Barbarians at the Gate (1993)

The president of a major tobacco company decides to buy the company himself, but a bidding war ensues as other companies make their own offers.

Director:

Glenn Jordan

Writers:

Bryan Burrough (book), John Helyar (book)

Stars:

James Garner, Jonathan Pryce, Peter Riegert

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Garner	...	F. Ross Johnson
Jonathan Pryce	...	Henry Kravis
Peter Riegert	...	Peter Cohen
Joanna Cassidy	...	Linda Robinson
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	Jim Robinson
Leilani Sarelle	...	Laurie Johnson
Matt Clark	...	Edward A. Horrigan Jr.
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	H. John Greeniaus
David Rasche	...	Ted Forstmann
Tom Aldredge	...	Charlie Hugel
Graham Beckel	...	Don Kelly
Peter Dvorsky	...	George Roberts
Peter Frechette	...	Robert Allegro
Judy Altman	...	Robinson's Aide
Bruce Beatty	...	Anthony the Pizza Man

Storyline

F. Ross Johnson, the CEO of RJR Nabisco decides that the time is ripe to take over his own company and enlists American Express. This kicks off a tide of other firms swarming in to tender offers. The outline of the film follows the actual takeover of the RJR Nabisco empire in a tongue in cheek way.

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Plot Keywords:

multi millionaire | market research | tobacco | wall street manhattan new york city | cigarette smoking | 

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Taglines:

After a power breakfast they'll still eat you for lunch.

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 March 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

A füstbement terv

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films, Columbia Pictures Television, Rastar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A TV movie for the HBO network.

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Goofs

The film is set in 1988, but a post-1991 Chevrolet Caprice taxi is visible during a street scene.

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Quotes

1st Scientist: If you light a Premier with a match instead of with a lighter the sulphur reacts badly with the carbon in the tip.
F. Ross Johnson: Do we have to have the carbon?
1st Scientist: That's what makes it smokeless.
F. Ross Johnson: Well how we get it shitless?

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Point of No Return/CB4/Fire in the Sky/Barbarians at the Gate/Il Lardo Di Bambini (1993)

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Soundtracks

Shakin'
Written and Performed by Elmer Sheffield

User Reviews

I laughed so much I almost sold my Microsoft shares

When you look at the dross that Hollywood throws money at and then forces on us at the local multiplex, one wonders why a TV film like this with so much intelligence and wit finds such a limited audience. 'Greed is good' as Gordon Gekko said and so believe just about all the protaganists of this wonderful script. James Garner is such a likeable actor that he makes his behaviour seem almost normal and natural. I'm not a great fan of Jonathan Pryce but he is perfect as the bloodless lizard Henry Travis. Larry Gelbart sustains the humour from beginning to end and the scene in the laboratory must be one of the funniest ever, and in laughing out loud I almost bust a gut as if I had been drawing on one of their new 'healthier' cigarettes.

Creavity does live in Hollywood and this film is testimony to it, so Studio Bosses give it its head and drop the remakes, seqeuls and prequels.