WUSA (1970)

A radio station in the Deep South becomes the focal point of a right-wing conspiracy.

Director:

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

Robert Stone (screenplay), Robert Stone (novel)

Stars:

Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Perkins

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Newman	...	Rheinhardt
Joanne Woodward	...	Geraldine
Anthony Perkins	...	Rainey
Laurence Harvey	...	Farley
Pat Hingle	...	Bingamon
Don Gordon	...	Bogdanovich
Michael Anderson Jr.	...	Marvin
Leigh French	...	Girl
Bruce Cabot	...	King Wolyoe
Cloris Leachman	...	Philomene
Moses Gunn	...	Clotho
Wayne Rogers	...	Minter
Robert Quarry	...	Noonan
Skip Young	...	Rep. Jimmy Snipe
B.J. Mason	...	Roosevelt Berry

Storyline

Rheinhardt, a cynical drifter, gets a job as an announcer for right-wing radio station WUSA in New Orleans. Rheinhardt is content to parrot WUSA's reactionary editorial stance on the air, even if he doesn't agree with it. Rheinhardt finds his cynical detachment challenged by a lady friend, Geraldine, and by Rainey, a neighbor and troubled idealist who becomes aware of WUSA's sinister, hidden purpose. And when events start spinning out of control, even Rheinhardt finds he must take a stand.

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Plot Keywords:

right wing | radio station | drifter | emotional detachment | actor | 

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Taglines:

Newman/Woodward 1970

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements involving violence, drug and alcohol use, sexual content and nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 March 1971 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Hall of Mirrors

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Basic plot of right-winger group attempting to control the news media.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Farley: First, the man took a drink, friends. Then the drink took a drink. Then the drink took the man. Now that could be the end of the story. But because there is a power greater than ours that man was able to raise himself up and walk again in the sunlight of grace. Dearly beloved, that young man was myself.
Rheinhardt: Amen!

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Alternate Versions

The preview version ran 3hrs and 10 minutes according to cast member Robert Quarry. Much of his character and several other characters' motivation and dramatic development scenes were cut out before release.

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Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

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Soundtracks

Glory Road
Composed and Performed by Neil Diamond

User Reviews

An important film of the seventies

When I first saw this movie in 1971, it impressed me, and my friends, very much. I saw it at least 4 or 5 times. This is one of the most important films of the '70, a political fiction of its time... but in a revision a few days ago in VHS, a film that seems as new as before, very actual. Although I think that Rosenberg was not the most indicate director for this film (Frankenheimer seems to me a most appropriate election, due to his asphyxiating atmospheres), the strong of the story and the interpretation of an extraordinary Anthony Perkins, among the others actors, gives its force to the movie. It is a pity that there are no DVD edition (I suspect that the Spanish exhibition in its time was very censured...) for to see that film in good conditions. The people that doesn't know are missing a very notable film. I liked so much that in my blog I have written a long essay about the film, for the benefit of the young people that doesn't know it.