(20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection)
Broadcast News (1987)
It’s hard to believe that the diminutive Holly Hunter could contain as much drive, passion and drama as her producer character Jane Craig does in “Broadcast News.” Think what might happen if Mary Richards ate nails for breakfast and was as “tightly wound” as a Timex.
Re-watching reminded me how much I loved the classic moments, like Jane’s crazy crying jags and, of course, Aaron’s (Albert Brooks) flop sweat. When the network president tells Jane, “It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you’re the smartest person in the room,” she replies, “No, it’s awful.” It’s an unvarnished look at the vanity, insanity and profanity that permeates the news business, as well as the heart-pounding, adrenaline-producing high that comes with getting the story right and making the deadline in the nick of time (video tape and all!).
Writer-director James L. Brooks flipped the script on gender roles: If this were Pygmalion, Jane would be Henry Higgins and the news anchor Tom (William Hurt) would be Eliza Doolittle, and instead of competing women, the “cat fight” is between two men. And while Jane is an overbearing, obnoxious perfectionist, she is also a kind, loyal and appreciative colleague. Imagine, a multidimensional woman and not an archetype!
But my favorite character by far is the earnest, erudite Aaron (with apologies for the alliteration, which he abhorred), who can interview Gaddafi, highlight the idiosyncrasies of flying an F-14 and sing a mean French pop song. Wherever he and Jane are, 30 years later, I hope they’re still friends and still giving them hell.
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