HBO's "Barbarians At The Gate"
The billboard on Sunset Strip 1993
BARBARIANS AT THE GATE - HBO
In 1992, Gary Boggess did half of the "sound effects design" for "Barbarians
at the Gate"
with Paul Menicini in 1992. They worked in 12 hours shifts, alternating reels
throughout the editorial
process... a standard practice at Alan Howarth's Electric Melody Studios.
One of Boggess' more memorable scenes for sound design was near the opening
corporate
party scene where Boggess created the crowd and laughing sounds, along with
background people
sounds (called Walla). Boggess overlapped various people-reactions to match
Garner's jokes.
Sounds such as tinkling mixed drink glasses, cigarette lighter, and coughing
were also components.
This scene grew until Garner had a video cassette played of a heavy weight
fight
complete with Boggess' editing in of the punching effects, fight crowd and
general ambience.
Other similarly complex scenes also emerged throughout the sound editing
process.
The film was produced by HBO and won the 1993 Golden Globe Award for
best made for television picture.
****** ******
A FILM REVIEW:
United States, 1993
U.S. First Air Date: 3/20/93
Running Length: 1:49
MPAA Classification: NR (Language, brief nudity)
Cast: James Garner, Jonathan Pryce, Peter Riegert, Joanna Cassidy,
Fred Dalton Thompson, Leilani Ferrer
Director: Glenn Jordan
Producer: Ray Stark
Screenplay: Larry Gelbart based on the book by Bryan Burrough and John
Helyar
Music: Richard Gibbs
U.S. Distributor: HBO Pictures (in association with Columbia Pictures)
Barbarians at the Gate, a made-for-HBO movie, recounts the events surrounding the biggest leveraged buyout in history, that of RJR Nabisco in 1988. Based on the bestseller of the same name, this film presents in some detail the process by which RJR Nabisco's CEO F. Ross Johnson (James Garner) attempts to buy out his own company. Of greater interest, however, is the power struggle that develops between Johnson and Wall Street investment banker Henry Kravis (Jonathan Pryce), who intends to force Johnson out and take over RJR Nabisco on his own.
In general, the quality of most made-for-TV movies is abysmal. Low production values, shoddy direction, and poor acting abound. There are exceptions, of course, but not many. For that reason, in a year when there have been three too many Amy Fisher movies on the small screen, it's refreshing to come upon something with the intelligence, wit, and general high quality of Barbarians at the Gate.
This story of high stakes, betrayal, and one-upsmanship is told with undeniable flair, using a lighthearted, occasionally playful, tone. The film offers a different point-of-view on leveraged buyouts and other such mega-buck dealings. Most of us are used to looking in from the outside on these high-profile financial struggles; Barbarians at the Gate presents an insider's perspective -- and not just any insider, but that of the man at the top.
It's a credit to the production team that they're able to do so much with this movie. There's a lot of dry humor, a fair amount of tension, and numerous subtle-yet-pointed jabs at a "game" that rewards the losers with $23 million (after taxes). Pacing is excellent, especially during the last half-hour as the story builds to its climax. The furious rushing around of the characters is effectively translated to the audience. Whether you know the outcome or not, Barbarians at the Gate is captivating.
One would think that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to present a story with someone like F. Ross Johnson as the protagonist. After all, this is a very rich man involved in the kind of financial slight-of-hand that most Americans despise. However, screenwriter Larry Gelbart (taking cues from the Burrough/Helyar book) has managed to make Johnson a sympathetic and often-likable figure. Admittedly, the movie takes liberties. Some of Johnson's less-admirable traits have been downplayed, and he's presented as caring more about the work and the people who do it than the money he stands to make.
If this isn't the best performance of James Garner's career, it certainly tops his recent credits. It's difficult to gauge how much of the audience's rapport with Johnson comes as a result of the actor playing the role, but the job done by Garner is no small factor. His portrayal perfectly mixes greed, humanity, good-naturedness, and incompetence. As Henry Kravis, Jonathan Pryce is equally as good, albeit with less screen time. Pryce makes the most of his opportunities and, although the Kravis is presented as a two-dimensional villain, Pryce's steely-eyed, tight-lipped performance gives the audience a good sense that this man should be feared.
These strong performances, coupled with a lively, clever script, are enough to draw the audience into the world of F. Ross Johnson. His morals, like those of anyone in a situation where a million dollars is small change, are twisted, and the film delights in showing this in several wickedly-funny scenes. Nevertheless, the presentation of how he manages -- and sometimes mismanages -- the buyout is fascinating. Even more engaging is the battle between Johnson and Kravis, which has all the drama of a high-stakes chess match. So, as much as the average person despises financial fakery that results in thousands of lost jobs, Barbarians at the Gate, by looking at the situation from a different perspective, turns this matter into thought-provoking entertainment. - © 1993 James Berardinelli