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Extracts from Wag the Dog (1996): a) Country at War  b) The Rescue Operation
                          MOSS
                    (TO HIMSELF)
            "The Country Is At War."
                    (PAUSE)

                          BREAN
            It's Miss America, N'you're Bert Parks.
                    (PAUSE)

                          MOSS
            ...Yoha, Yoha... Yoha.
                    (PAUSE)
            Why Albania?

                          BREAN
            Because.

                          MOSS
            They got to have something that we want.

                          BREAN
            I'm sure they do.

                          MOSS
            What do we have that they want?

                          BREAN
            "Freedom."

                          MOSS
            Why would they want that?

                          HAKAN
            They're Oppressed.

                          MOSS
            No, no, no.  Fuck Freedom.  No.  Fuck Freedom.
            They.... They Want... They Want To Destroy the Godless
            Satan of the United ... They want to destroy our Way of
            Life.  Okay, okay, okay, could we ... okay:  the
            President is in China.  He is dealing with a Dispatch
            of the B-2 Bomber to Albania.  Why?
                    (HE SHRUGS, HOLDS UP HIS HANDS, TO SAY,
                    "YOU TELL ME...")

                          AMES
            Alright, well, alright:  geopolitically...

MOSS GESTURES FOR SILENCE.

                          MOSS
            We've just found out They Have the Bomb.  We've Just
            Found Out They Have The Bomb, aaaand... No, No wait a
            second, no, no, wait a second, No.  The Bomb's not...
            it's not there -- because they'd have to have a
            rocket and that shit n'they're a buncha wogs-- it's ...
            it's a suitcase Bomb.  Ooookay.  It's a suitcase bomb,
            and it's .... in Canada!  Eh?  Albanian Terrorists have
            placed a suitcase Bomb in Canada, in an attempt to
            infiltrate the bomb into the USA.

                          AMES
            You know what?  This is good.  This is terrific, and
            I'll tell you why:  it's cost effective.  This is....

                          MOSS
                    (SHRUGS)
            It's producing.

                          AMES
            No, this is great.

                          MOSS
            I could tell you stories:  Cecil B. Demille:  Alright?
            The Greatest Show on Earth:  He needs an elephant,

GRACE COMES IN WITH A PHONE, TO AMES.

                          GRACE
            I have the White House on the Line.

                          MOSS
            ...one minute:  Demille needs an elephant for a
            reshoot.

                          AMES
                    (TAKES THE PHONE)
            Ames here.  Yessir...
                    (HE LISTENS.)

                          MOSS
            Okay.  Okay.  The Suitcase Bomb...

                          GRACE
            ...good title for a movie....

MOSS GESTURES "WRITE IT DOWN"		 AMES WANDERS AWAY, RELATING THE PROCEEDINGS INTO THE PHONE.

                          AMES
            ..."Terrorism," and an attempt to infiltrate...

                          MOSS
            ...the Suitcase Bomb.  ACT ONE Albania denies it.
            President comes on the air, "Be Calm."  Okay, now:
            Good.  Now, Alright.  Act TWO...
                    (TO GRACE)
            I need the following here.  Right now:  Johnnie Green,
            Liz Butsky, and get me the Fad King.

                          GRACE
            Isn't Johnny Green in the...
                    (SHE GESTURES, LOONEY BIN)

                          MOSS
            No, he's back in Nashville.

                          BREAN
            ...who is this guy...?

                          MOSS
                    (TO BREAN)
            Act Two:  and then, Act Two...

                          BREAN
            We don't need an Act Two.

                          MOSS
                    (ON THE PHONE)
            And get me the Fad King.  No.  Get him First...
                    (TO BREAN)
            We don't need an Act Two?

                          BREAN
            We've just got to hold their interest for ten more
            days, till the Election.

                          MOSS
            ...it's a Teaser!

                          BREAN
            It's a teaser, absolutely right,

AMES IS SEEN IN THE B.G. ON THE CELLPHONE.

                          AMES
                    (ON THE PHONE, SOTTO)
            The thinking is, as of this moment, Terrorism...
                    (HE COVERS THE PHONE)
            ...they're getting a Good Reaction on the "Albania"
            thing...

BREAN SHRUGS, TO SAY, "OF COURSE."

                          MOSS
                    (ON THE PHONE)
            Hello, King.  How the heck are you...?
                    (PAUSE)
            Get out...
                    (PAUSE)
            Get out... Well, man, you fall in love like a
            Hillbilly...
                    (HE COVERS THE PHONE, EXPLAINING TO
                    THOSE NEAR HIM)
            Ditch the wife, toss the kids in the Pick-up,
                    (HE GESTURES, MEANING, YOU KNOW...)
                    (To THE FAD KING)
            Listen, King:  Get your fat redneck ass out here,
            willya...

                          AMES
                    (TO BREAN, STILL HOLDING THE PHONE TO
                    HIS EAR)
            ...but the President wonders about the Possible
            Albanian Backlash...

                          BREAN
                    (SHRUGS)
            You can't have a war without an enemy.

