THE WIZARD OF LIES

US, 2017, 134 minutes, Colour.
Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alessandro Nivola, Hank Azaria, Kristen Connolly, Lily Rabe, Nathan Darrow, Michael Kostroff.
Directed by Barry Levinson.

One of the interesting aspects of HBO movies is that they focus on American politics, like the dispute with the election of George Bush over Al Gore, like the campaign of Sarah Palin. They also focus on financial situations at the Global Financial Crisis, the collapse of the banks and, in this film, the Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Bernie Madoff.

The film is directed by Barry Levinson, screenwriter who moved into film direction in the 1980s and won an Oscar for Rain Man. More recently he has made television films including the Al Pacino portrait of euthanasia advocate, Jack Kervorkian, You Don’t Know Jack.

Older audiences may be familiar with the with the Madoff case. It surfaced at the time of the financial crisis. The screenplay device here is to have a journalist coming to prison to interview Madoff, giving Robert De Niro, playing Madoff, the opportunity to show us the character after his exposure. This also gives the opportunity for extensive flashbacks, De Niro showing himself as a businessman, his clients, his work with his unsuspecting brother, his reliance on his efficient assistant, Frank, Hank Azariah, his strict treatment of his two sons, not considering them capable having businesses of their own. The film also shows him in his relationship with his wife, Michelle Pfeiffer, and her belief in him as well as the disillusionment on learning the truth.

De Niro makes Madoff a complex character, rather cavalier in his attitude towards his clients, making money from them as well is one giving them advice. There are scenes where he is too stern on his sons. This has repercussions because one of them permits suicide while the other dies of cancer. This also has repercussions on his wife, her feeling a victim because of attitudes of the public and the media towards her, her feeling rejected by her sons who have rejected their father – and her attempt to do something to swim life with charity and meals on wheels.

In many ways, the story defies belief with the extensive criminal behaviour on the part of Madoff and the seeming lack of conscience on his part.

1. Audience knowledge of Bernie Madoff? The Global Financial Crisis? The US and financing 2008-2009? The aftermath?

2. The New York story, and holidays in Florida, Long Island? The world of finance, the New York buildings, offices, homes and apartments, prison and the courts? The musical score?

3. The situation, the personality of Bernie Madoff, his fraud, the Ponzi scheme, working alone, the explanation of his compulsion, his success, unwilling to draw back? The opening and his managing finances to protect his family and other friends? His dependence on Frank? The investments, the portfolios, the profits, the false documentation? Spending the money? People asking afterwards where the money was?

4. The two investigations, leading to Madoff, the interrogations, giving himself up? The FBI panels and their questions, of Mark and Andrew? His reliance on his brother? Keeping everyone in the dark, his sons, his wife? Not telling about the money but living a lavish lifestyle? The summer gathering in Montauk, the lavish meal, forcing his son to eat oysters, his expectations of this kind of life? Reality catching up with him, the meeting at the office with his sons, going home, telling his wife and sons the truth? The sons not understanding, having their own offices, homes and business, but cutting off their father after the discovery of the truth, giving him up?

5. Diane Henriques, New York Times reporter visiting him in prison, her voice-over, more personalised answering of questions? The information, the narrative, her questions, the audience’s questions? The issue of his being a sociopath, impassive, seemingly emotionless? His being upset with the comparison with Ted Bundy, in Bundy’s callous murders and trophies? Not seeing his own destroying of people’s lives in a parallel way?

6. Madoff, his reflections about what he had done, expressing sorrow, his pleading guilty, facing the people in the court, the long sentence? The response of the judge?

7. Madoff’s sons, his bond with them, their status, their companies, not being made partners, their father keeping secrets? The flashbacks, the interrogations in meetings, the sons and their exasperation? The Montauk party? Their being cut off from their father, the imposition of the law? Their wives, their children, family life?

8. The role of the media, the influence on the public? Public opinion? The insertion of actual television commentators? The news, the interpretation, information, the attacks? The interviews with ordinary people, the man attacking Mark and his car? The ordinary people in court, the devastation, losing their livelihoods? Madoff and his comment about people’s greed, implying that they deserved the losses? Audience response and sharing the response of the media, the people who lost their livelihoods?

9. The portrait of Mark, older son, relationship with his father, his own company, his reaction to hearing the truth, his relationship with his brother? The flashbacks, the scenes with his wife? The baby? His father’s treatment of him, at Montauk, the oysters? The aftermath, public opinion, the media hounding him, assuming that the sons knew everything, their lavish lifestyle? His reading the blogs, the condemnations? The scene with his reading in the dark? His becoming more paranoid? Refusing phone calls? His suicide note, hanging himself? The father-in-law finding him? His wife on the phone call searching for him? Taking the baby out of the apartment?

10. The contrast with Andrew, his greater ability to cope, his life, his family, cutting off his father? Cutting off his mother? His cancer, his being invited to talk to the University students, the questions and his answers? His father dead to him?

11. The portrait of Ruth, her devotion to her husband, the information about their courtship when they were teenagers, his being a lifeguard? Company, marrying? More than 50 years of marriage? Her shock, seeing that she had achieved nothing in her life, feeling abandoned, visiting her husband in prison? Not understanding people’s animosity towards her? The sons cutting her off? Going to live with her sister – despite her sister and husband’s financial ruin? The news of Mark’s death and her scream? Feeling that she could not do anything? The glimpse of her serving meals on wheels?

12. Madoff, in prison, cut-off, trying to ring his wife, her changing the number, seeing the news and criticisms on television?

13. Any audience empathy for Madoff? Ruth? The sons and their families? For the people and you the fraud?