The Insider, written by Eric Roth, Michael Mann
and Marie Brenner, based on an article by the latter, directed by Michael Mann
9 out of 10
Notes and
thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEVa4_CsRStSBBDo4uJWT8BSWtTTn0N1E
and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
The Insider
is one of the most interesting films ever.
It is on
The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list:
The film
was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including for Best Picture, Actor in a
Leading Role, Director, Screenplay…
And in the
same categories it received Golden globe nominations…
One of the
most compelling aspects of the film, if not the most important part, is the
fact that it is based on a true story
-
We know what big tobacco did to its
clients and how they denied for decades, until they were forced to pay billions
in damages
-
So in many ways, we know what the
end could be, without spoilers, even if the individual fates of those involved are
not known until the credits roll…
Jeffrey Wigand
is the absolute hero of the story, portrayed in an interesting manner by
Russell Crowe, nominated for this role.
This is a
complex character, which has been caught shoplifting and is really angry when
confronted and he is right.
This makes
his position even more extraordinary, for the man has shortcomings and idiosyncrasies
and finds the strength to fight.
He has been
working for a big tobacco company, one of the big seven, led by what they call “The
Seven Dwarfs”.
As he says
in an interview, he discovered that cigarettes are just the means to deliver
nicotine and get clients addictive.
Substances used
in the process increase the boost and are very, very dangerous, responsible for
cancer in patients.
And yet,
called to testify under oath, the CEOs of the big tobacco firms are denying any
knowledge of any danger posed by their products.
Lowell Bergman
is the other super hero of the movie, with al Pacino in good form, before he
started going over the top with his exaggerated, more recent performances…
He is the
producer of “60 Minutes” at a time when tens of millions of Americans watched
this most successful TV program.
Lowell Bergman
makes tremendous effort to get the story from Jeff Wigand and assure him that
he will try his best to protect him.
Faced with
abuse and pressure from the CEO of Brown- Michael Gambon is as ever excellent
in the role- Wigand agrees to an interview.
Meanwhile,
the life of the scientist who has to teach in a high school now, in spite of
being over qualified is coming to pieces, faced with death threats, anonymous
phone calls and men following him around.
There are
reminders of the Network in this chef d’oeuvre, since CBC, the station involved
is about to be bought and the prospect of a lawsuit will send the share price
tumbling down and the bonuses of the legal counselor, head of the company…
So once
they have the interview that incriminated the tobacco companies, which was so
difficult to do, the network is told to cut the Wigand part out and censure the
information, knowing it is accurate.
Furthermore,
the public interest is enormous in the case, for we are talking about a time
when research had proved that smoking is deadly, but the respective companies
had immense power, financial and otherwise.
Indeed, CBS
could have become a part of Brown, if the latter won a legal challenge worth
lots of money.
This is also
a story of betrayal and not on the part of the scientist forced to sign
contracts with confidentiality clauses, but on the part of people working in
the media, like Mike Wallace aka Cristopher Plummer.
This is a
brilliant narrative about the mass murder of so many smokers- even if not as
repugnant as in the Nazi or Communist camps- but also a story about the role of
the media, the ethics and greed involved, the status of a journalist and the
producers, the power of ruthless people interested only in the money, a tale of
people who fought, even if afraid with big corporations and powerful, mighty
enemies, courage and loyalty, with scoundrels and heroes, victims and villains,
role models and despicable individuals.
It is a
fantastic work of art and investigation.
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