Truth (2015 film)

Last updated

Truth
Truth 2015 poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by James Vanderbilt
Screenplay byJames Vanderbilt
Based onTruth and Duty
by Mary Mapes
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Mandy Walker
Edited by Richard Francis-Bruce
Music by Brian Tyler
Production
companies
Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics
Release dates
  • September 12, 2015 (2015-09-12)(TIFF)
  • October 16, 2015 (2015-10-16)(United States)
Running time
125 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$9.6 million [2]
Box office$5.6 million [3]

Truth is a 2015 American biographical political drama film written and directed by James Vanderbilt in his directorial debut. It is based on American television news producer Mary Mapes's memoir Truth and Duty: The Press, the President and the Privilege of Power. The film focuses on the Killian documents controversy and the resulting last days of news anchor Dan Rather and producer Mary Mapes at CBS News. It stars Cate Blanchett as Mapes and Robert Redford as Rather.

Contents

Truth had its world premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. The film received a limited release in the United States on October 16, 2015, before being released nationwide on October 30, 2015, by Sony Pictures Classics. [4]

Plot

In the months before the US 2004 presidential election, Mary Mapes (producer of the primetime news program 60 Minutes Wednesday ) and her crew consisting of Mike Smith, Lucy Scott, and Colonel Roger Charles are seeking evidence to verify whether or not George W. Bush received any preferential treatment during his time in the military. Charles, knowing that the military "is good at what they do," believes there were no mistakes or errors, despite some claims that Bush's records were lost or altered, and that Bush had difficulty meeting minimal physical aptitude testing. Seeking leads, Mapes and her crew eventually find Bill Burkett, who says he has documents in the form of memos and letters dictating that Bush did indeed have preferential treatment and went AWOL for one year in 1972. Rather also interviews former Texan Lieutenant Governor Ben Barnes who admits he pulled strings which enabled George Bush to join the National Guard. Mapes produces a story that Dan Rather reports on 60 Minutes.

After the airing, Mapes and Rather face questions over the accuracy of the segment. The authenticity of the documents on which the allegations are based is called into question. A controversy is fueled by radio hosts and bloggers and amplified by mainstream media sources, The Washington Post, and by CBS itself. Certain characteristics of the memos, such as their font and letter spacing, indicate they were created on a computer using Microsoft Word, and therefore could not have been typed on a typewriter in the early 1970s. [5] Subsequently, Burkett, who presented the documents, admits that he lied about where he obtained them. [6]

Jerry Killian was George W. Bush's commanding officer in 1972. At the time of the CBS reporting in 2004, Killian was dead. Killian's supervisory officer Robert "Bobby" Hodges recants an earlier statement that the Killian documents were authentic. However, Hodges refuses to dwell on whether or not there is "truth" in the documents.

Dan Rather is forced to apologize for presenting the material as fact. After the scandal, Mapes, her crew, and Rather are faced with charges that Mapes's liberal political agenda played a part in airing the segment. One by one they are forced to face an internal review panel to determine if political bias was a factor. The internal investigation focus on the authenticity of the Killian documents as opposed to their content. Smith, Scott and Charles are eventually banned from their work and fired, with Smith going on a rant in the office before being escorted out. Rather decides that after the hearing he will retire from broadcasting. After two sessions facing the board, Mapes lectures her opponents:

Our story was about whether Bush fulfilled his service. But nobody wants to talk about that. They want to talk about fonts and forgeries and conspiracy theories, because that's what people do these days if they don't like a story. They point and scream, they question your politics, your objectivity - hell, your basic humanity-and they hope to God the truth gets lost in the scrum. And when it is finally over and they have kicked and shouted so loud, we can't even remember what the point was.

Nonetheless, she is fired after the hearing. Rather makes his last broadcast, citing the courage it took for his crew to get through the toughest times. Titles at the end of the film note that Mary Mapes was fired and four executives were asked to resign, and also that CBS won a Peabody Award for Mapes' earlier documentary exposing atrocities at Abu Ghraib.

