The Insider

The Insider is beautifully acted docu-drama and brilliantly staged amusement. Mann manages to make every silence important and shows again how well he can film dialogues. But more important is that the film poses fundamental questions about modern society. It is four years since the events on which The Insider is based really happened. The most painful episode from the history of CBS News, for the sake of drama, slightly fictionalised. A broadcast of the famous programme 60 Minutes was stopped, under pressure from a major tobacco producer, because a former employee, Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), was alleged to have revealed sensitive company information. Wigand had found out that tobacco companies deliberately manipulate the nicotine content of cigarettes to speed addiction, but when he left he had promised to keep it quiet. The first part of The Insider concentrates on Wigand, on his battle with his conscience and his final decision. Later attention is shifted to Bergmann (Al Pacino), one of the producers of 60 Minutes who encouraged Wigand to tell his story. The Insider is in the great tradition of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and All The Presidents Men: the great battle between money and journalistic integrity, in the face of the loner who sticks to his principles and has the courage to express them. But courage does not necessarily lead to victory.

The Insider
	Director	Michael Mann
	Duration (minutes)	155
	Country , Year	Verenigde Staten , 1999
	Theme programme	main programme features
	Cast	Al Pacino;Russell Crowe;Christopher Plummer;Diane Venora
	Scenario	Eric Roth;Michael Mann
	Camera	Dante Spinotti
	Music	Peter Bourke;Lisa Gerrard;Graeme Revell
	Editing	William Goldenberg;Paul Rubell;David Rosenbloom

	Sales	Buena Vista Pictures Dist.

The Insider is beautifully acted docu-drama and brilliantly staged amusement. Mann manages to make every silence important and shows again how well he can film dialogues. But more important is that the film poses fundamental questions about modern society. It is four years since the events on which The Insider is based really happened. The most painful episode from the history of CBS News, for the sake of drama, slightly fictionalised. A broadcast of the famous programme 60 Minutes was stopped, under pressure from a major tobacco producer, because a former employee, Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), was alleged to have revealed sensitive company information. Wigand had found out that tobacco companies deliberately manipulate the nicotine content of cigarettes to speed addiction, but when he left he had promised to keep it quiet. The first part of The Insider concentrates on Wigand, on his battle with his conscience and his final decision. Later attention is shifted to Bergmann (Al Pacino), one of the producers of 60 Minutes who encouraged Wigand to tell his story. The Insider is in the great tradition of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and All The Presidents Men: the great battle between money and journalistic integrity, in the face of the loner who sticks to his principles and has the courage to express them. But courage does not necessarily lead to victory.