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Barbarians at the Gate

Barbarians at the Gate

Comedy · Drama · TV Movie · 1993

F. Ross Johnson decides to buyout his own tobacco firm RJR Nabisco after the plans of the launch of his new product, a smokeless cigarette Premier, fail on account of market rumours.

Movie details

Barbarians at the Gate

1993 Comedy · Drama · TV Movie 1h 47m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

F. Ross Johnson decides to buyout his own tobacco firm RJR Nabisco after the plans of the launch of his new product, a smokeless cigarette Premier, fail on account of market rumours.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Barbarians at the Gate?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Glenn Jordan

Written by

Larry Gelbart

James Garner

James Garner

F. Ross Johnson

Jonathan Pryce

Jonathan Pryce

Henry Kravis

Peter Riegert

Peter Riegert

Peter Cohen

Joanna Cassidy

Joanna Cassidy

Linda Robinson

Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson

Jim Robinson

Leilani Sarelle

Leilani Sarelle

Laurie Johnson

Matt Clark

Matt Clark

Edward A. Horrigan Jr.

Court is in session

Put Barbarians at the Gate on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.