Presidents are typically chosen by an election, not by their physical features. That’s true in most cases, but not in the 1993 filmDave,whichdepicts a hilarious attempt to hide a president’s stroke by hiring an impersonator who looks so similar that he can pass as the president. Directed bycomedylegendIvan Reitman,Davedepicts government work humorously but also with care and detail.
The movie starsKevin Kline, a few years after his Oscar win, as the titular Dave, as well as President Mitchell, the man Dave impersonates. Sigourney Weaver stars opposite Kline as President Mitchell’s wife, Ellen Mitchell, who has a troubled relationship with her husband but warms up to Dave’s kind heart. In addition to those two stars,Davefeatures anumber of cameosfrom real-life government workers as part of the film’s commitment to detail.
Real Senators and Celebrities Make Cameos in the Film
WatchingDavefeels like watching government events unfold in real-time. The detailed sets of the White House certainly help add to this realism, but director Ivan Reitman took his commitment a step further by bringing in real United States senators.
Political Cameos
Five senators appear in the film, all in a row, after Dave announces a proposal to give jobs to every American in need of a job. The five senators who appear are Tom Harkin, Chris Dodd, Paul Simon, Alan K. Simpson, and Howard Metzenbaum.Each of these five sitting senators of the time appears in a news segment within the film, giving their opinions on Dave’s plan. Their opinions reflect their real-life stances, with some senators finding interest in the proposal and others disagreeing. Democratic Senator Paul Simon even makes a joke that he proposed a similar plan in his failed attempt to run for president.
Al D’Amato, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and Lloyd Bentsen, a few other senators at the time, were going to make appearances in the film, butthey canceled their cameosprotesting the song “Cop Killer.” The song was released by the records division of Warner Bros., which distributedDave. A few other politicians also made appearances. Tip O’Neill, former Speaker of the House at the time, compliments President Mitchell’s post-stroke appearance near the film’s start, and Judge Abner J. Mikva swears in a new president at the end of the film. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a friend of Reitman’s, cameos nearly a decade before he would take office as California’s governor.
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Other Celebrity Appearances
The film also includes multiple political-adjacent media personalities. Political commentators of the ’90s provide insight on Dave’s policies and actions.Jay Lenocracks jokes onThe Tonight Showat Dave’s expense.JFKdirectorOliver Stoneeven makes a humorous appearance withLarry King, where Stone says photos before and after President Mitchell’s stroke prove the president was replaced, which King dismisses as a conspiracy theory.
All these appearances are more than just references. “The cameos provided ‘verisimilitude,'“Davewriter Gary Rossexplained to Variety. Each politician’s or commentator’s appearance in the film helps root the film in the real world, while also providing ideas aboutDave’s themes and ideas.
Dave’s Charm Comes from Comedic Social Commentary
Davehas many heartwarming moments as well as humorous moments, which makes it such a special film. Both parts originate from the same focus on Dave’s political interactions as he assumes the role of President Mitchell.Each policy he enactsserves as a satirical critiqueconcerning the inefficiency of government.
Before filling in for president, Dave ran a temporary employment agency. He witnessed people at their lowest when they were just looking for a job to survive, and he tried to help them as much as he could. He brings that same energy with him when taking over the role of the president, ashis empathy motivates him to give as much help to the American people as he can. It’s what inspires him to propose an act that would give jobs to all Americans who need one.
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In one scene,after Dave’s chief of staff tries to go around him by vetoing a bill that would give funding to a homeless shelter, Dave calls a Presidential Cabinet session to reduce spending in other areas to keep the shelter alive. In a way that makes fun of unnecessary government spending, Dave goes around and asks different Cabinet members if they need so much money. For example, Dave asks one member if a $40 million ad campaign to restore America’s faith in the automotive industry is actually effective and justified before cutting the campaign’s funding. The scene ends with the Cabinet balancing the budget and the shelter being restored.
Dave’s positive influences on America are reflected through those around him in office. First Lady Ellen Mitchell felt distanced from her cheating husband and thus feels distanced from Dave, but when she sees Dave take interest in her passions such as the homeless shelter, she starts to enjoy having him around. Dave also sways the communications director from siding with the villainous chief of staff, and he even repairs the president’s relationship with the vice president.Kevin Kline’s actions as Dave help solidify the film as a classic political film while also showing what government should look like if helping others is the main focus.
