Shades of Black: The Conrad Black Story (TV 2006)

A story of ambition, love, betrayal and greed. The film chronicles the private and public struggles of Lord Conrad Black, one of the world's most controversial press barons.

Director:

Alex Chapple

Writer:

Andrew Wreggitt

Stars:

Albert Schultz, Lara Flynn Boyle, Jason Priestley

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Albert Schultz	...	Conrad Black
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Barbara Amiel
Jason Priestley	...	Jeff Riley
Jason Schombing	...	David Radler
Cedric Smith	...	George
Sharry Flett	...	Betty (as Sharry Fleet)
Michael Seater	...	Young Conrad Black
Jeremy Akerman	...	Bud
Rick Roberts	...	Morde
Amy Price-Francis	...	Shirley Black (as Amy Price Francis)
Shawn Lawrence	...	Dixon Chant
Corinne Conley	...	Maud
Joan Gregson	...	Doris Phillips
Philip Craig	...	Meighen
Rhea Akler	...	Rona

Storyline

A story of ambition, love, betrayal and greed. The film chronicles the private and public struggles of Lord Conrad Black, one of the world's most controversial press barons.

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Plot Keywords:

character name in title

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

CTV [ca]

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 December 2006 (Canada)

Filming Locations:

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 5,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Door

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Unexpectedly, it does eventually pick up steam

The film begins unpromisingly with an announcement that one of the main characters is completely fictitious, and with a shot of a fancy cocktail glass, some fancy fabric, and some fancy jewelry as if it is going to be some kind of dollhouse movie for girls to coo over. The fictitious character seems to have been invented sheerly to ask questions that elicit exposition, and the replies that contain the exposition are not believable as dialogue. Conrad Black starts out showing no interesting motivation, and the film seems on its way to being Citizen Kane without Rosebud. Eventually, though, the fictitious character finds his way into a fictitious but not uninteresting plot twist and Black delivers a speech that broadens his character into something of significance. Albert Schultz underplays Black nicely. Lara Flynn Boyle tries and fails with her accent (and, it seems, her lipstick) whereas Jason Schombing seems unaware that outside New York, Jews do not grow up speaking like New Yorkers. And did Margaret Thatcher really sound so much like Anne Robinson, the lady from The Weakest Link?