Dave (1993)

Director:

Ivan Reitman

Writer (WGA):

Gary Ross (written by)

Release Date:

7 May 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

In a country where anybody can become President, anybody just did

Plot:

To avoid a potentially explosive scandal when the U.S. President goes into a coma, an affable temp agency owner with an uncanny resemblance, is put in his place.

Plot Keywords:

First Lady | Stroke | Chief Of Staff | Sex | U.S. President

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Kevin Kline	...	Dave Kovic / Bill Mitchell
Sigourney Weaver	...	Ellen Mitchell
Frank Langella	...	Bob Alexander
Kevin Dunn	...	Alan Reed
Ving Rhames	...	Duane Stevenson
Ben Kingsley	...	Vice-President Nance
Charles Grodin	...	Murray Blum
Faith Prince	...	Alice
Laura Linney	...	Randi
Bonnie Hunt	...	White House Tour Guide
Parley Baer	...	Senate Majority Leader
Stefan Gierasch	...	House Majority Leader
Anna Deavere Smith	...	Mrs. Travis
Charles Hallahan	...	Policeman
Tom Dugan	...	Jerry
Alba Oms	...	Lola
Steve Witting	...	Secret Service #1
Kellen Sampson	...	David
Lexie Bigham	...	White House Guard
Frederic W. Barnes	...	Himself
Ronald Brownstein	...	Himself
Eleanor Clift	...	Herself
Christopher Dodd	...	Himself (as Senator Christopher Dodd)
Tom Harkin	...	Himself (as Senator Tom Harkin)
Bernard Kalb	...	Himself
Larry King	...	Himself
Michael Kinsley	...	Himself
Morton Kondracke	...	Himself
Jay Leno	...	Himself
Frank Mankiewicz	...	Himself
Chris Matthews	...	Himself (as Christopher Matthews)
John McLaughlin	...	Himself
Howard Metzenbaum	...	Himself (as Senator Howard Metzenbaum)
Abner J. Mikva	...	Himself (as Justice Abner J. Mikva)
Robert D. Novak	...	Himself
Thomas P. 'Tip' O'Neill	...	Himself
Richard Reeves	...	Himself
Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Himself
Paul Simon	...	Himself (as Senator Paul Simon)
Alan Simpson	...	Himself (as Senator Alan Simpson)
Ben Stein	...	Himself
Oliver Stone	...	Himself
Kathleen Sullivan	...	Herself
Jeff Tackett	...	Himself
Helen Thomas	...	Herself
Nina Totenberg	...	Herself
Sander Vanocur	...	Himself
John Yang	...	Himself
Stephen Root	...	Don Durenberger
Catherine Reitman	...	Girl at Durenberger's
Dawn Arnemann	...	Mom at Durenberger's
Marianna Harris	...	Clara
Sarah Marshall	...	Diane
Ralph Manza	...	White House Barber
George Martin	...	President's Physician
Laurie Franks	...	White House Nurse
Tom Kurlander	...	Trauma Doctor
Dendrie Taylor	...	Trauma Nurse
Joe Kuroda	...	Japanese Prime Minister
Geneviève Robert	...	Vice-President's Wife
Jason Reitman	...	Vice-President's Son
Ruth Goldway	...	Secretary of Education
Frank Birney	...	Director of OMB
Paul Collins	...	Secretary of Treasury
Peter White	...	Secretary of Commerce
Robin Gammell	...	Postmaster General
Heather Hewitt	...	Judy
Gary Ross	...	Policeman #2
Jeffrey Joseph	...	Ellen's Aide (as Jeff Joseph)
Bonnie Bartlett	...	Female Senator
Robert Walsh	...	Speaker of the House (as Robert V. Walsh)
William Pitts	...	Congressional Doorkeeper
Dan Butler	...	Reporter
Wendy Gordon	...	Announcer
Ben Patrick Johnson	...	Announcer
Steve Kmetko	...	Announcer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bob Bergen	...	Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)
F. Pierre Gatling	...	Social Worker Greeter #1 (uncredited)
Ryal Haakenson	...	Man at banquet / Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Kirk Jordan	...	Man (uncredited)
Mary Kircher	...	Congressional Member (uncredited)
Aaron Michael Lacey	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Keith Lewis	...	Secret Service Agent (uncredited)
Melissa S. Markess	...	Politician (uncredited)
Michael Noel	...	Reporter (uncredited)
William Shipman	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Paul Speaks	...	Secret Service (uncredited)
Debbie Tsamoudakis	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Sam Wells	...	Political Adviser (uncredited)

Directed by
Ivan Reitman

Writing credits (WGA)
Gary Ross		(written by)

