Faith Review of Film Newton Cowan
Film Title :
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Also under “Independent Lens” Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Year:
Independent Lens originated in 1999 Original air date of the segment January 2005
Director (s):
Alex Gibney
Original release form/venue:
Released on TV as part of Independent Lens Season 8 Episode 22 Independent Lens is a series as part of the Public Broadcast System
Current Availability and formats :
DVD, Hulu and occasionally re-shown on PBS
Genre:
Non-Fiction Documentary
Story Elements :
The characters within this documentary play themselves. Archive footage was used and many former employees of Enron were interviewed and told their side of the story.
The storytelling point of view is multi faceted: The use of a narrator bridged the gaps between the vignettes. Then each vignette was about a different phase of Enron and included insights from former executives of Enron as well as a reporter’s angle from Bethany McLean a reporter from Fortune Magazine.
1 The Plot took care of itself it is the rise and fall of Enron and particularly Ken Lay, Jeff Skillings, Lou Pai and Andrew Fastow.
Since this is based on a real story the central themes that emerge are around money and power and how the two can control and ruin lives. As stated in the film was this about a few bad men or a dark shadow of the American Dream. Enron a story about human tragedy as 29,000 Enron employees lost their jobs and some 22,000 Oregon Power workers work significantly impacted.
Film Language elements :
This section of evaluation was not a major contributor in the film but, the use of archive footage of Congressional Hearings and of President Bush and many from Enron aided in telling the story and supporting the themes.
The main focus of this section is related to the music chosen to help tell the story of the rise and fall of Enron. Songs like, Son of a Preacher Man to tell about Ken Lay having been raised the son of a Baptist Preacher, or The Old Black Magic as the story unfolded about the cover up of Enron Energy. The song Love for Sale as money became the goal and what Lay, Fastow and Skillings all thought the money would love back.
Audience/Cultural Context elements:
There are two primary audiences: First the former Enron employees and all those involved or directly affected by the rise and fall of Enron. Secondly the audience is the “rest of the world” The message and portrayal of the actual empire of Enron is important to share. The attitude toward the audience is one of “pity” for all those employees of Enron who really did have no idea what was going on. But also to see the way the eyes lit up when some of the former executives were interviewed you could see they were still hooked on the idea of making money. So I think the story will be in some way a mirror for many who may have or did have an idea of what was going on but did nothing.
The fall of Enron represented the end for some 29,000 employees not to mention all the other stock holders and supporting companies like Author Anderson and many of the major Banks. The film is bookended by the story of Cliff Baxter a former executive who committed suicide.
Although Enron was a major worldwide company the reality the thrill of power and money runs deep even in small companies or organizations. Telling the story of Enron again in light of the financial crises of 2009 can show how History can repeat itself if we are not careful. The story connects with those who may be deep in struggle to hid the truth and connect with those who lost everything through only believing in their company and what they were doing unaware of the big picture.
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Theology is found:
There are a number of directions one go with the theology in this film the primary categories are the sins of power, greed and money. The notion that people can convince themselves that they are right so that the lines between perceptions and reality disappear. Skillings and Lay and Fastow and Pai all were convinced that the stock price would stay high and the money would keep rolling in, despite the poor numbers they were living a dream not living reality.
The theology of this film is intentional. The words used like calling Lay the apostle for de-regulation. Lay saying they were being hung out to dry yet he believed Enron to the Angels. Also including Reverend James Nutter and his perspective on all the people asking him why. One former executive said the only values Enron had were making money.
Theological themes for conversation :
Breaking down the sins of pride and greed. Ken Lay having been raised by a father who was a Baptist preacher the reality of a Christian home does not guarantee a Christian life. Who is our neighbor? When they shut down power plants in California to create demand and drive up the price is that how we treat our neighbors as ourselves? What about the failed project in India when they realized that the people of India would not be able to afford the power the plant would generate. Did Enron hang around and try to help develop India? No they bailed.
Suggested type of conversation:
Discussion around the Rich Young Ruler from Matthew 19 and/or in Mark Who is the Greatest. The subtitle of the film is the smartest guys in the room, so what was their reward?
The idea behind using this film is to do this as part of a series of films on Ethics. Although Enron was a major corporation local stories of power and greed and failure can be added. The most recent collapse of the banking industry and the high level of corporate greed can be added.
One possible direction is to take on different roles. For example if you were Jeff Skillings would you have come clean near the end? Or if you were Sharon
3 Watkins (the Whistle Blower) would you have blown the whistle? Or if you were Bethany McLean the reporter for Fortune Magazine would you have pushed the way she did even all the while Skillings and Lay were calling you unethical and comparing the fall of Enron to the tragedy of 9/11?
