The Insider (1999)

Director:

Michael Mann

Writers (WGA):

Marie Brenner (article)
Eric Roth (written by) ...

Release Date:

5 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Warning: Exposing the Truth May Be Hazardous

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Tobacco | Big Tobacco | Producer | Interview | Tobacco Industry

Awards:

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 21 wins & 34 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

60 Minutes (USA) (pre-release title)
Man of the People (USA) (working title)
The Untitled Tobacco Project (USA) (working title)
Untitled Michael Mann Film (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

157 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #36775) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Canada:14A (Ontario) (video rating: 2004) | South Korea:12 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba) | Chile:TE | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-10 | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:B | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | Greece:K-17 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Abaco Island, Bahamas

Company:

Blue Lion Entertainment

Trivia:

The original title for this film was "Man Of The People". That was the working title when scenes were filmed in Israel, and created some surprise in that country when fans eagerly awaiting its release couldn't find the title in the release schedules.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Dr. Wigand comes home, there is a van parked in the driveway. The phone number on the van is 1-800-CLOCK, which doesn't have enough digits to be a real phone number.

Quotes:

Tobacco Lawyer: Object!
Ron Motley: Is there an echo in here? Your objection's been recorded. She typed it into her little machine over there. It's on the record. So now I'll proceed with my deposition of my witness. Does it act as a drug?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Eli Stone: One More Try (#1.5)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Safe from Harm

Crowe and Pacino together

Forget Russell Crowe's performance by numbers in 'Gladiator' (good though that film was), and enjoy his acting talent here alongside Al Pacino. Both men give inspired and classy masterclasses in how to put a character across. 'The Insider' is unusual, it is long and wordy (not often the case in modern movies), it has a superb soundtrack - 'Sacrifice', in particular - and it makes you involved, makes you care.

Curious, then, that a Roman epic outshone it. A good epic, but not in the same class.