Conspiracy of Fools (2008)

Director:

Robert Schwentke

Writers:

Kurt Eichenwald (book)
Sheldon Turner (screenplay)

Release Date:

2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A newly hired employee at the Texas-based energy company, Enron, stumbles upon a huge corruption scandal. Based on the book "Conspiracy of Fools" by Kurt Eichenwald. |

Plot Keywords:

Corruption | Enron | Downfall | Based On Book

Status:

Announced

Comments:

Status Updated:

26 February 2008

Note:

Because this project is categorized as being in production, the data is subject to change; some data could be removed completely.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Company:

Appian Way

"Conspiracy of Fools" should not be made

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I know that this project is actually a drama and not a documentary and therefore should not have to be a slave to the constraints of "fact". The brief plot summary tells us of a wide eyed new- comer (none less than Leonardo DiCaprio!) coming into the Enron den of iniquity and making discoveries of a far reaching scandal with Skilling and Lay at the helm. The fact that none of this is true should, I suppose, not be a factor in a work of fiction.

But the public doesn't know that. For many viewers, movies are real life. I have read the book that you say the movie will be based on. To be fair, it deals relatively even-handedly with a topic that has already been beaten to a bloody pulp almost exclusively by authors bent on making a buck through sensationalism and public predisposition. But your brief plot summary already promises considerable extrapolation from the book's story that is already considerably extrapolated from documented facts or interviews.

To be sure, there were indeed some shady dealings afoot at Enron. But unless you are willing to produce a story starring the movements of Andy Fastow and a few other more minor characters, you are seriously barking up the wrong tree.

If anyone is paying attention there in movie-land, the Enron pendulum has been swinging back toward reality for quite some time now. Many previous convictions have been dropped, reduced, reversed or found to be based on very shaky grounds. Ken Lay is dead, but Jeff Skilling's appeal is in the works and is VERY strong. If you are interested, a complete copy is available on-line. There is quite a good chance that the biggest "House of Cards" is the government's case against these people.

Literally hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent by the government's Enron Task Force in an attempt to unveil a non-existent "conspiracy" beyond that of the already confessed embezzlers, Fastow and Co. (enough money, BTW, to have gone a long way toward the relief of the "victims"). They basically found squat. Good men are in prison, families and lives have been irrevocably destroyed, and all to satisfy a government (and public) blood lust. There is more evidence of Task Force manipulation and misconduct than there was real evidence of criminal conduct against Skilling and Lay.

If you want to produce a true blockbuster and not one that is steeped in lies, tired misconceptions and witch-hunt mentalities, you should consider telling the other side of the story. It is fascinating. As they say, "truth is stranger", and there is no need to make anything up. That side is very ably represented at length by Houston lawyer Tom Kirkendall in his blog "Houston's Clear Thinkers" (search Skilling or Enron).

BTW, Jeff Skilling happens to be a dear friend of mine; I have known him since high school. I am a good person and so is he. This debacle is literally killing him. Please consider this.