Independent Lens - Season 8 - Eps 22: Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

2007-04-2460 min⭐ 6.833/10

Enron dives from the seventh largest US company to bankruptcy in less than a year in this tale told chronologically. The emphasis is on human drama, from suicide to 20,000 people sacked: the personalities of Ken Lay (with Falwellesque rectitude), Jeff Skilling (he of big ideas), Lou Pai (gone with $250 M), and Andy Fastow (the dark prince) dominate. Along the way, we watch Enron game California's deregulated electricity market, get a free pass from Arthur Andersen (which okays the dubious mark-to-market accounting), use greed to manipulate banks and brokerages (Merrill Lynch fires the analyst who questions Enron's rise), and hear from both Presidents Bush what great guys these are.

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About Independent Lens

Independent Lens

Title: Independent Lens

First Air Date: 1999-08-09

Last Air Date: 2024-11-11

Status: Returning Series

Rating: 6.833/10 (from 12 votes)

Language: EN

Seasons: 26

Total Episodes: 510

Network: PBS

Genres: Documentary

Production Companies: ITVS

Synopsis

This acclaimed Emmy Award-winning anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of fiction films united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions of their independent producers and featuring unforgettable stories about a unique individual, community or moment in history.

Cast

Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci

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