Winchell (1998)

This is a good biopic of Walter Winchell, a popular and controversial figure in American journalistic history. The movie shows how Winchell, a vaudeville entertainer, managed to pass himself off as a journalist and became, for a time, the most famous and influential gossip monger in the United States. That he jumbled up the English language and, according to the movie, had an abrasive personality did not seem to impede his career. Also, that ethical standards seemed to mean nothing to him, and that he was willing to use information to hurt people did not seem to bother him until he became a news story. What Winchell lacked in charm he made up for in sheer brazenness. He was engaging and could be your friend, but only if he could use you, and he was prone to smearing people he did not like. The movie shows how Winchell's career took a hit after the Josephine Baker incident. Yet, the movie also shows how Winchell used the microphone to attack Adolf Hitler and to warn the American people about Nazism. For that Winchell deserved credit. This movie provides an excellent dramatization of the rise and fall of media giant and of the need for the media to report the news in a responsible matter. Stanley Tucci is excellent as Walter Winchell.

This is a great movie. Cinematography and scripting are excellent. The fact that it wasn't a summer blockbuster in the vein of "Independence Day" and "Mission: Impossible" speaks well for it. Stanley Tucci's performance is riveting. He portrays the complexity of character of a highly controversial figure, hated by some and loved by others, and both for good reason. He was a crony of J. Edgar Hoover, but also had a social conscience. One minute we see Winchell shamelessly using blackmail in order to be the first to scoop a story; the next we see him being beaten to within an inch of his life by Hitler sympathizer thugs because he refused to be silent on the threat of the rise of Naziism.

"Winchell", a Tucci tour-de-force and docudrama, tells a somewhat biased story of Walter Winchell, renown gossip columnist of the 30's and 40's who rose to considerable influence and fame in the early days of radio as the most listened to reporter in America only to die in obscurity in 1972. An okay biography, this journeyman HBO flick does a good job of hitting the high points of Winchell's life but will have little value to those with no particular interest in the period or the man as he simply wasn't, by cinematic standards, that interesting.

Stanley Tucci leads a super ensemble cast, in this HBO movie biography of Walter Winchell. His knack for sensationalism, gossip mongering and trademark rapid fire bark zoomed him to a pinnacle of media influence. His heavy handed approach brought the news to many, and the ire of many, as well. His tirade over the differences over FDR, as opposed to Harry Truman, really nailed home the notion of Winchell's megalomania. His ghost writers (who did an inordinate amount of the work he claimed) argued the resulting event was the same. Winchell rattled on about the difference in "finesse." Mr. Tucci makes his subject a sympathetic, zealous and outrageous character. An excellent perormance. The supporting cast is above par, with Glenne Heady, Christopher Plummer and Kevin Tighe as W.R. Hearst (who could use a biopic of his own...oh, that's right...a movie HAS been made about him! *wink, wink*). The stand out is truly Paul Giamatti, as the talented and much-abused Herman Klurfeld, whose book was the basis for this movie. The only detractions is that some other characters are not well developed, and seem to suffice as only background setting. The business relationship between Winchell and FBI Chief Hoover would've been interesting to delve into. Also, Winchell's family life and the tragedy of his son, would've been interesting to explore. Of course, with that said, this movie is still very interesting, and well worth your time.