Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine Critiques CIA History
Playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh, whose Oscar-tipped film Wild Horse Nine premiered at the Venice Film Festival, stated that the CIA's history of
Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine, premiering at the Venice Film Festival, centers on Chris, a CIA veteran portrayed by John Malkovich, stationed in Santiago, Chile, on the eve of the 1973 US-backed coup that ousted democratically elected president Salvador Allende. The film explores Chris's crisis of conscience as he reflects on past interventions, including the 1954 Guatemalan coup, the 1961 assassination of Patrice Lumumba, and the film's depiction of John F Kennedy's killing.
McDonagh's Motivation and Creative Shift
Originally intending to write about a father-son acting duo, McDonagh pivoted to the CIA narrative after connecting the story to the Allende overthrow. He described the film as moving from 'a bit corny' to 'somewhere much sadder and darker' as he explored themes of guilt and regret regarding intelligence agency actions.
Cast and Critical Reception
The film features John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, and Tom Waits. Malkovich, noted as an Oscar contender for his performance, declined to comment on the Trump administration's capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro when questioned at the press conference, stating, 'I can’t think any more.'
Contemporary Relevance
McDonagh observed that the film's 1973 Chilean setting now feels like 'a bit of a commentary on present day geopolitics.' He criticized the lack of secrecy in modern CIA operations, stating, 'it just feels like things are getting stupider and stupider and stupider,' contrasting past covert methods with current perceived recklessness.
Press Conference Remarks
When asked about the Trump administration's actions, McDonagh emphasized the disturbing shift in operational transparency, noting that 'they don’t seem to be making it covert any more' compared to the careful secrecy of the 1970s.
London-born Irish national McDonagh took over the mic instead. 'I think, for me, one of the frightening things is that they don’t seem to be making it covert any more, which is very strange,' he said. 'Like in the 70s, at least these horrible people had the intelligence to keep their acts secret, but it just feels like things are getting stupider and stupider and stupider.'
When I wrote the film and we made it, it was to talk about 1973 and Chile at that point,' McDonagh added. 'But watching it now, it does feel like it does seem to have a bit of a commentary on present day geopolitics.'
