Broadcast News

ComedyRomance
Overview : Basket-case network news producer Jane Craig falls for new reporter Tom Grunnick, a pretty boy who represents the trend towards entertainment news she despises. Aaron Altman, a talented but plain correspondent, carries an unrequited torch for Jane. Sparks fly between the three as the network prepares for big changes, and both the news and Jane must decide between style and substance.
Budget : 20000000USD
language : en
Runtime : 133 min
Release Date : 1987-12-16
Imdb ID : tt0092699
Status : Released

Cast

Holly Hunter
Jane Craig

William Hurt
Tom Grunick

Albert Brooks
Aaron Altman

Robert Prosky
Ernie Merriman

Lois Chiles
Jennifer Mack

Joan Cusack
Blair Litton

Peter Hackes
Paul Moore

Christian Clemenson
Bobby

Jack Nicholson
Bill Rorich

Robert Katims
Martin Klein

Ed Wheeler
George Wein

Stephen Mendillo
Gerald Grunick

Kimber Shoop
Young Tom

Dwayne Markee
Young Aaron

Gennie James
Young Jane

Leo Burmester
Jane's Dad

Amy Brooks
Elli Merriman

Jane Welch
Anne Merriman

Jonathan Benya
Clifford Altman

Frank Doubleday
Mercenary

Sally Knight
Lila

Manuel Alvarez
Spanish Cameraman

Luis Valderrama
Guerilla Leader

Francisco Garcia
Guerilla Soldier

Richard Thomsen
General McGuire

Nat Benchley
Commander

Marita Geraghty
Date-Rape Woman

Nicholas D. Blanchet
Weekend News Producer

Maura Moynihan
Makeup Woman

Chuck Lippman
Floor Manager

Nannette Rickert
Paul's Secretary

Timothy W. White
Edward Towne

Peggy Pridemore
Tom's Soundwoman

Emily Crowley
Emily

Gerard Ender
Newsroom Worker

David Long
Donny

Joshua Billings
Chyron Operator

Glenn Faigen
Technical Director

Robert Grevemberg Jr.
Technical Director

Richard Pehle
Control Room Director

James V. Franco
Weekend News Director

Jimmy Mel Green
Assistant Director

Raoul N. Rizik
Assistant Director

Mike Skehan
Technician

Franklyn L. Bullard
Audio Visual Engineer

Glen Roven
News Theme Writer

Marc Shaiman
News Theme Writer

Alex Mathews
Lecture Host

Steve Smith
Aaron's Cameraman

Martha Smith
Aaron's Soundwoman

Cynthia B. Hayes
Mother in Hall

Dean Nitz
Young Tough

Phil Ugel
Young Tough

Lance Wain
Young Tough

Susan Marie Feldman
Ellen

Jean Bourne Carinci
Tom's Female Colleague

M. Fekade-Salassie
Cab Driver

Gerald F. Gough
Uniformed Cop

Robert Rasch
Defense Dept. Spokesman

Robert V. Walsh
NATO Spokesman

John Cusack
Angry Messenger

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Reviews

Geronimo1967
Centred around the cut-throat environment of an American newsroom at a time when the focus of the bosses was switching from strong journalistic values to those more ratings-based, we are provided with this premiss. William Hurt ("Grunick") is certainly the more handsome man for the anchorman's chair, but he has nothing like the knowledge or gravitas of colleague and rival "Altman" (Albert Brooks) with his superior, borderline condescending on-screen style. Executive producer "Jane" (Holly Hunter) is charged with trying to keep things on an even keel, whilst unsure which, if either, of the two men she wants to date. At times there atmosphere here is electric, with quickly paced activity, acerbic wit and a wonderfully portrayed dog-eat-dog mentality that lends a great deal of authenticity to this most competitive of workplaces. Ocassionally, it is cluttered up by a romance that is simply not required - the triumvirate just didn't need it, but in the main Hunter is on super form. She effortlessly plays a multitude or roles as she tries to juggle her personal and professional feelings for these two men who offer us characterisations that we can laugh at and loathe in almost equal measure. I worked in live television for a great many years, and always admired the skills of those who can talk, listen, look and react all at the same time - the scene with poor old "Altman" losing half his bodyweight whilst on air still makes me squirm even now. It has lost some of its potency over the last 35 years, but recalling that this was amongst the first to illustrate just how tough these jobs are, it's still a great watch.
kevin2019
"Broadcast News" is desperately overlong and it stubbornly insists upon indulging in irrelevant mini-prologues of the three main characters at the beginning which has absolutely no bearing on them as adults, but other than this the film does successfully provide a fascinating insight into the pressurised and competitive world of television journalism and it must be applauded for highlighting the unfortunate trend of elevating news anchors to celebrity status and they are out to sell news to the public as if it were nothing more than another product. This is an alarming turn of events when the image of the news anchor supersedes the importance of global events simply because they are capable of bringing in substantial viewing audiences for a particular channel and furthering their own careers by doing so and established journalistic ethics be damned instead of their top priority always being the persistent pursuit of the truth.