Recommended ways to view and engage the film:
This film is intended for no younger than college age. The language is a little strong at times and the themes are a little too heavy for high school students.
There is no question that this film does not have to be viewed in its entirety. There are plenty of clips to pull out. For example at the 1 hour and 25 minute mark the discussion f the Migam experiment that tested the levels of human pain and willingness to do what ever you are told no matter how much pain you caused.
Using clips at the end talking about how much Skillings and Lay and Pai walked away with while the former employees got virtually nothing? How does that compare to today? What lessons if any did we learn from Enron and why are they happening again.
Concluding or summary remarks:
The bookends of the film are the telling of the suicide of Cliff Baxter. The literal death of Baxter, the moral and monetary death for thousands along with the death of dreams and believes in a false set of principles.
Enron’s motto was to always as why. So why did this happen? Was this about a few bad men or about the dark shadow of the American dream?
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Music very interstering get the song names
• "What's He Building?" Written by Tom Waits Jalma Music Performed by Tom Waits Courtesy of Anti/Epitaph Records
• "God Bless the Child" Written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. (as Arthur Herzog) Edward B. Marks Music Company Performed by Billie Holiday Courtesy of Columbia Records By Arrangement with Sony BMG Music Licensing
• "Son of a Preacher Man" Written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins Sony/ATV Tree Publishing Performed by Dusty Springfield Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp. By Arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing Courtesy of Mercury Records Limited under license from Universal Music Enterprises
• "That Old Black Magic" Written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer Used by permission of Famous Music Corporation Performed by Judy Garland Courtesy of Geffen Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises
• "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" Written by David A. Stewart (as Dave Stewart) and Annie Lennox BMG Song, Inc. Performed by Marilyn Manson
5 Courtesy of Interscope Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises
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• "Straight to the Top (Vegas)" Written by Tom Waits and Gregory Cohen Jalma Music Performed by Tom Waits Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group under license from Universal Music Enterprises
• "Knee Play 1" Written by Philip Glass Dunvagen Music Publishers, Inc. Performed by Philip Glass Courtesy of Nonesuch Records By Arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing
• "Lovefool" Written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson Universal - Songs Of Polygram Int., Inc. Performed by The Cardigans Courtesy of Stockholm Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises
• "Magic" Written by Sting and Joyce Silveira P. De Jesus Used by permission of EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. Feminina Music USA Division Performed by The Black Eyed Peas Courtesy of A&M Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises
• "Love for Sale" Written by Cole Porter WB Music Corp. Performed by Julie London Courtesy of Liberty Records By Arrangement with EMI Film & TV Music Licensing
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• "California" Written by Alex Greenwald (as Alexander Greenwald), Jason Schwartzman , Sam Farrar , Darren Robinson and Jacques Brautbar Flying Saucer Fuel Music/Beaucoup Bucks/Johnny Rebel Music/I Like Music/Shaggstar Publishing Co. Performed by Phantom Planet Courtesy of Epic Records By Arrangement with Sony BMG Music Licensing
• "Dear Mr. Fantasy" Written by Jim Capaldi , Stevie Winwood and Chris Wood Universal - Songs Of Polygram Int., Inc./Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co. Performed by Traffic Courtesy of Universal-Island Records Ltd. under license from Universal Music Enterprises
• "Temptation" Written by Tom Waits Jalma Music Performed by Tom Waits Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group under license from Universal Music Enterprises
• "Capitalism" Written by Danny Elfman (as Daniel Elfman) Little Maestro Music Performed by Oingo Boingo Courtesy of A&M Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises
• "California Sun" Written by Henry Glover and Morris Levy Used by permission of EMI Virgin Songs, Inc. d/b/a EMI Longitude Music Performed by Los Straitjackets Courtesy of Calvalcade/Yep Rock Records
7 By Arrangement with Ocean Park Music Group
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• "Californication" Written by Flea , John Frusciante , Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith Moebetoblame Music Performed by Red Hot Chili Peppers Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records, Inc. By Arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing
• "God's Away on Business" Written by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan Jalma Music Performed by Tom Waits Courtesy of Anti/Epitaph Records
Airing weekly on PBS, the four-time Emmy Award -winning series Independent Lens is like an independent film festival in your living room. Each episode introd uces new documentaries and dramas made by independent thinkers: filmmakers who are taking creative risks, calling their own shots and finding untold stories in unexpected places.
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