The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron
Encyclopedia
The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron
is a television movie aired by CBS in January 2003, which was based on the book Anatomy of Greed
by Brian Cruver. The film, which stars Brian Dennehy
, Christian Kane
and Mike Farrell
, and was directed by Penelope Spheeris
, was a ratings hit for the network.
, The Crooked E television movie chronicles the rise and fall of the Houston-based Enron
Corporation. The film offers the perspective of Cruver, played by Christian Kane
, depicted as a brilliant but naïve young energy trader who was seduced by the company's "get rich quick" mantra. The extravagant company culture is shown through scenes of extreme office parties, over-the-top expense accounts, and sexy female employees. When the company inevitably crashes in the fall of 2001, the film shows how shareholders and employees suffered the most. Real-life executives are portrayed in the film, including Enron Chairman Ken Lay played by Mike Farrell
, CEO Jeff Skilling played by Jon Ted Wynne, and whistleblower Sherron Watkins
played by Jan Skene, while other characters are re-named (presumably to protect the innocent) such as senior executive Mr. Blue played by Brian Dennehy
.
Enron
Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...
is a television movie aired by CBS in January 2003, which was based on the book Anatomy of Greed
Anatomy of Greed
Anatomy of Greed is a book by Brian Cruver detailing the Enron scandal from the author's perspective as an employee who worked for the energy giant. In 2002 the book became the first major non-fiction work written about Enron, released by Avalon Publishing in the United States and by Random House...
by Brian Cruver. The film, which stars Brian Dennehy
Brian Dennehy
Brian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
, Christian Kane
Christian Kane
Christian Kane is an American actor and singer/songwriter of Native American descent. He currently stars as Eliot Spencer on the TNT series Leverage. He is best known for his roles in the television shows Angel and Into the West, and the movies Just Married and Secondhand Lions.He is the lead...
and Mike Farrell
Mike Farrell
Michael Joseph "Mike" Farrell is an American actor, best known for his role as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the television series M*A*S*H . He is an activist for politically liberal causes....
, and was directed by Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris is an American director, producer and screenwriter. She is best known as a documentary film director whose works include the trilogy titled The Decline of Western Civilization...
, was a ratings hit for the network.
Synopsis
Based on the first-person book by Brian Cruver, Anatomy of GreedAnatomy of Greed
Anatomy of Greed is a book by Brian Cruver detailing the Enron scandal from the author's perspective as an employee who worked for the energy giant. In 2002 the book became the first major non-fiction work written about Enron, released by Avalon Publishing in the United States and by Random House...
, The Crooked E television movie chronicles the rise and fall of the Houston-based Enron
Enron
Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...
Corporation. The film offers the perspective of Cruver, played by Christian Kane
Christian Kane
Christian Kane is an American actor and singer/songwriter of Native American descent. He currently stars as Eliot Spencer on the TNT series Leverage. He is best known for his roles in the television shows Angel and Into the West, and the movies Just Married and Secondhand Lions.He is the lead...
, depicted as a brilliant but naïve young energy trader who was seduced by the company's "get rich quick" mantra. The extravagant company culture is shown through scenes of extreme office parties, over-the-top expense accounts, and sexy female employees. When the company inevitably crashes in the fall of 2001, the film shows how shareholders and employees suffered the most. Real-life executives are portrayed in the film, including Enron Chairman Ken Lay played by Mike Farrell
Mike Farrell
Michael Joseph "Mike" Farrell is an American actor, best known for his role as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the television series M*A*S*H . He is an activist for politically liberal causes....
, CEO Jeff Skilling played by Jon Ted Wynne, and whistleblower Sherron Watkins
Sherron Watkins
Sherron Watkins was Vice President of Corporate Development at the Enron Corporation. She is considered by many to be the whistleblower who helped to uncover the Enron scandal in 2001....
played by Jan Skene, while other characters are re-named (presumably to protect the innocent) such as senior executive Mr. Blue played by Brian Dennehy
Brian Dennehy
Brian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
.
Criticism
The author of the book and ex-Enron employee says that the strippers hired as secretaries have more exposure in the film than they did in his book and that the employee rallies were more dramatic in real life than in the film, but for the most part, the TV movie gets it right.Related Books and Films
- Anatomy of GreedAnatomy of GreedAnatomy of Greed is a book by Brian Cruver detailing the Enron scandal from the author's perspective as an employee who worked for the energy giant. In 2002 the book became the first major non-fiction work written about Enron, released by Avalon Publishing in the United States and by Random House...
– Brian Cruver's book on which The Crooked E is based. - Enron: The Smartest Guys in the RoomEnron: The Smartest Guys in the RoomEnron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a 2005 documentary film based on the best-selling 2003 book of the same name by Fortune reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, a study of one of the largest business scandals in American history...
- Documentary film depicting the rise and fall of Enron.