• The Special Program

  • Debora Cahn
  • No Manager
  • 2013
  • Black List
  • 78.4
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Market: Mon, 16 Dec 2013Sold: Mon, 16 Dec 2013
Producer: Paula Weinstein, Jeffrey Levine
AgentCraig Brody (CAA)
ProductionSpring Creek
11/21/2014: Project is no longer set up at The Weinstein Company.
The true story of Jack Goldsmith, a young attorney who took charge of the White House’s Office of Legal Counsel, then courageously took on Vice President Cheney and his powerful inner circle when he discovered they were running a number of illegal activities through their so-called “Special Program”.
The true story of attorney Jack Goldsmith's struggle to reform Vice President Dick Cheney's illegal surveillance and torture commissions code named, " The Special Program."
The true story of an average lawyer who sets out to deauthorize Dick Cheney’s program which allows spying on American citizens without warrants.
The true story of one lawyer hired onto Dick Cheney's staff, who must decide to defy his superiors and reveal the truth about Cheney's special program.
Film
Film, Mainstream (studio), Drama, War, Conspiracy, Cop/FBI/CIA, Espionage/Spy, Political, Terrorist, Corruption
124
PG-13
Medium
M
White / European
35
Average
All the President's Men, W., The Spy Factory, Ides of March
September 11, 2001 and several days following, the majority in the Spring of 2003 and four days in 2004/Four years
85% in Washington DC. September, 2001: White House Bunker, Air Force One, Memorial Bridge, White House Corridor, Cheney’s Office, State Department, various offices, Roosevelt Room Spring 2003: offices, restaurant, Apartment on Capitol Hill, White House Gate, Camp David, Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Pennsylvania Avenue, hallways, command center, National Security Agency, Car, Constitution Avenue 2004: White House, Situation Room, corridor, offices, conference room, office at the CIA, a courtyard, a greenroom, Washington streets, a limo, Jack’s house, Comey’s car, Jack’s car, hospital, restaurant, Cheney’s house, hospital room
On September 11, 2001 in Washington DC, DICK CHENEY (Adult), SCOOTER LIBBY (Adult) and CONDOLEEZA RICE (Adult) are evacuated into a bunker. CHENEY orders a MILITARY AIDE (Adult), to engage an aircraft approaching Washington. Cheney talks on the phone with Bush, who is on Air Force One, and gets his permission to engage, even though Cheney already sent the command. Bush is with ANDY CARD (Adult), his legal counsel.

Cheney orders DAVID ADDINGTON (Adult), a legal counselor, to figure out what powers the president is going to need now that they’re at war with a terrorist organization. JOHN ASHCROFT (Adult), Attorney General, and PATRICK PHILBIN (Adult), Associate Deputy Attorney General, draft up a document.

Cheney presents it to Bush, who agrees and Cheney meets with GEORGE TENET (Adult), CIA director, and NSA director, MICHAEL HAYDEN (Adult), who suggest it’s not legal but Cheney doesn’t care.

JOHN YOO (Adult), an attorney, hires JACK GOLDSMITH (Adult), an unkempt lawyer, as a legal counselor. Jack has two small children and lives in a tiny apartment with his wife LESLIE (Adult). Addington shows Jack “The Stellar Wind” document which allows the NSA to monitor terrorists domestically. Jack is appalled that the document grants...