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Broadcast News
A high-strung news producer finds herself in a love triangle between a talented but self-doubting reporter and a charming news anchor who embodies the growing trivialization of news that she is determined to fight against.
1987 · Directed by James L. Brooks · 133 min · Comedy · Romance · Screenplay in the scene database · 19 frames
Tagline
It’s the story of their lives.
Plot
Jane Craig is a news producer who is passionate about reporting and abhors the trend towards soft news in broadcasts. Her best friend and collaborator, Aaron Altman, is a writer and reporter lacking in social skills. The two work in the Washington, D.C. bureau of a national TV network. The bureau hires Tom Grunick, a local news anchor who is handsome, likable, and telegenic but lacks news experience and isn't especially bright.
Aaron and Jane go to Nicaragua to report on the Contras and get caught up in a shooting battle between them and the Sandinista rebels, bringing home footage that wins the approval of their national anchor. At an office party, news arrives of a Libyan plane having bombed a U.S. military base in Italy. The network chief decides to air a special report, with Tom as anchor and Jane as executive producer. Aaron is devastated at Tom's selection. Watching from his home, he calls Jane with pertinent information, which she feeds to Tom through his earpiece. With the combination of Tom's on-camera poise and Jane's hard-news skills, the report is a great success. Their teamwork also intensifies their mutual attraction.
Wanting to complete a story without outside assistance, Tom creates a piece on date rape that includes an interview with a rape victim, where Tom is shown tearing up in reaction. In the face of potential layoffs, Aaron receives an opportunity to anchor the weekend news due to most of his colleagues going to the White House Correspondents' Dinner. He seeks advice from Tom, who encourages Aaron to be more salesman-like in his approach. Aaron takes Tom's advice but during the broadcast begins sweating uncontrollably, resulting in a disastrous broadcast. Meanwhile, Jane and Tom progress romantically at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. But before things get more involved, Jane leaves to console Aaron. The two have a heated argument, where Aaron tells Jane that Tom represents everything she hates about the direction of news media. He also tells Jane that he is in love with her.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Written by: James L. Brooks
- Cinematography: Michael Ballhaus
- Edited by: Richard Marks
- Music: Bill Conti
- Production design: Charles Rosen
- Produced by: James L. Brooks
Cast
- Holly Hunter as Jane Craig
- William Hurt as Tom Grunick
- Albert Brooks as Aaron Altman
- Robert Prosky as Ernie Merriman
- Lois Chiles as Jennifer Mack
- Joan Cusack as Blair Litton
- Peter Hackes as Paul Moore
- Christian Clemenson as Bobby
- Jack Nicholson as Bill Rorich
- Robert Katims as Martin Klein
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: English, French, Spanish, German
- Studios: Amercent Films, American Entertainment Partners L.P., Gracie Films, 20th Century Fox
- Budget: $20,000,000
- Box office: $67,330,500
- Themes: journalist, washington dc, usa, love triangle, workaholic, journalism, television producer, neurotic, tv news anchor
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