The Big One (1997)

On his book tour, Michael Moore exposes more wrongdoing by greedy big businesses and callous politicians around America.

Director:

Michael Moore

Writer:

Michael Moore

Stars:

Michael Moore, Elaine Bly, Dan Burns

6 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Michael Moore	...	Self
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elaine Bly	...	Self - Random House Media Escort
Dan Burns	...	Self - Radio Personality
Chip Carter	...	Self - Forbes Campaign
Bill Clinton	...	Self - Presidential Candidate (archive footage)
Jim Czarnecki	...	Self (as Jim)
Brian Danitz	...	Self (as Brian)
Robert Dornan	...	Self - Congressman (archive footage)
Joel Feick	...	Self - Radio Commentator
Steve Forbes	...	Self - Presidential Candidate (archive footage)
Doug France	...	Self - Random House Representative
Mary Gielow	...	Self - Media Escort in Milwaukee
Bev Jacowski	...	Self - Johnson Controls representative
Richard Jewell	...	Self - Innocent Guy
Kevin Keane	...	Self - Governor Thompson's Press Secretary

Storyline

Our intrepid defender of the working man, Michael Moore, documents his 1996 "Downsize This!" book tour across the USA. Shot on-the-cheap with a video camera, we once again watch our hero interview the working man at yet another plant closing, while also trying to get past corporate security guards to interview the millionaire CEOs.

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Plot Keywords:

three word title | social activism | unemployment | stock exchange | radio broadcasting | 

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Taglines:

Protecting the earth from the scum of corporate America.

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Genres:

Documentary | Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Dog Eat Dog Films Michael Moore Official Website

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 April 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cortando Custos

Filming Locations:

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$146,909, 12 April 1998

Gross USA:

$720,074

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$720,074

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mayfair Entertainment International, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Dog Eat Dog Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The documentary was made in 1996 but released two years later in 1998 (although it was shown at the Berlin & Toronto film festivals in 1997).

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Quotes

Audience Member: You should run for President! It would send a message!
Michael Moore: What message? Eat out more often?

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Crazy Credits

Credits are interrupted with scenes concluding previous parts of the film, including a final appeal to the CEO of Nike to open a factory in the U.S. or pay Indonesians a living wage.

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Connections

References Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

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Soundtracks

I've Been Everywhere
(1962)
Performed by Johnny Cash
Written by Geoff Mack
Courtesy of American Recordings
By kind permission of Warner Chappell/Johnny Devlin Music

User Reviews

Not ONLY a time capsule

As one user before said, he feels the film to be more of a time capsule today, since the impacts and importance of downsizing has been overwritten by other issues like terrorism, homeland security, 9/11 etc.

Well, I live in Europe and I can just say that here in Europe the film just comes out on DVD (I saw it only yesterday, July 15th, 2004 on TV) at the right time for Europe (if not a little too late). Economical matters are getting worse here in Europe day by day, and the patterns CEO's use to make their companies "profitable" (which should just always correctly read: "MORE profitable) are just the same as CEO's use in the USA. In fact, the only idea that comes to their minds is: downsizing, laying off people and transferring labour into countries with extremely cheap labour-cost. That's all.

Surprisingly there is just very little resistance to these tendencies, even though Europe is (in most countries) far better organised as far as Labour Unions are concerned. People are told by politicians that reforms are necessary, and people just sit back and accept it and continue to suffer.

In this context, "The Big One" by Michael Moore just comes at the right time here in Europe, even though I think that not many of the concerned people will actually see it.

But it's worth watching it, even though sometimes I questioned myself how I could laugh over such sad facts. But this is the virtue of Michael Moore and this film: it doen't leave you desperate, it gives you a laugh at the time and maybe, if we're all lucky, it will lead to a better organisation of the people concerned and to more resistance against the 1 percent of the rich keeping the rest in poverty.