WUSA (1970)

Director:

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

Robert Stone (novel)
Robert Stone (screenplay)

Release Date:

12 March 1971 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Love it or leave it

Plot:

A radio station in the Deep South becomes the focal point of a right-wing conspiracy.

Plot Keywords:

Radio Station | Drifter | Assassination Attempt | New Orleans Louisiana | Social Worker

Cast

Paul Newman	...	Rheinhardt
Joanne Woodward	...	Geraldine
Anthony Perkins	...	Rainey
Laurence Harvey	...	Farley
Pat Hingle	...	Bingamon
Cloris Leachman	...	Philomene
Michael Anderson Jr.	...	Marvin
Jesse Vint	...	Young Doctor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kristin Andersen	...	Playboy Bunny
Susan Batson	...	Teenaged Girl
Hal Baylor	...	Shorty
Lucille Benson	...	Matron
Jim Boles	...	Hot Dog Vendor
Bruce Cabot	...	King Wolyoe
Jerry Catron	...	Sidewinder Bates
Zara Cully	...	White-Haired Woman
Geoffrey Edwards	...	Irving
Leigh French	...	Girl
Don Gordon	...	Bogdanovich
Moses Gunn	...	Clotho
Paul Hampton	...	Rusty Fargo
David Huddleston	...	Heavy Man
Clifton James	...	Speed
Diane Ladd	...	Barmaid at Railroad Station
B.J. Mason	...	Roosevelt Berry
Robert Quarry	...	Noonan
Wayne Rogers	...	Calvin Minter
Laird Stuart	...	Bobby
Geraldine West	...	Matron
Gwen Wong
Skip Young	...	Jimmy Snipe

Also Known As:

Hall of Mirrors (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:AA | Sweden:15 | USA:GP

Filming Locations:

Louisiana, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The famed Preservation Hall Jazz Band of New Orleans appears in the film. Preservation Hall on St. Peter Street has been a venue for New Orleans jazz since 1961.

Quotes:

Rheinhardt: Americans - remember no matter what anyone says... we're OK! Only in America can a people say, "We're OK!" Now I want you to say that with me. "We're OK!" Say it with me. "We're OK!" Don't whisper it! Say it loud! "We're OK!" I want to feel it! "We're OK!"
[with comic irony]
Rheinhardt: Terrific!

Soundtrack:

Glory Road

A Real Yawner

A drifter comes to Louisiana and gets a job as a DJ at a ultra conservative radio station. Despite being a professed liberal Newman decides to just go along with it's right wing rhetoric because he has grown apathetic with things and now just wants to 'blend in'.

The idea has a lot of potential, but is never able to take off. Part of the problem is that instead of trying to play it like satire (ala NETWORK) it instead works it with almost pinpoint seriousness. The film seems intent of saturating the viewer with it's gloom and doom message. It becomes such a long and winding stream of social complexities that the viewer, as with the main character, just grows apathetic with it all. It's 'powerful' statements are simply redundant. It is just too engulfed with the politics of it's day to give anything that is broadly insightful.

It is easy to see why this is probably Newman's most forgettable film. There is just nothing unique or even slightly diverting about it. It meanders badly and there is absolutely no action. The 'exciting' mob scene at the end looks staged and unconvincing.

The film looks to have leanings of a character study, but even they are weak. Newman's angry loner role is simply a less intense version of his HUD character. Woodward as the prostitute with a 'heart of gold' is cliched and dull. Perkins is the only one that comes off as interesting, but it's not enough to save it.

This is truly a limp and lifeless picture. It would be amazing if there was ANYONE who would like it.