Cast

Production

The film is based on Mary Mapes's 2005 memoir Truth and Duty: The Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power. It was produced by Mythology Entertainment. [7] [8] The film had been in development since 2007. [9]

In July 2014, it was announced that Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett would portray CBS News anchor Dan Rather and 60 Minutes Wednesday producer Mary Mapes, respectively. [10] In September 2014, Elisabeth Moss joined the cast as CBS associate producer Lucy Scott, and Dennis Quaid was cast as Colonel Roger Charles. [11] [12] Topher Grace and John Benjamin Hickey joined the film in October, as researcher Mike Smith, and Mark Wrolstad, Mapes's husband, respectively. [13] [14] Bruce Greenwood was cast as Andrew Heyward, president of CBS News. [15] In November, David Lyons was added to the cast as Josh Howard, 60 Minutes executive producer and Mapes's supervisor. [16] It was later reported that Stacy Keach had joined the cast of the film. [17] Mandy Walker is the cinematographer, [18] and Fiona Crombie is production designer. [19] Brian Tyler scored the film. [20]

Filming

The film's production budget was more than $9.6 million. [2] [21] Principal photography began in October 2014 in Sydney, with filming scheduled for eight weeks during the Australian spring. [22]

Release

Charles Johnson's animated GIF image comparing a memo purportedly typewritten in 1973 with a proportional-spaced document made in Microsoft Word with default settings in 2004 Killian memos MSWord animated.gif
Charles Johnson's animated GIF image comparing a memo purportedly typewritten in 1973 with a proportional-spaced document made in Microsoft Word with default settings in 2004

On May 18, 2015, it was announced that Sony Pictures Classics had acquired United States distribution rights for $6 million. [23] The film was selected to be screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2015, [24] [25] and was selected as the Opening Night film of the 23rd Hamptons International Film Festival. [26] It premiered in the UK at the BFI London Film Festival. [27] The film was released in the United States on October 16, 2015, [4] [28] with a limited opening in 6 theaters, making $66,232. It expanded wider on October 30 to 1,122 theaters, making $875,935, for a total of $1.1 million. Variety described this a "dispiriting" opening. [29] The Hollywood Reporter said that the film had disappointing opening numbers, as, like other adult dramas and awards hopefuls released in October, it suffered from a "total market saturation by films aimed at the over-30 crowd". [30] As of January 15, 2016, the film's domestic total is $2.54 million. [3] [31]

The film was described as a "bomb" at the box office, after failing to garner expected revenue. [32] [33] [34]

Reception

Critical response

Truth was well received at the Toronto International Film Festival, where The Hollywood Reporter named it the best film at the festival. [35] [36] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Truth has a 63% approval rating based on reviews from 182 critics, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The website's critical consensus states: "Truth's terrific cast and compelling message are often enough to overcome its occasionally didactic and facile dramatization of a nuanced real-life tale." [37] On Metacritic, the film has received a weighted average score of 66 out of 100 based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [38] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com praised Blanchett and Redford's performances, but said the characters act as mouthpieces for Vanderbilt's political views. [5]

Criticism

The film's plot was criticized for misrepresenting historical facts. [39] [40] [41]

Response from Dan Rather

Dan Rather praised Truth noting that, "there's so much right in the film ... I think it's the best thing that's ever been up on the big screen about how television news really works, the reporting side of it: the telephone calls, wearing out the shoe leather going to see people, developing sources." He also commended Redford's portrayal of him as Redford "did not, which I appreciated very much, try to imitate. He tried to get some essence of me as a person and as a professional." [42]

Response from CBS

In September 2015, a source close to the film said CBS president and CEO Leslie Moonves did not approve of the film, but did not ask producers for major changes. A source at CBS said it was not planning on publicly condemning the film. [43] In October, Gil Schwartz, the chief spokesman for CBS, who is depicted in the film, said "It's astounding how little truth there is in Truth. There are, in fact, too many distortions, evasions and baseless conspiracy theories to enumerate them all. The film tries to turn gross errors of journalism and judgment into acts of heroism and martyrdom." [44] Andrew Heyward, president of CBS News at the time of the incidents and depicted in the film, said he had not seen the film, but knew its story and was outraged at its portrayals, adding that "only Hollywood could come up with that." [45] CBS refused to advertise the film because of the movie's "inaccuracies and distortions" which would offend CBS News employees. Some at CBS News are "angered" with the film's implication that news executives were pressured to revoke the story by corporate owner Viacom, which "had business reasons to maintain friendly relations with the Bush administration." [46]

In a statement, the film's producers stated, "Although we understand CBS wants to put this episode behind them, it's disappointing that they seem to be so concerned about our film … The events depicted in Truth are still vigorously debated, and that's a good thing". [44] Brad Fischer, one of the producers, said that a negative response from CBS was not unexpected, but what was surprising is the "tone and the emotional nature" of the response. He said that the filmmakers were "attracted by the intersection of news, politics and business and the story's status as one of the first to be undone by an Internet outcry" and that he hopes people "talk about the issues and ask the questions themselves...I don't think it's our job as filmmakers to draw a conclusion, but rather to pose the questions." [46]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Redford</span> American actor and filmmaker (born 1936)

