Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Ron Burgundy is San Diego's top-rated newsman in the male-dominated broadcasting of the 1970s, but that's all about to change for Ron and his cronies when an ambitious woman is hired as a new anchor.

Director:

Adam McKay

Writers:

Will Ferrell, Adam McKay

Stars:

Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steve Carell

1 win & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Will Ferrell	...	Ron Burgundy
Christina Applegate	...	Veronica Corningstone
Paul Rudd	...	Brian Fantana
Steve Carell	...	Brick Tamland
David Koechner	...	Champ Kind
Fred Willard	...	Ed Harken
Chris Parnell	...	Garth Holliday
Kathryn Hahn	...	Helen
Fred Armisen	...	Tino
Seth Rogen	...	Eager Cameraman
Paul F. Tompkins	...	MC
Danny Trejo	...	Bartender
Scot Robinson	...	Waiter at Tino's
Ian Roberts	...	Stage Manager
Darcy Donavan	...	Hot Blonde

Storyline

In 1970s San Diego, journalism was a well respected profession and people actually cared about what they saw on TV. And the top rated anchor man in the city is Ron Burgundy. He enjoys his run at the top, and has for the last five years. And his news team is equally as good as he is. Professional jock and former professional baseball player Champ Kind handles the sports, the curiously dim witted Brick Tamland - who's a few channels short of a cable subscription - handles the weather, and ladies' man Brian Fantana - whose collection of fine scents would be in the Guinness Book Of Records - handles the on-field reporting. But now all that is about to change forever. The TV station Burgundy works for, Channel 4, has embraced diversity and has hired a beautiful new female anchor named Veronica Corningstone. While Ron Burgundy and the rest of the Channel 4 news team enjoys fighting with competitors, drinking, and flirting with the ladies, Veronica quietly climbs her way to the top. And ...

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Plot Keywords:

erection visible through clothing | tv station | male objectification | erect penis | colleague colleague relationship | 

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Taglines:

Ron Burgundy wishes you a happy 9th of July.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual humor, language and comic violence

Details

Official Sites:

DreamWorks

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Spanish

Release Date:

9 July 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Action Newsman

Filming Locations:

Dresden Room Restaurant - 1760 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$28,416,365, 11 July 2004, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$85,288,303

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$90,574,188

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks, Apatow Productions, Herzog-Cowen Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min 97 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Will Ferrell's character, Ron Burgundy, was inspired by veteran Detroit WDIV-TV broadcaster Mort Crim (1978-1997).

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Goofs

Brian Fantana goes to bang his right fist on Ed's desk but when it cuts to a long shot he slams his left fist onto the desk.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Bill Lawson: [narration] There was a time, a time before cable. When the local anchorman reigned supreme. When people believed everything they heard on TV. This was an age when only men were allowed to read the news. And in San Diego, one anchorman was more man then the rest. His name was Ron Burgundy. He was like a god walking amongst mere mortals. He had a voice that could make a wolverine purr and suits so fine they made Sinatra look like a hobo. In other words, Ron Burgundy was the balls.

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Crazy Credits

The end credits feature outtakes from the film, as well as one outtake from the film Smokey and the Bandit II (1980)

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Alternate Versions

Differences between the theatrical release and the director's cut:

• After Brian Fantana comments on being hung over from the previous night's party, Champ states "I woke up on the floor of some Japanesse family's living room, and they would NOT stop screaming!", to which Brick replies, "I ate a big red candle". In the director's cut, Champ says "I woke up this morning and I shit a squirrel. The hell of it is, the damn thing's still alive. So I've got this shit covered squirrel down there in the office, and I don't know what to name it." Brick replies, "I'm sorry, I think I ate your chocolate squirrel".
• The scene of Ron Burgundy walking around the office with an erection is extended by about fifteen seconds.
• Ron daydreams of being married to Veronica, and has two children. After coming home from work, she appears from the kitchen in negligee, tells him that she's just prepared dinner in the nude, and they somewhat violently make out in the hallway.
• The scene of Ron being carried away by the crowd after reading the phrase "Go fuck yourself, San Diego" on the air is extended, with Ron screaming, "I would never say fuck! I would never fucking ever fucking say that!"
• After the above, Ron goes to Tino's where he is forced to eat cat poop in regard to the above incident.

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Connections

Referenced in The Badly Animated Marvel Christmas Carol (2014)

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Soundtracks

Help Yourself
Written by Jack Fishman, Carlo Donida and Mogol
Performed by Tom Jones
Chrysalis Copyrights Limited
Courtesy of Chrysalis Copyrights Ltd. part of the Chrysalis Group PLC

User Reviews

It's Summertime: Lighten Up and Laugh Without Guilt: No Thinking Necessary

The most devoted cineastes and the average hoi polloi moviegoers both need to kick back and laugh, without probing or analysis, at a goofball, outrageously funny comedy with zero depth. And that's exactly what director Adam McKay (also co-writer with star Will Ferrell) provides in "Anchorman." A very warm summer day, like today, was perfect for the quick gags and physical comedy of this nutty flick. Maybe it's even more of a relief for us folks who are still arguing with each other about "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Control Room," documentaries that make us confront a difficult present and a tenuous future.

Will Ferrell is TV news anchor Ron Burgundy in 1970s San Diego. This is Pre-B.W. (Barbara Walters), a dark age when men reported the news almost exclusively. Burgundy, shallow and self-absorbed without redemption, chases skirts and is so genuinely stupid he reads ANYTHING on the teleprompter. His news crew consists of adulators and one misfit, Brick Tamland, played with unremitting mental blankness by Steve Carrell. Burgundy's dog is a delight, a pooch who can bark in a few languages.

The "Men's Club" is jolted by the station honcho's decision to add a woman to the newsroom, largely to appease the network satraps. He says it's necessary in the interests of "diversity," a word one staff member doesn't even understand. Enter pretty but tough Veronica Corningstone, Christina Applegate. Applegate makes what really is a tough comedic role work completely.

A misadventure by Burgundy results in Veronica's pinch-hitting chance to anchor the evening news. Veronica scores big time. She and Ron are already lovers and she expects him to be thrilled that his absence was her big break. No way and the rest of the film is Ron's Revenge and Veronica's Counterattack.

A subplot is the rivalry between Ron and his crew and the mobile news gatherers of competing stations. This ends in a donnybrook reminiscent of the silent film era having no rhyme or reason. The other stations' combatants are led by Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller and Tim Robbins. Robbins, one of the most intelligent and versatile personalities in film and stage today, should be watched closely. He almost loses his composure acting the zany script. Even Jack Black makes it into the flick as a dedicated junkie.

Don't miss the outtakes as the end credits role, especially Ferrell's last comment on what the movie really is.

Pure summer fun-laugh, be happy.

8/10