Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer (2010)

An in-depth look at the rise and fall of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, including interviews with the scandalized, former politician.

Director:

Alex Gibney

Writer:

Alex Gibney

Stars:

Eliot Spitzer, Michael Schwendeman, Kim Allen

6 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Eliot Spitzer	...	Himself
Michael Schwendeman	...	Trumpet Player
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kim Allen	...	Times Square Lip-Sync Singer
Lloyd Constantine	...	Himself - Former Spitzer Advisor
Peter Elkind	...	Himself - Author
Wrenn Schmidt	...	Angelina
Laura Somma	...	Ashley Dupre
Hulbert Waldroup	...	Himself - Painter

Storyline

Documentary on the rise of Eliot Spitzer, first as Attorney General and then Governor of New York and his subsequent downfall due to a sex scandal. Spitzer had a hard driving, take no prisoners approach to prosecuting criminals. When he focused his efforts on Wall Street, he came up against some very powerful men. The chink in his armor was an escort whom he met regularly. When the fact that he spent time with a prostitute became public the knives came out so to speak, and Spitzer found himself isolated, resigning the Governorship. At one point, Spitzer recounts the story of a friend who gave him a t-shirt with 'Hubris is Terminal' printed on the front. A fitting epitaph somehow for his political career.

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Plot Keywords:

governor | scandal | rise and fall | sex scandal | hubris | 

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Taglines:

You don't know the real story.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexual material, nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 March 2011 (UK)

Also Known As:

Untitled Eliot Spitzer Project

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$16,962 (USA) (5 November 2010)

Gross:

$187,540 (USA) (21 January 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

A&E IndieFilms, Jigsaw Productions, Wider Film Projects

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

Great story, soft documentary

The story of Eliot Spitzer is certainly interesting: an abrasive man who fought the demigods of Wall Street; a moral crusader brought down by his own lusts. The tale also provides insights into high-class prostitution and raises the idea that a conspiracy existed against a man who made a career of making enemies. But the problem with this documentary is that is doesn't ask hard enough questions. Spitzer is allowed to brush off charges of his own monstrous behaviour; his enemies likewise side-step the charges of conspiracy; while the call-girls are allowed to simper their way through the program unchallenged. And some stories are silly - Spitzer implies his father was ruthless because he beat his son at 'Monopoly'! One is tempted to feel that all of them deserve each other; but the ordinary people of New York lost a highly flawed champion when Spitzer fell - you may not like him, but the financial services industry suffers little authority gladly, and arguably we are all now living with the consequences.