Charles Robert Redford Jr. is a retired American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades such as an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, as well as the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1994, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1996, the Academy Honorary Award in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2005, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and the Honorary César in 2019. He was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Rather</span> American broadcast journalist (born 1931)

Daniel Irvin Rather Jr. is an American journalist, commentator, and former national evening news anchor. He began his career in Texas, becoming a national name after his reporting saved thousands of lives during Hurricane Carla in September 1961. Rather spontaneously created the first radar weather report by overlaying a transparent map over a radar image of Hurricane Carla. In his first national broadcast, he helped initiate the successful evacuation of 350,000 people. He reported on some of the most significant events of the modern age, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War, 9/11, the Iraq War, and the war on terror.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cate Blanchett</span> Australian actor and producer (born 1969)

Catherine Elise Blanchett is an Australian actor and producer. Often regarded as one of the best performers of her generation, she is recognised for her versatile work across independent films, blockbusters and the stage. Blanchett has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, four British Academy Film Awards and four Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Tony Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topher Grace</span> American actor (born 1978)

Christopher John Grace is an American actor. He is known for portraying Eric Forman in the teen sitcoms That '70s Show and That '90s Show, Eddie Brock / Venom in Sam Raimi's film Spider-Man 3, Pete Monash in Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!, Carter Duryea in In Good Company, Edwin in Predators, Getty in Interstellar, Adrian Yates in American Ultra, and David Duke in Spike Lee's film BlacKkKlansman. His other film roles include Traffic, Mona Lisa Smile, Valentine's Day, Take Me Home Tonight, The Big Wedding, War Machine, Breakthrough, and Irresistible. He also starred as Tom Hayworth in the ABC comedy series Home Economics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George W. Bush military service controversy</span> Controversy surrounding George W. Bush during his 2004 campaign

Controversy over George W. Bush's military service in the Air National Guard was an issue that first gained widespread public attention during the 2004 presidential campaign. The controversy centered on Texas Air National Guard, why he lost his flight status, and whether he fulfilled the requirements of his military service contract.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killian documents controversy</span> Six documents containing unsubstantiated critical allegations about President George W. Bush

The Killian documents controversy involved six documents containing allegations about President George W. Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard in 1972–73, allegedly typed in 1973. Dan Rather presented four of these documents as authentic in a 60 Minutes II broadcast aired by CBS on September 8, 2004, less than two months before the 2004 presidential election, but it was later found that CBS had failed to authenticate them. Several typewriter and typography experts soon concluded that they were forgeries. Lieutenant Colonel Bill Burkett provided the documents to CBS, but he claims to have burned the originals after faxing them copies.

Mary Alice Mapes is an American journalist, former television news producer, and author. She was a principal producer for CBS News, primarily the CBS Evening News and primetime television program 60 Minutes Wednesday. She is known for the story of the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse scandal, which won a Peabody Award, and the story of Senator Strom Thurmond's unacknowledged biracial daughter, Essie Mae Washington. In 2005, she was fired from CBS for her part in the Killian documents controversy.

Power Line is an American conservative or right-leaning political blog, founded in May 2002. Its posts were originally written by three lawyers who attended Dartmouth College together, namely John H. Hinderaker, Scott W. Johnson, and Paul Mirengoff. Contributors initially wrote under pen names; John Hinderaker, for example, wrote as "Hindrocket." The site is published by Joseph Malchow, also a Dartmouth graduate.

<i>Veronica Guerin</i> (film) 2003 film by Joel Schumacher

Veronica Guerin is a 2003 biographical crime film directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Cate Blanchett in the title role. The screenplay by Carol Doyle and Mary Agnes Donoghue focuses on Irish journalist Veronica Guerin, whose investigation into the drug trade in Dublin led to her murder in 1996, at the age of 36. The film is the second to be inspired by Guerin's life, following When the Sky Falls (2000).

During the Killian documents controversy in 2004, the authenticity of the documents themselves was disputed by a variety of individuals and groups. Proof of authenticity is not possible without original documents, and since CBS used only faxed and photocopied duplicates, authentication to professional standards would be impossible regardless of the provenance of the originals. However, proving documents inauthentic does not depend on the availability of originals, and the validity of these photocopied documents has been challenged on a number of grounds, ranging from anachronisms in their typography to issues pertaining to their content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Barbara International Film Festival</span> Annual film festival held in Santa Barbara, USA

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is an eleven-day film festival held in Santa Barbara, California in February annually, since 1986. The festival screens over 200 feature films and shorts from different countries and regions. SBIFF also includes celebrity tributes, industry panels and education programs.

