).

Mitchell suffers a severe stroke during the liaison, leaving him in a coma. White House Chief of Staff Bob Alexander (Langella) and Communications Director Alan Reed (Dunn) convince Dave to continue impersonating the President. They tell him that Vice President Gary Nance (Kingsley) is mentally unbalanced, but in actuality Bob does not want the Vice President in power because it will prevent Bob from achieving his own agenda. Only Bob, Alan, the Secret Service, and the medical staff tending to Mitchell know of the switch. First Lady Ellen Mitchell (Weaver) lives a mainly separate life, seeing little of the President.

The public is notified that Mitchell has had a "minor circulatory problem of the head." With Dave established as president, Bob and Alan send Nance on a goodwill tour of Africa and implicate him in a savings and loan fraud that Bob and Mitchell perpetrated. Once Nance is forced to resign, Bob plans for Dave to nominate him as vice president, whereupon Mitchell will have a more serious stroke and Bob will ascend to the presidency.

Dave's enthusiasm revives Mitchell's popularity, as commented on by numerous media personalities and Congressmen who make cameo appearances. Dave visits a homeless shelter with the First Lady, who does not understand why he has taken a sudden interest in her project. Bob falsifies Mitchell's veto of a bill that funds the shelter, ostensibly for budget reasons. After the First Lady confronts Dave about the veto, Dave has his friend Murray Blum (Grodin) help him rewrite the federal budget so that the project may be reinstated.

The First Lady suspects that Mitchell is not really her husband, and tricks Dave into revealing the truth. When Dave shows her the real Bill on life support in the White House basement, she and Dave decide to secretly leave the White House. However, after a night out, they realize all the good they could do, and decide to return.

Dave forces Bob to resign, then announces a plan to create employment for every American who wants work. Nance returns from Africa and confronts Dave about the savings and loan scandal; Dave realizes Bob and Alan have misled him about Nance. Nance tells Dave he thinks the jobs initiative is a wonderful idea, but that the scandal will make it difficult to pass. Wanting to know how the Vice President got started, Dave learns that Nance had been a shoe salesman before his wife convinced him to run for city council. Dave talks with Ellen about how Nance is a good man; Ellen, realizing what Dave is planning, realizes she doesn't want to lose Dave, for she has fallen for him.

Bob, out for revenge, reveals Mitchell's involvement in the savings and loan scandal. In a joint session of Congress, Dave admits to Mitchell's role in the scandal, but introduces evidence proving that Bob was the mastermind and Nance was not involved. During the speech, he fakes a stroke and makes a switch with the real Mitchell in an ambulance taking him to the hospital. Nance becomes acting president and is sworn in as President five months later when Mitchell dies; he announces he will continue the push for Dave's jobs plan. Bob and other members of the administration are indicted on various charges on the day the jobs initiative passes.

Back at his old job, Dave decides to runs for city council. Ellen Mitchell arrives to reunite with him. Duane, now on Dave's campaign team, stands guard outside the office door.

Cast

Cast

• Kevin Kline as Dave Kovic/President William Harrison (Bill) Mitchell
• Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Mitchell
• Frank Langella as Bob Alexander
• Kevin Dunn as Alan Reed
• Ving Rhames as Duane Stevenson
• Ben Kingsley as Vice President Gary Nance
• Tom Dugan as Jerry
• Charles Grodin as Murray Blum
• Faith Prince as Alice
• Laura Linney as Randi
• Stephen Root as Don Durenberger
• Bonnie Hunt as White House Tour Guide
• Anna Deavere Smith as Mrs. Travis
• Charles Hallahan as Policeman
• Stefan Gierasch as House Majority Leader

Cameos

Political figures

• Senator Christopher Dodd
• Senator Tom Harkin
• Frank Mankiewicz
• Senator Howard Metzenbaum
• Abner J. Mikva
• Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill
• Senator Paul Simon
• Senator Alan K. Simpson

Media personalities

• Fred Barnes
• Eleanor Clift
• Bernard Kalb
• Larry King
• Michael Kinsley
• Morton Kondracke
• Jay Leno
• Chris Matthews
• John McLaughlin
• Robert D. Novak
• Richard Reeves
• Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Ben Stein
• Oliver Stone
• Kathleen Sullivan
• Jeff Tackett
• Helen Thomas
• Nina Totenberg
• Sander Vanocur
• John Yang

Release and reception

Dave was met with critical acclaim. Dave debuted No. 2 at the Box office, behind Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. Ross was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay. Kline's performance was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

American Film Institute recognition:

• AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs - Nominated

External links

• Dave (1993) - Screenplays for You
• Dave at the Internet Movie Database
• Dave at AllRovi
• Dave at Box Office Mojo