"The Insider" (1999) Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, & Michael Mann

04/07/22 • 64 min

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Book Vs. Movie: The Insider
Marie Brenner’s Vanity Fair Article Vs the Michael Mann Film
The American news program 60 Minutes has long been considered one of the most trusted news outlets in the media. In the mid-1990s their reputation took a hit when they were accused of joining in the silencing of whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand who worked in the tobacco industry and accused his company, Brown & Williamson, of sneaking addictive chemicals into their cigarettes.
The Man Who Knew Too Much by Marie Brenner appeared in Vanity Fair in 1996 where she followed Wigand as he dealt with lawyers wanting him to give testimony against Brown & Williamson and his former employer invoking a nondisclosure agreement threatening his financial stability. Wigand felt pressure to do the right thing but did not feel supported until he met 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman. A supremely talented journalist with multiple Emmys to his credit, Bergman, and reporter Mike Wallace thought his testimony was an important story to cover.
Wigand claimed while waiting for trial, his former employers were harassing him and he went so far as to go to the FBI with allegations but he was labeled an unstable troublemaker and therefore, unreliable. His marriage fell apart and his paranoia increased when death threats were involved. He trusted 60 Minutes would clear his name but CBS President of News, Eric Ober (named Eric Kluster in the movie) decided not to broadcast Wigand’s interview as they could be sued by Brown & Willamson.
Michael Mann’s film deals with the blowback from Bergman and the media at large for what was seen as a cowardly move to protect CBS's upcoming sale to Westinghouse. In the movie, Russell Crowe plays Wigand (playing 20 years older than he was at the time) and Al Pacino as Bergman and The Insider would be a crucial favorite and earned several Academy Award nominations. Alas, it was the same year that American Beauty was nominated for multiple awards for some mind-boggling reason.
So, between the original story and the 1999 film-which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
Marie Brenner’s writing career
The tobacco industry in America and the lawsuits of the 1990s & 2000s
The differences between the real-life characters and the film
The cast: Al Pacino (Lowell Bergman,) Russell Crowe (Dr. Jeffrey Wigand,) Christopher Plummer (Mike Wallace,) Diane Venora (Liane Wigand,) Philp Baker Hall (Don Hewitt,) Lindsay Crouse (Sharon Tiller,) Debi Mazar (Debbie De Luca,) Stephen Tobolowsky (Eric Kluster,) Colm Feore (Richard Scruggs,) Bruce McGill (Ron Motley,) Gina Gershon as Helen Caparelli.
Clips used:
60 Minutes edited segment
The Insider trailer
CBS decides to edit the segment
Bruce McGill as the Mississippi lawyer
Jeffrey calls Lowell
Lowell resigns
Music by Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Previous Episode

"Hustlers" (2019) Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Lizzo, Cardi B., & Keke Palmer

Book Vs. Movie: "Hustlers"
The 2015 New York magazine article Vs. the 2019 Jennifer Lopez Film
The Margos decided to go back to the magazine mill to find a racy true story from writer Jessica Pressler about a group of Scores strippers who drugged and bilked their clients of thousands of dollars. The Hustlers at Scores came out in New York Magazine in December 2015 and became so notorious, Pressler was nominated for a National Magazine Award and the rights to the story were sold to Will Farrell’s production company.
The original article talks about the world of Scores, the treatment of women who work there, the abuse by customers who work on Wall Street, and how they were able to steal so much money for a long period of time without getting caught.
The movie, Hustlers, was treated as an independent film with a small budget and a 29-day shoot in New York City starring Jennifer Lopez and lead hustler Ramona, Constance Wu as newbie Destiny, and Julia Stiles as “Elizabeth, the journalist.” Starting with its premiere at the Toronto Film Festical in September 2019 it was a (mostly) critical hit and made $157 million worldwide at the box office.
Lopex does her own dancing and stunts and she has never been more beautiful. (Many people were bummed when she did not receive an Oscar nomination for her fur-draped performance.) The soundtrack features some amazing women artists including Fiona Apple, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, and Lorde. Does it glamorize stealing? (Does anyone blame movies with men as thieves and villains harshly?)
Pressler would go on to further fame with her next article about NYC con artist Anna Sorokin which was turned into a Shonda Rhimes production on Netflix--Inventing Anna. (Anna Chlumsky plays her in that adaptation!)
So, between the original story and the 2019 film-which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
Writer Jessica Pressler and her magazine career
Scores in NYC
The differences between the real-life characters and the film
The cast includes Jennifer Lopez (Ramona,) Constance Wu (Destiny,) Keke Palmer (Mercedes,) Lili Reinhart (Annabelle,) Lizzo (Liz,) Cardi B (Diamond,) Julia Stiles (Elizabeth the journalist) Mercedes Ruehl (Mama,) Frank Whaley (Reese,) and Usher (as himself.)
Clips used:
Ramona advises Destiny on pole dancing
Hustlers trailer
Romona and Destiny in a coat
Destiny and Ramona reunite
USHER!
Ramona rationalizes their scheme
Music by Lorde (arrest scene)
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
.
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Next Episode

How to Make an American Quilt (1995) Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, & Jared Leto

1 Recommendations

Book Vs. Movie: How to Make An American Quilt
Whitney Otto’s Debut Novel Vs the Winona Ryder Movie
The 90s were an incredible time for what became known as “Chick Lit”--or just books that featured women writers and characters. Whitney Otto’s How to Make an American Quilt told the multilayered story of generations of women who are in a quilting group in Grasse, California. Our main protagonist Finn is a graduate student who is engaged to her longtime boyfriend but is experiencing cold feet.
The book is a mixture of quilting instructions and the life story of several characters with the many ups and downs of their interpersonal relationships. Everything is discussed from cheating spouses, interracial dating, the ennui of motherhood, and having a parent that disapproves of your life choices.
The film is a tour de force of incredible actors from Winona Ryder to Ellen Burstyn to Alfre Woodard. It’s sweet, warm, and sexy. It had women behind the scenes and made four times the budget. Yet Hollywood still doesn't produce more of them. Because...show business is sexist.
So, between the original story and the 1995 film-which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The popularity of the novel
Stories about women protagonists and why women are attracted to them
The differences between the book and the movie
The cast: Winona Ryder (Finn Dodd,) Anne Bancroft (Glady Joe,) Ellen Burstyn (Hy,) Lois Smith (Sophia Darling older,) Samantha Mathis (young Sophia,) Jean Simmons (Em,) Joanna Going (young Em,) Kate Nelligan (Constance,) Alfred Woodard (Marianne,) Maya Angelou (Anna Neale,) Kate Capshaw (Sally Dodd,) Loren Dean (Preston,) Dermot Mulroney (Sam,) Rip Torn (Arthur Cleary,) and Johnathan Schaech as Leon.
Clips used:
Finn meets Leon
How to Make an American Quilt trailer
Anna Neale’s story
Glady and Hy argue about Rip Torn
Music by Thoman Newman
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
.
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine