The Insider (1999)

A research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a "60 Minutes" expose on Big Tobacco.

Director:

Michael Mann

Writers:

Marie Brenner (article), Eric Roth,

Stars:

Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, Christopher Plummer

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 28 wins & 34 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Al Pacino	...	Lowell Bergman
Russell Crowe	...	Jeffrey Wigand
Christopher Plummer	...	Mike Wallace
Diane Venora	...	Liane Wigand
Philip 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	...	Helen Caperelli
Michael Gambon	...	Thomas Sandefur
Rip Torn	...	John Scanlon
Lynne Thigpen	...	Mrs. Williams
Hallie Kate Eisenberg	...	Barbara Wigand

Storyline

Balls-out "60 Minutes" producer Lowell Bergman sniffs a story when a former research biologist for Brown & Williamson, Jeff Wigand, won't talk to him. When the company leans hard on Wigand to honor a confidentiality agreement, he gets his back up. Trusting Bergman and despite a crumbling marriage, he goes on camera for a Mike Wallace interview and risks arrest for contempt of court. Westinghouse is negotiating to buy CBS, so CBS attorneys advise CBS News to shelve the interview and avoid a lawsuit. "60 Minutes" and CBS News bosses cave, Wigand is hung out to dry, Bergman is compromised, and the CEOs of Big Tobacco may get away with perjury. Will the truth out?

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Plot Keywords:

cbs | tobacco | tobacco industry | interview | research | 

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Taglines:

Two men driven to tell the truth... whatever the cost.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese Arabic Persian

Release Date:

5 November 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Man of the People

Filming Locations:

Abaco Island, Bahamas

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£437,078 (UK) (10 March 2000)

Gross:

$28,965,197 (USA) (21 April 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Blue Lion Entertainment, Forward Pass, Kaitz Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

157 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The courtroom where Jeffrey Wigand gives his deposition is not a set. The filmmakers used the actual courtroom in Jackson County Mississippi where the real Wigand's deposition was given.

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Goofs

When Bergman first calls Scruggs (as he's flying his Lear jet), Scruggs calls in to air traffic control saying he's "Lear November 643", yet the external shot of the jet shows the registration number to be N[ovember] 6100". Then shortly after returning Bergman's call Scruggs walks out to the runway and the jet now has a registration number of "N550M".

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Quotes

Jeffrey Wigand: I can't seem to find the criteria to decide. It's too big a decision to make without being resolved in my own mind.
Lowell Bergman: Maybe things have changed.
Jeffrey Wigand: What's changed?
Lowell Bergman: You mean since this morning?
Jeffrey Wigand: No, I mean since whenever.

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Connections

Referenced in The O'Reilly Factor: Episode dated 1 February 2008 (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Smokey Mountain Waltz"
Written and Performed by Richard Gilks
Courtesy of Associated Production Music

User Reviews

A Great Movie, Very Underrated, Due To Poor Marketing

Russell Crowe at his best as a Kentucky tobacco executive in Eric Roth and Michael Mann's masterpiece, "The Insider," is one of the most underrated American films ever. Not only is it important historically for its political implications - not about tobacco, but about conflicts of commercial interest that control freedom of speech along the airwaves in the U.S.- it is a great story and it is true. Disney had no idea how to market "The Insider" and essentially sold it as tobacco movie and it is so much more. Pacino gives a grand A plus performance as a Long Island Jewish producer and halfway through the movie I forgot he was Al Pacino. Even better Christopher Plummer masterfully captures the full essence of Mike Wallace. Gina Gershon could turn lust from a stone as always. Michael Mann seems to always pull strong performances from his actors, and Eric Roth who brilliantly adapted "Forrest Gump" did the same here with Mann. Though long, "The Insider" is never boring and a movie all Americans should see twice to make sure they fully comprehend regardless of how you feel about the tobacco debate.