Produced by
Sherry Fadely	....	associate producer
Michael C. Gross	....	executive producer
Joe Medjuck	....	executive producer
Ivan Reitman	....	producer
Lauren Shuler Donner	....	producer (as Lauren Shuler-Donner)
Gordon A. Webb	....	associate producer (as Gordon Webb)

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
Adam Greenberg		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Sheldon Kahn

Casting by
Michael Chinich
Bonnie Timmermann

Production Design by
J. Michael Riva

Art Direction by
David F. Klassen

Set Decoration by
Michael Taylor

Costume Design by
Richard Hornung
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Ron Berkeley	....	makeup artist
Linda DeVetta	....	makeup artist
Robert Norin	....	makeup artist
Stephen Robinette	....	hair stylist
Christopher Shihar	....	hair stylist
Marlene D. Williams	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Gordon A. Webb	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kate Davey	....	second assistant director
Peter Giuliano	....	first assistant director
Michael C. Gross	....	second unit director
John M. Morse	....	dga trainee (as John Morse)
Rebecca Strickland	....	second second assistant director
Robert Webb	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Steve Arnold	....	set designer
Frank L. Brown	....	assistant property master
John Dexter	....	set designer
Sara Gardner-Gail	....	set decoration buyer
Bill 'Kauhane' Hoyt	....	stand-by painter
C.J. Maguire	....	property master
Lee Orlikoff	....	lead man
Joseph G. Pacelli Jr.	....	set designer
William H. Phen Jr.	....	propmaker gangboss
Darin Raney	....	assistant art department coordinator
Doug Rosenberger	....	construction foreman
Terry Scott	....	construction coordinator
Darrell L. Wight	....	set designer (as Darrell Wight)

Sound Department
George H. Anderson	....	dialogue editor (as George Anderson)
John H. Arrufat	....	dialogue editor
Steve Bartkowicz	....	re-recording engineer
Anna Behlmer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stu Bernstein	....	sound effects editor
Henry Boger	....	additional boom operator
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Brose	....	sound editor
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	production sound mixer
Steve Cantamessa	....	boom operator
Carmen Flores De Tanis	....	assistant adr editor (as Carmen Flores)
Joe Dorn	....	adr editor
Michael Dressel	....	foley artist
Alison Fisher	....	dialogue editor
Richard Friedman	....	adr editor
Jessica Gallavan	....	supervising adr editor
David Giammarco	....	sound effects editor
Robert Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bob Glass)
Avram D. Gold	....	adr editor
Meredith Gold	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Grieve	....	supervising sound editor
Allan Hartz	....	dialogue editor
Jonathan Klein	....	foley artist
Mary Jo Lang	....	foley mixer
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
John Murray	....	foley supervisor
Elmo Ponsdomenech	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jennifer Portman	....	assistant sound editor
Jeanine Schaack	....	first assistant sound editor
Roy Seeger	....	assistant sound editor
Linda Whittlesey	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
David Blitstein	....	special effects coordinator
Randy Cabral	....	special effects
Hans Metz	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Les Bernstien	....	visual effects
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	visual effects supervisor
Mark Gutterud	....	first assistant camera: VistaVision
Peter Koczera	....	digital compositor
Kevin Koneval	....	optical supervisor
Paul Lasaine	....	matte painting supervisor
Don Lee	....	digital compositor
Winston Quitasol	....	optical lineup
Wally Schaab	....	matte cameraman
Lynda Thompson	....	visual effects producer
William L. Arance	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Blaine Converse	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
John Calvin Doyle	....	stunt limo driver

