The Paper (1994)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers (WGA):

David Koepp (written by) &
Stephen Koepp (written by)

Release Date:

18 March 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story

Plot:

Henry Hackett is the editor of a New York City tabloid. He is a workaholic who loves his job, but the long hours and low pay are leading to discontent...

Plot Keywords:

New York | Editor | Publisher | Workaholic | Pregnant

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Michael Keaton	...	Henry Hackett
Robert Duvall	...	Bernie White
Glenn Close	...	Alicia Clark
Marisa Tomei	...	Martha Hackett
Randy Quaid	...	Michael McDougal
Jason Robards	...	Graham Keighley
Jason Alexander	...	Marion Sandusky
Spalding Gray	...	Paul Bladden
Catherine O'Hara	...	Susan
Lynne Thigpen	...	Janet
Jack Kehoe	...	Phil
Roma Maffia	...	Carmen
Clint Howard	...	Ray Blaisch
Geoffrey Owens	...	Lou
Amelia Campbell	...	Robin

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:18+ (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Peru:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-10 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The radio broadcast heard during the opening credits of the film was originally intended to be a segment from Don Imus' "Imus in the Morning" program that was recorded live during an on-air interview with director Ron Howard. A portion of the segment appears as Michael Keaton walks through the newsroom.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Henry tries to "Stop the presses", they have to find "Chuck" to unlock the stop button... this is totally wrong; on presses like this, there are stop buttons everywhere, and ANYONE can stop the press (although they'd better have a good reason for doing so)... what if someone were caught in the press, they're going to take 10 minutes to find the guy with the key to unlock the stop button? No way...

Quotes:

Henry: Are you telling me these banker schmucks lost $5 million of the Mob's money?
Martha: Dumb fellas, huh? Unwise guys.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

YOU'VE BEEN A LONG TIME COMING

The Paper Delivers!

A funny, fast-paced and fascinating film, THE PAPER delivers. Michael Keaton is remarkable as Henry Hackett, a newspaper editor torn between the two loves of his life: his exhausting job and his long-suffering (and pregnant) wife. This juggling act plays itself out during one particularly frenzied day in which Hackett must weigh a better job offer while trying to outscoop his deep-pocketed competitors on a murder story.

It's a cliché to say so, but there's never a dull moment in THE PAPER. The multi-faceted storyline sucks the viewer in and doesn't let go until after the exciting, root-on-the-good-guys finale. An interesting film could have been made about any one of the angles explored here, be it the incredibly hectic behind-the-scenes workings of a major daily, the personal toll such an operation takes on its employees, or the media's tendency to oversimplify. To combine these into one film results in an infinitely mesmerizing piece of work. And let's not forget Ron Howard's direction, which is smooth and virtually flawless. The writing is equally brilliant. Whatever reaction the film tries to inflict -- laughter, excitement, surprise -- it inevitably succeeds.

The performances in THE PAPER deserve special mention. Everyone is so well cast that it's impossible to picture anyone else in these roles. Keaton has never been better in a starring role that is tailor-made to his comedic and dramatic abilities. Robert Duvall is on top of his game as the publisher whose job has cost him so much in other areas of his life. Marisa Tomei, as Mrs. Hackett, proves MY COUSIN VINNY was no fluke. (The scene where she glares at her husband in disbelief as he tells her he has to miss an important dinner with her parents is absolutely priceless). Randy Quaid is as quirky as can be as the paper's resident columnist. And although his appearances are brief, the late Spalding Gray is unforgettable as the head of a rival paper. This group of actors may very well comprise one of the most talented ensembles of the 1990s.

It's a shame THE PAPER has never received the attention it deserved. Had it been released 50 years ago, in a less cluttered era, it would most certainly be widely hailed as a classic today.