The 10 Best Journalism Movies Ever Made

They skipped "State of Play" , so that list is bogus

not familiar with that one, so i couldn't say, i was surprised to find i'd seen over half the films, might look up the list of the 43 the film festival is showing

Newsfront:

Wikipaedia:

Newsfront is a 1978 Australian drama film starring Bill Hunter, Wendy Hughes, and Bryan Brown, directed by Phillip Noyce. The screenplay is written by David Elfick, Bob Ellis, Philippe Mora, and Phillip Noyce. The original music score is composed by William Motzing. This film was shot on location in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

The plot of the movie is about photographers and cameramen who will do anything to get footage. Set between the years 1949 and 1956, the film tracks the destinies of two brothers, their adventures and misadventures placed in the context of sweeping social and political changes in their native Australia. Frank Maguire is constitutionally resistant to change, while his younger brother Len Maguire welcomes any alterations in his own life and in the world around him

Endorsing the choices of Missing, The Year Of Living Dangerously. Terrific, suspenseful films both of them.

I would have included Salavador, too. Excellent film.

Can I add one more?: Balibo, a fairly recent Australian film, about Australian journalists killed during the Indonesian invasion of East Timor. The circumstances of the deaths were covered-up by both the Australian & Indonesian governments for years, & the film actually forced the Oz government to reopen the inquiry into the deaths. (No one believed the "official" version.) It was banned in Indonesia. Anyway, a really good film. Video included in the review link below:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/film/film-reviews/balibo/2009/07/24/1247942051235.html

Haven't seen Balibo yet. Worth it, eh?

i'm thinking i may have seen that years ago (30) at a local art house theatre

Missing has long been a favourite film of mine

Absolutely, Deb.
Wonderful film. Anthony La Paglia (sp?) is terrific in the main role.

Me, too, djjd. I've lost track of the number of times I've seen it. Wrenches my gut, every single time! Brilliant performance from Jack Lemon, too.

Almost Famous made the list. I adore the film.

T
K
O

I didn't see any mention of 'Network' (1976)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958

Well, the author is clearly confused here. She starts out by referring to a film series about newspaper films, and then says: "here are my picks." But her picks aren't restricted to newspaper films. There's a magazine film (Almost Famous), a television journalist film (The Year of Living Dangerously), and a film that really has nothing whatsoever to do with journalism of any kind (Capote). So I don't know what the parameters are for this author's list.

If we're just talking about newspaper movies, then I can't see how anyone can come up with a list that doesn't include His Girl Friday, with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. I would also add Ace in the Hole, Billy Wilder's darkly cynical take on a newspaperman creating a media circus around the fate of a trapped miner. Also, let's not forget that Citizen Kane is really a newspaper movie. And there's got to be something better than The Paper. How about Newsies (singing and dancing newspaper delivery boys)?

the film festival she references is all newspaper films

but her blog as titled is about journalism films, but you're right the wording is not the best

I looked at some of the blog post and some of the comments. This exchange is at the top of the list:


I can just picture Caitlin Kelly now, pondering her choices: "well, Citizen Kane certainly qualifies, and it's a great film, I'll admit. Still, I'd have to move something off of my list to fit it in. Let's see -- Citizen Kane or The Paper? Hmmm. Citizen Kane is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. But The Paper has Michael Keaton and it's all about a newspaper like the one I worked at, plus it's in color. And I've actually seen The Paper. Man, this is really tough...."

I'm not saying that Citizen Kane is, without question, the greatest film ever, but if Caitlin Kelly is having trouble fitting it into a list that contains The Paper and Deadline USA, then I seriously have to question her qualifications to come up with a list of great journalism movies -- or any list, for that matter. I don't think I'd trust her with a grocery list.

Not just His Girl Friday but aren't there other versions of The Front Page? Geez Louise, Michael Keaton?

There was a 1931 version of The Front Page with Pat O'Brien and Adolphe Menjou, and a 1974 version with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. I've always thought His Girl Friday was better because of the added sexual tension between Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, not to mention the fact that Grant and Russell were at the top of their form and had a stellar supporting cast, including Ralph Bellamy as the "guy who looks like Ralph Bellamy."

I endorse the opinion of Joefromchicago. There are films on the list that have nothing to do with journalism, and some incredible misses. I must add that, as a journalist who loves and respects his profession, distorted descriptions of the profession are really a turn-off for me. For me it's like for a soldier being turned off by an unrealistic war story.

On the list,I have not seen Deadline USA. Capote has nothing to do with journalism. I wouldn't put Almost Famous, The Killing Fields, Missing or The Year of Living Dangerously among my list even though they are very good films... one thing is to have journalist characters, another is to have a film about journalism. On that logic, Spiderman and Superman .-or better, La Dolce Vita- would be journalism movies.
The China Syndrome goes over the edge. All The President's Men glorifies reporters to a point of being annoying. And Absense of Malice is a joke of a journalism film.
So it's a terrible list, IMO.


So, my list would be limited to 5 and start with:
Citizen Kane (1941)
followed by
Professione: Reporter (1975)
The Front Page (1974)
Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (1973)
Frost/Nixon (2008)

End of list.

Anyone mention this?

Psst...yes, the author of the thread did in the first post.