Great Barrington — The Triplex will hold a special screening of 2009’s “In the Loop” on Saturday, April 20, at 4:15 p.m.
The screening will be accompanied by a discussion with Berkshire County-based actor David Rasche, who starred in the movie as Linton Barwick, the United States Assistant Secretary of State of Policy.
Rasche, who has over 140 film and television acting credits in a career stretching back over 45 years, stars in the film alongside the late James Gandolfini, Peter Capaldi, Anna Chlumsky, Zach Woods, and Gina McKee.
The movie, which was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 82nd Academy Awards in 2009, is a satire of both British and American politics, involving the United States-led invasion of Iraq. It is also a continuation of the British television series “The Thick of It,” a celebrated comedy series about the British government, with Capaldi reprising his role of “Malcolm Tucker” as the prime minister’s director of communications.
The film was written and directed by Armando Iannucci, who also created the “The Thick of It” television series, as well as the show “Veep.”
In an interview with The Berkshire Edge, Rasche said that despite the movie being 15 years old, it is still relevant in today’s political climate. “The movie has a lot to do with hypocrisy,” Rasche said. “The movie is [a satirical look] at how [former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair] got seduced by [former U.S. President George W. Bush] into joining the Iraq War. The movie is still relevant because we still have the same kinds of misdirected foreign policies today.”
Rasche explained that “a lot of times, the truth is a funny thing,” and political satire is more important than ever. “For example, when you look at the things that [former President Donald J. Trump] says, they’re appalling, but they’re also sort of funny,” Rasche said. “The good thing is that this movie is not literal, but a satirical take on everything. It’s not really about Blair, and there are no real-life people portrayed in it. The character I portray is like [former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld], but it’s not really him. The movie all really comes down to hypocrisy, which is rampant.”
In a press release from the Triplex, Rasche states, “I am as proud of this film as I am of anything I have ever done.” When asked about the quote, Rasche, who won a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in “Succession,” said, “I guess it’s because I’m angry with what Rumsfeld did to our country.”
While he was critical of Rumsfeld and politicians, Rasche had nothing but good things to say about Iannucci. “Armando is just so brilliant and funny,” Rasche said. “He brings these ‘Armano Energies’ that are always so bright, funny, and insightful.”
Rasche added that he also had fond memories of Gandolfini, who died in 2013.
”James was a big bear of a guy, who was sweet and kind of soft-spoken,” Rasche said. “However, you could just look at him and see that he was just someone you did not want to cross. Sometimes we would improvise scenes in the movie, and for one scene I was literally nose to nose with Gandolfini. We were in character, and he said something. And I said ‘shhh.’ He looked at me and said, ‘Never shush me!’ It was a startling moment, but he was a very kind person who had a large presence.”
For more information about the screening of “In The Loop” on Friday, April 20, visit the Triplex’s website.