Muse Entertainment is a Canadian producer of films and television programs founded by Michael Prupas in 1998. The company gained press attention in 2011 for their production of the multi-Emmy winning and nominated miniseries The Kennedys in association with Asylum Entertainment.

<i>Voyage of Time</i> 2016 film by Terrence Malick

Voyage of Time is a 2016 American experimental documentary film written and directed by Terrence Malick. The film is said to be an examination of the birth and death of the known universe. Malick had been working on the film for over forty years and it has been described by Malick himself as "one of my greatest dreams".

<i>Blue Jasmine</i> 2013 film by Woody Allen

Blue Jasmine is a 2013 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. The film tells the story of a rich Manhattan socialite who falls on hard times and has to move into her working-class sister's apartment in San Francisco.

<i>Carol</i> (film) 2015 film by Todd Haynes

Carol is a 2015 historical romance film directed by Todd Haynes. The screenplay by Phyllis Nagy is based on the 1952 romance novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith. The film stars Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy, and Kyle Chandler. Set in New York City during the early 1950s, Carol tells the story of a forbidden affair between an aspiring female photographer and an older woman going through a difficult divorce.

<i>Cinderella</i> (2015 American film) Disneys live-action film

Cinderella is a 2015 romantic fantasy film directed by Kenneth Branagh from a screenplay by Chris Weitz. Co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Kinberg Genre, Allison Shearmur Productions, and Beagle Pug Films, the film is based on Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tale "Cinderella" and also serves as a live-action adaptation of Walt Disney's 1950 animated film. Starring Lily James and Cate Blanchett as the title character and the evil stepmother Lady Tremaine respectively, with Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Holliday Grainger, Sophie McShera, Derek Jacobi, and Helena Bonham Carter in supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cate Blanchett on screen and stage</span>

Australian actress Cate Blanchett has worked extensively on screen and on stage. She made her stage debut in 1992 as Electra in the National Institute of Dramatic Art production of the play of the same name, and followed in 1993 with performances in Timothy Daly's Kafka Dances, for which she won the Sydney Theatre Critics Award for Best Newcomer, and the Sydney Theatre Company stage production of Oleanna, winning Best Actress. She is the first actor to win both awards at once. She went on to perform several other roles on stage, notably Susan Traherne in Plenty (1999), Hedda Gabler in Hedda Gabler (2004), Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (2009), Yelena in Uncle Vanya (2011), and Claire in The Maids (2013).

Journalism has been depicted frequently throughout the 20th century in American pop culture media, such as motion pictures and television. For decades, movies about journalism either have criticized bad journalism or celebrated good journalism. Since the 1930s, more than 100 films have had a journalism theme or recounted journalism history. Because of the early 20th century beginnings in the newspaper industry in the United States, these films focused on the print industry. After the 1976 release of “All the President's Men,” an increased number of young people inspired by the watchdog and investigative function of newspapers entered journalism programs at colleges and universities. As television and radio news launched into prominence in the 1960s and later, more movies about broadcast journalism were produced.

<i>Borderlands</i> (film) Upcoming film by Eli Roth

Borderlands is an upcoming American science fiction action comedy film directed by Eli Roth, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Crombie, based on the video game series of the same name developed by Gearbox Software. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Bobby Lee, Florian Munteanu, Gina Gershon, and Jamie Lee Curtis.

<i>Tár</i> 2022 film by Todd Field

Tár is a 2022 psychological drama film written and directed by Todd Field. Cate Blanchett stars as Lydia Tár, a world-renowned conductor facing accusations of misconduct. The supporting cast includes Nina Hoss, Noémie Merlant, Sophie Kauer, Julian Glover, Allan Corduner, and Mark Strong. Tár premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in September 2022, where Blanchett won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. It had a limited theatrical release in the United States on October 7, 2022, before a wide release on October 28 through Focus Features.

