Les requins de la finance

Most people think Larry Gelbart is a genius, as do I.

The story of H. Ross Johnson and the rise of Nabisco is a historical milestone of the 1980's corporate America. The book, Barbarians at the Gate, from which this film was based lays out in detail, every outrageous, and more outrageous step in what ultimately became the biggest corporate acquisition in US history (to date). THIS IS A TRUE STORY.

The principals include James Garner, great as Johnson, the Canadian door-to-door salesman who's rise through the ranks of the American corporate system provides the centerpiece around which the entire story revolves. Jonathan Pryce at his most prick-like is corporate raider Henry Kravitz, a man who's life is so cold, you'd have to heat his wife with a blow torch just to warm her to frigid-the self-indulgent, self-described fashion designer Carolyn Roehm. (The real-life Roehm can be seen intermittently adding festive bunting to the set of Good Morning America during the holidays). Senator Fred Dalton Thompson's Jim Robinson, then chairman of American Express shows us what its really like when the wife controls the purse-strings, as well as you, and everything else in sight.

Great supporting cast includes Peter Riegert, as the since never heard from Peter Cohen, Joanna Cassidy as the legend in her own mind Linda Gosden Robinson, Leilani Sarelle Ferrer (Sharon Stone's gal-pal in Basic Instinct), Jeffrey DeMunn, and David Rasche

If you don't have time to read the book, do see the movie, where Gelbart's wonderful script provided HBO one of their first hits in the made-for-cable genre. Wall to wall laughs, with a little educative value to boot.

After you've watched the film, you might ask yourself---`who paid for all the corporate excess, the inefficiency, stupidity, the feeding of massive egos, and blatant disregard for the ‘little people'?'

Being not a political person, I leave you to your own resolve.

"Barbarians at the Gates" is the insane true story of the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco. The stars are James Garner, Jonathan Pryce, Peter Riegert, Joanna Cassidy, Fred Dalton Thompson, Jeffrey DeMunn, Tom Aldredge, and David Rasche.

Upset that the stock price for RJR Nabisco isn't rising, and realizing that new item that was to raise it, Premier Cigarettes, taste and smell horrible, F. Ross Johnson (Garner), the CEO, decides to buy the company at $75 a share, which is $4 more than the stock's highest price. He gets the idea after talking to an expert in the LBO field, Henry Kravis (Pryce). When Kravis finds out that he's not involved in this LBO, he becomes upset. Soon, thanks to press releases that come out too soon, and embarrassing information hitting the papers, there are not only many players in the field, but the price being bid has gone up to $112 a share, meaning that the company will be put into billions and billions of dollars in debt.

The battle of egos is outrageous and all too believable in this story of what became a gigantic takeover contest. The film compresses some of the incidents, but the characters and behind the scenes happenings make it an intriguing, entertaining, and ultimately depressing story. Outside the New York office, one is shown countless homeless people while inside, people are talking about billions of dollars. A true '80s story of greed.

James Garner is fantastic and funny as good old boy, F. Ross Johnson, who gets into a game of oneupmanship with the elegant, quietly intense Kravis - Jonathan Pryce gives a tremendous performance as a man seething underneath while speaking very softly. Peter Riegert, as the man trying to put together the deal for Shearson Lehman is wonderful, as are two actors I've had the privilege of seeing on stage, Tom Aldredge as the head of the board of RJR Nabisco, and David Rasche, as a banker trying to get in on the deal. Fred Dalton Thompson and Joanna Cassidy are a married couple - she's the publicist for the LBO, and he's the CEO of American Express.

After seeing the documentary about Enron, I really thought nothing could top it. This does. If you want to be appalled by corporate behavior, don't miss it.

A story of greed, F. Ross Johnson's attempt to rid himself of troublesome shareholders who bug him with cries to curb his excessive management and lifestyle ignites a bidding war for ownership of RJR-Nabisco. Through sessions of number-crunching, men's room meetings, and personal loyalties and competitions, the fate of the company and those involved is decided and standards set for what will be allowed or punished by the captains of industry of the 1980's heyday.

For a movie dealing with such despicable and probably in real life boring characters, the final product is delightful, entertaining, and almost educational. While the level of greed and excess is appalling, you can't help getting caught up in the wheeling and dealing and the competition, rooting for one side or the other while knowing you shouldn't like either one. The greedy CEO or the heartless junk-bond trader (Henry Kravis), take your pick and enjoy. No one is immune to the satire of the film, down to the trophy wives and their manicurists who know more about Wall Street than they do. Still, the comic tone is maintained; as much as you want to hate them, the film avoids moralizing, content just to ridicule and make the audience laugh.

The attention to detail in the movie is simply brilliant. Whenever there is a TV screen or someone lighting a cigarette in the background, pay attention or you may miss a good laugh. It boasts clearly the best costumes of any Wall Street movie, from costume parties to Bush-Quayle hoedowns. Witty and satirical dialogue is accompanied by a well-chosen score. Details and incidents with little to do with the actual plot add to the entertainment value while not distracting from the story. Overall a great movie, funny and cool, makes you think a little: would you really want to be one of them?

F. Ross Johnson (James Garner) is a born salesman and a self-made millionaire. In 1988, he's the wild-spending high-flying CEO of RJR Nabisco. The stock is stubbornly low. He decides to try to take the company private but he's worried about the debt at first. He is eager to promote the revolutionary new smokeless cigarette Premier but then he's told about its problems. Others become attracted to the deal and it becomes a greedy stampede in the search for a leverage buyout.

This is a solid depiction of 80s Wall Street. It is all James Garner and he drives this movie with glee. It is top notch HBO although I still want a bit more cinematic style. It would be great to have music from the era. There are plenty of great costars but Garner overshadows them all. This is a big time TV movie.

Entertaining look at the in-fighting involved in the takeover of the Nabisco Co. The CEO of Nabisco wants to buy out the company, but is thwarted by the machinations of a big money rival. A rousing financial war begins leading to a satisfying grand finale. I liked the dialogue, especially the witty quips that James Garner was fond of throwing out. Jonathan Pryce was great as the chilling corporate raider. Thumbs up.