Rakesh's movie talk
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy













Home | Movie Reviews | Movie talk | Film Personalities | Misc Articles | Contact Me | Tamil Time





Directed by Adam McKay
Written by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay
Starring Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate and Paul Rudd
















By Shalini Nayar

anchorman.jpg

This playful take on 70's American broadcast journalism that was rife with sexual, gender and power politics in the newsroom and between rival networks never made it to our shores. It's one of the funniest movies of the year. This movie stars the impeccable ex-Saturday Night Live alumnus Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy who is San Diego's top news anchorman. He's the kind with the smooth baritone voice and a snappy goodbye line, which makes just about everybody in San Diego fall in love with him, from the parents to the kids to the pets. Burgundy is supported by 3 major players in the network, each assigned to different segments: sports, weather and field reports. These 4 men pretty much rule the place with their frat-boy sense of humour and dimwittedness.

 

Christina Applegate stars as Veronica Corningstone, a high-powered, talented, fiesty feminist who comes over to join the network and finds herself the unlawful victim of chauvinism. The men try hard to oust her, saying the newsroom is no place for the fairer sex, and so they persuade the boss to assign her with the filler reports like cat fashion shows. Burgundy soon becomes smitten, and Corningstone gives in to her desires and breaks rule number one: dating your co-worker.

 

As time passes by and realizing Corningstone's potential, she is given prominence in the newsroom and Burgundy doesn't like it one bit. Power struggle ensues, and they both try to get each other in the most inane ways. Corningstone's way works and Burgundy is fired, and his posse turn their backs on him. Settling into a depression, Burgundy spends more time in bars. The end brings Burgundy back as a last resort as Corningstone goes AWOL (actually more like falling into some huge grizzly bears' territory) in the San Diego zoo while making a report. After an interesting showdown with the bears, everyone is united, and Burgundy continues his reign as the top newscaster, now alongside his co-anchor Corningstone.

 

Ferrell's straight-faced imitation of the chauvinistic anchorman will keep you in stitches, as well as the antics of his posse. Applegate does a good job, and she doesn't even try too hard. A movie to pass a boring afternoon. Watch out for some very interesting cameos.