References

  1. "Truth (15)". British Board of Film Classification . November 10, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett Ready For 'Truth' Sydney Shoot". The Hollywood Reporter . October 22, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Truth (2015)". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "'Truth', 'Room', 'The Assassin' & A Netflix Title Vie For Specialty Crowds – Preview". Deadline Hollywood . October 16, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Truth movie review, RogerEbert.com, October 16, 2015.
  6. Orr, Christopher. "Truth: A Terrible, Terrible Movie About Journalism", The Atlantic, October 23, 2015.
  7. "'Rathergate' Drives 'Truth' Film; Robert Redford To Play Dan Rather, Cate Blanchett To Play Producer Mary Mapes". Deadline Hollywood. July 9, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  8. "SPC throws 'Truth' into awards ring". Screen International . July 31, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  9. Cusumano, Katherine (October 2015). "Giorgio Armani and The Cinema Society host a screening of the Sony Pictures Classics' Truth". Interview . Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  10. "Robert Redford to Play Dan Rather in CBS Scandal Movie 'Truth'". Variety . July 9, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  11. "Elisabeth Moss joins Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett for Dan Rather scandal drama 'Truth'". HitFix . September 23, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  12. "Dennis Quaid Joins Dan Rather-George W. Bush Scandal Pic 'Truth'". Deadline Hollywood. September 30, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  13. "Topher Grace Cast In 'Truth', Dan Rather-George W. Bush Scandal Pic". Deadline Hollywood. October 2, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  14. "'Manhattan' Star John Benjamin Hickey Joins Dan Rather Scandal Movie". The Hollywood Reporter. October 2, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  15. "Bruce Greenwood Joins Dan Rather Scandal Movie". The Hollywood Reporter. October 27, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  16. "'Revolution' Alum David Lyons to Play '60 Minutes' EP in Dan Rather Movie 'Truth'". TheWrap . November 13, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  17. Todd McCarthy, "'Truth': TIFF Review", The Hollywood Reporter, September 12, 2015.
  18. "Walker on Truth, Westerns and ACS Gold Winner Tracks". American Society of Cinematographers. November 12, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  19. "Truth in Sydney". HLA Management Australia. October 28, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  20. "Composer Brian Tyler to keynote 2nd Annual Production Music Conference". Shoot . July 31, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  21. "Truth Filming in Sydney". Ausfilm. October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  22. "Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett Ready For 'Truth' Sydney Shoot". The Hollywood Reporter. October 22, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  23. "Sony Pictures Classics Finds 'Truth'; Robert Redford-Cate Blanchett Starrer Goes For $6 Million – Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  24. "Sandra Bullock's 'Our Brand Is Crisis,' Robert Redford's 'Truth' to Premiere at Toronto". Variety. August 18, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  25. Raftery, Brian (September 12, 2015). "TIFF 2015: Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett Tackle Rathergate in 'Truth'". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  26. "Robert Redford-Cate Blanchett Drama 'Truth' to Open Hamptons Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter. August 26, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  27. "Greek comedy wins top prize at BFI's London Film Festival Awards". The Guardian . October 17, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  28. Kit, Borys (July 31, 2015). "Dan Rather Scandal Movie Gets Release Date". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  29. "Box Office: 'Our Brand is Crisis,' 'Burnt,' 'Scouts Guide' All Bomb". Variety. November 1, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  30. "Box Office October Scare: Why So Many Movies Bombed". The Hollywood Reporter. November 1, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  31. Truth at Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  32. Pamela McClintock. "Box Office October Scare: Why So Many Movies Bombed". The Hollywood Reporter.
  33. Sperling, Nicole (November 6, 2015). "Shocktober: What happened to Bradley Cooper and Sandra Bullock at the box office?". Entertainment Weekly .
  34. McClintock, Pamela (November 3, 2015). "Bombed at the box office". CNN .
  35. Hammond, Pete (December 3, 2015). "Cate Blanchett on Her Embarrassment of Riches With 'Carol' & 'Truth'". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  36. "TIFF: THR Critics Rank 15 Films From Best to Worst". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media. September 16, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  37. "Truth (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  38. "Truth Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  39. ANDREW O'HEHIR (October 17, 2015). "Rathergate and the dark magic of 2004". Salon . Retrieved April 16, 2021. She doesn't want to admit that she got bamboozled by an easily detectable forgery into a dumb mistake that undermined a good muckraking story, sent Dan Rather into early retirement
  40. Harry Stein (October 9, 2015). "Festival of Gloom". City Journal . Retrieved April 16, 2021. As will be evident to anyone with even a passing familiarity with "Rathergate," the story is falsified history at its most audacious
  41. "OPINION EXCHANGE | Lies upon lies: The sad state of the movie 'Truth'". Star Tribune .
  42. Ordona, Michael (December 29, 2015). "Dan Rather is sticking to the 'Truth' of his story about George W. Bush". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  43. "Leslie Moonves and CBS Staff Heard Dismissing Robert Redford's Dan Rather Movie as "Half-Truth"". The Hollywood Reporter. September 16, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  44. 1 2 "Dan Rather vs. George W. Bush: 'Truth' comes out". Fortune . October 16, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  45. "In 'Truth,' a News Team Tells Its Side of a '60 Minutes II' Scandal". The New York Times . October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  46. 1 2 "CBS Bans Ads for Dan Rather Movie 'Truth'". The Hollywood Reporter. October 16, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.