Synopsis

In 1972, carefree teenagers Betsy Jobs and Arlene Lorenzo accidentally stumble into the Watergate scandal after wandering into a secret White House operation. Mistaken for politically important insiders, they become President Nixon's dog walkers and unwittingly influence the events surrounding his administration. Their innocent meddling eventually turns them into the mysterious source known as Deep Throat.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is an alternate-history comedy that reimagines the Watergate scandal through the perspective of two politically naive teenagers.

• Writer Sheryl Longin drew on a childhood memory of encountering Richard Nixon at a hotel. She and a friend reportedly pelted him with ice cubes, an incident that helped inspire the screenplay's irreverent approach to the former president.

• The production aimed for the feel of a 1970s movie. Scenes were framed in the style of period comedies, and analog editing equipment was used instead of digital tools.

• Most of the clothing was made from authentic 1970s polyester garments. The pieces were purchased new from a warehouse rather than recreated solely for the production.

• The Marine One helicopter shown near the end is the same Sikorsky model used by Nixon when he left the White House after resigning in 1974. The helicopter was loaned to the production by producer Gale Anne Hurd.

• Principal photography took place mainly in the Toronto area, with additional filming in Washington, D.C. The Oval Office scenes were filmed on a studio set in Kleinburg, Ontario.

• The real John Dean and Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee were approached about appearing as themselves, but both declined.

• At the time of the film's August 4, 1999, U.S. release, the real identity of Deep Throat had not yet been publicly confirmed.

• The soundtrack is built around 1970s pop hits, although two selections, "Lady Marmalade" and "Dancing Queen," were released after the Watergate period.

• The film initially performed poorly at the box office but later developed a cult following and gained a stronger reputation through home video and television exposure.