                          MOSS
                    (ON PHONE)
            No, King, I need you here yesterday...
                    (TO BREAN)
            How long do I need him for?

                          BREAN
                    (CORRECTING HIMSELF)
            Well, you could have one, but it'd be a very
            ineffective war...
                    (TO MOSS)
            We're done in 10 days...
BREAN WANDERS BACK TO THE CONTROL BOOTH WHERE WE SEE THE SCENE ON SEVERAL
MONITORS AND THE YOUNG GIRL, STANDING AGAINST THE BARE SWEEP ON THE BACK WALL.
WE HEAR "ACTION" AND THE YOUNG GIRL RUNS FORWARD.  WE HEAR THE TECHNICIANS
MUTTERING, AND THEY PUNCH UP A PLAYBACK, AND WE SEE THE SAME RUN-FORWARD,
REPLAYED AGAINST AN "ALBANIAN VILLAGE" SCENE.

                          TECHNICIAN
            ...gimme some flames...

AS HE SPEAKS, FLAMES ARE ADDED TO THE SCENE...

                          TECHNICIAN
            ...some sound of Screaming...?
                    (SCREAMING IS ADDED)
            ...whoo-aahh sirens?  Anne Frank?...

THE SIRENS ARE ADDED.
MOSS COMES INTO THE CONTROL BOOTH, AND TALKS TO THE ACTOR.

ANGLE
ON AMES AND BREAN, IN THE CONTROL ROOM.

                          AMES
            ...can we see the Kitten...?

THE PHONE RINGS, AMES PICKS UP HIS CELLPHONE.

                          AMES
                    (CONT.)
            Hello... Yes.  We'll be back...?

                          BREAN
            We'll be back tonight.

                          AMES
                    (TO PHONE)
            Tonight.
                    (HE HANGS UP)
            Well, you've started a Tempest in a Teapot.

                          BREAN
            Waal, that's where you want em...

                          AMES
            ...I just hope...

                          MOSS
                    (TO TRUDY)
            Do it again, love, will you...?  We'll tell you before
            we're going to shoot...

WE SEE ON THE MONITOR THE YOUNG GIRL RUNNING WITH THE BAG OF POTATO CHIPS,
VARIOUS BURNING BUILDINGS IN THE B.G.

                          MOSS
            ...could she be running across a bridge?  She's running
            across a Burning Bridge.

ONE OF THE TECHNICIANS' FACES LIGHTS UP.

                          TECHNICIAN
                    (TO HIMSELF)
            ....beautiful.

WE PLAYBACK THE LAST RUNTHROUGH, AND THE GIRL IS NOW RUNNING ACROSS A BRIDGE.

                          MOSS
                    (LEANS IN TO TALK WITH THE TECH PEOPLE)
            Of course, we're gonna need some water, uh...

                          TECHNICIAN
            Is it a stream, or is it a...
 
                          MOSS
            No, I think..

                          TECHNICIAN
            a "pond," or

                          MOSS
            No, I think it's ... can we see the calico kitten...?

AS HE SPEAKS THE BAG OF CHIPS IS TRANSFORMED INTO A CALICO KITTEN.

                          AMES
                    (ON HIS PHONE)
            A small, "calico" kitten, sir.
                    (PAUSE)
            "Calico."
                    (PAUSE)

                          AMES
                    (TO MOSS)
            ...can we have a white one...?

                          MOSS
                    (TO DIRECTOR)
            Can we have a white one, please...

AS THEY SPEAK THE BROWN KITTEN IS TRANSFORMED INTO A WHITE ONE.

                          MOSS
                    (CONT)
            You know, if we're gonna run with the kitten, maybe it
            turns out, the Kitten has a Name, and...

                          DIRECTOR
            We ready out there...?

BREAN LOOKS DOWN AT HIS WATCH, AND TAPS AMES ON THE SHOULDER, AS HE EASES HIS
WAY PAST THE CONTROL CONSOLE.

                          AMES
                    (ENGROSSED)
            ...one moment...

INT L.A.X. DAY.

A POSTER FILLS THE SCREEN.  IT IS A NORMAL ROCKWELL SORT OF THING SHOWING
HAPPY AND PROUD AMERICANS OUTSIDE OF A VOTING BOOTH.  AND IT READS:  "DON'T
FORGET TO VOTE.  NOVEMBER 2ND.  IT'S YOUR DUTY -- IT'S YOUR RIGHT."


                          PRESIDENT'S VOICE
                    (VO)
            ...a state of War.
                    (PAUSE)
            That a State of War...

PAN OFF THE POSTER TO SHOW THE GATE AREA, MANY PEOPLE WAITING, WATCHING A
TELEVISION SET, ON WHICH WE SEE THE PRESIDENT.

                          PRESIDENT
                    (CONT.)
            ...exists...

A TELEVISION SET, THE PRESIDENT ON THE TELEVISION.

                          PRESIDENT
            ...between the United States and Republic of Albania,

            and that the Congress Authorize any and all measures
            consonant with a swift and painless, and victorious
            conclusion of that War.