Camera and Electrical Department
William D. Barber	....	second camera operator
Hans Bjerno	....	camera operator: Wescam, second unit
Ralph Brandofino	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Michael A. Chavez	....	first assistant camera
Alan Cohen	....	second assistant camera
Glenn Corbett	....	rigging gaffer
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
John J. Ellingwood	....	second assistant camera
Brad Emmons	....	rigging gaffer
Cary Fisher	....	camera operator: second unit
Ken Fisher	....	assistant camera
James W. Gavin	....	aerial photographer: second unit
Robert Gray	....	key grip
Steve Hastings	....	best boy rigger
Dennis J. Laine	....	first assistant camera
Kevin J. Lang	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Steven C. McGee	....	chief lighting technician
Mark Mele	....	rigging electrician
Paul Murphey	....	video playback operator
Peter Norman	....	director of photography: second unit
David Norris	....	camera technician: Wescam camera
Bill Roe	....	camera operator
Alan Shultz	....	dolly grip
Jeff Triandos	....	best boy grip
James Wirosko	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Elizabeth Ziegler	....	Steadicam operator
Richard H. Kryder	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Rick Strodel	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lia Abbate	....	casting assistant
Alan Berger	....	casting associate
Jimmy Jue	....	extras casting
Mariann H.W. Lee	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Bridges	....	assistant costume designer
William Dean	....	wardrobe assistant
Gary Jones	....	assistant costume designer
Michelle Kurpaska	....	key costumer
Adrienne Manhan	....	costumer
James W. Tyson	....	costume supervisor (as Jim Tyson)
David Page	....	costumer: Mr. Kline (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Clay Cambern	....	assistant film editor
Janice Campion	....	assistant film editor
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer
Daniel R. Padgett	....	assistant editor
Reine-Claire	....	assistant editor
Saul Saladow	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Chris Boardman	....	orchestrator
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
James Newton Howard	....	orchestrator
Michael Mason	....	score co-producer
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
David Olson	....	assistant music editor
Marty Paich	....	conductor
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Jim Weidman	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Robert Foster Jr.	....	driver
Doug Johnson	....	transportation captain
Craig Pinkard	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Paula Benson-Himes	....	production secretary
Bob Bergen	....	voice: special vocal effects
Matthew J. Birch	....	assistant: Ms. Shuler-Donner
Michael J. Burmeister	....	location manager
Paul A. Calabria	....	animal trainer
Jordan Chinich	....	production assistant
John Crowder	....	assistant location manager: second unit
James Dew	....	animal trainer
Yvonne Goessling	....	assistant: Ivan Reitman
Roselle Gordon	....	staff assistant
Kurt Greufe	....	production assistant
Karen Hale Wookey	....	script supervisor
Brian O. Haynes	....	location manager
Brad Hill	....	staff assistant
John J. Kelly	....	assistant accountant
Luis Lara	....	caterer
Adam Leichtman	....	production assistant
Kathy Liska	....	assistant: Ms. Shuler-Donner
Karin McElhatton	....	animal trainer
Jonathan McGarry	....	staff assistant
Marcus Miller	....	assistant: Mr. Gross
Kathryn Mindala	....	assistant accountant
Janice Naehu	....	assistant: Mr. Medjuck
Tiffany Owens	....	staff assistant
Yvonne Owens	....	assistant: Mr. Reitman
Peggy Pridemore	....	location manager: second unit
Anne S. Reilly	....	unit publicist
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Jody Spilkoman	....	staff assistant
Sib Ventress	....	assistant production secretary
Phil Wise	....	technical advisor: White House
Ray Zimmerman	....	production accountant
Patrick Burn	....	location scout (uncredited)
Bill Daly	....	post-production accountant manager (uncredited)
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
Elliot M. Kaplan	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions
• Northern Lights Entertainment
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1997) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Falcon (1993) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Warner Bros. (Argentina)
• Warner Bros. (Germany)
• Warner Bros. (Spain)

Special Effects

• CIS Hollywood (digital compositing)
• EFilm (digital effects recording)

Other Companies

• Big Screen Records  soundtrack
• Donah Bassett and Associates  negative cutting
• Fanuc Robotics Corporation  industrial robot props
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment provided by
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Stetson Visual Effects  robotic arm

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 | Italy:T | Norway:11 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions

Trivia:

In one of the press conferences, there's a Clamp Cable Network camera from Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), which starred Kevin Kline's wife, Phoebe Cates.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Dave calls the Joint Session of Congress, none of the US Supreme Court Justices are present. They would be seated at the front of the chamber dressed in their robes. For none of the 9 judges to attend such an important Presidential address would be unthinkable.

Quotes:

[on the balcony, being fed lines by Bob and Al, they try to tell him to leave]
Alan Reed: Go!
Bob Alexander: Go, go!
Dave: [raises a fist] Go, go, go!
[the reporters look confused]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (2004)

Soundtrack:

Tomorrow

Putting Our Brains On Hold

This feel-good political movie is ridiculously preposterous so you have to be ready to go along with the story....knowing it is so far-fetched it's laughable (someone faking being the President of the United States and getting away with it).

There's also the normal Liberal slant, of course. The real-life Democrats in the film are all good guys while the lone real-life Republican pictured, Sen. Alan Simpson, comes on like a bad guy with his comments.

Kevin Kline plays a likable lead character. He's good at that sort of thing. Sigourney Weaver plays a softer-than-normal character, which is good to see (for a change). The story only has a few short lulls. The movie certainly has a good and deep cast - just check the credits.

If you are one of these people who get annoyed at holes in a story, stay away from this film because it's full of them. It is a farce, and you just have to play along with it.