This documentary feature takes an in-depth look at the rapid rise and dramatic fall of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Nicknamed "The Sheriff of Wall Street," when he was NY's Attorney General, Eliot Spitzer prosecuted crimes by America’s largest financial institutions and some of the most powerful executives in the country. After his election as Governor, with the largest margin in the state's history, many believed Spitzer was on his way to becoming the nation's first Jewish President. Then, shockingly, Spitzer’s meteoric rise turned into a precipitous fall when the New York Times revealed that Spitzer--the paragon of rectitude--had been caught seeing prostitutes. As his powerful enemies gloated, his supporters questioned the timing of it all: as the Sheriff fell, so did the financial markets, in a cataclysm that threatened to unravel the global economy. With unique access to the escort world as well as friends, colleagues and enemies of the ex-Governor (many of whom have come forward for the first time) the film explores the hidden contours of this tale of hubris, sex, and power.
A**S
Sex, Money, and Power "POSSIBLE SPOILERS"
I'm a fan of Alex Gibney's. I own five of his films (this, "Casino Jack...", "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room", "Taxi to the Dark Side", and "GONZO...") and I watch them all more times than I really should. He has an understanding of character and story that few people in Hollywood right now seem to have. I prefer to think of him as a nicer Michael Moore.I only saw the trailer for this one before I bought the DVD, it didn't play in any theater where I live. I watched it and was totally engrossed by it. What he's really good at is bringing the humanity out of even the most despicable characters, and there are some pretty despicable characters like Roger Stone. He's an unapologetic prick who says he "believes in the 'Gonzo' brand of politics". But he still comes across as a fascinating character. So does Eliot Spitzer. The film isn't a defense of his actions, Eliot himself doesn't defend himself and does a pretty bad job of explaining why he did what he did. He does this by avoiding questions directly related to that while being powerfully articulate on other issues such as corporate crime and the financial crisis. He does say, and I have to give him credit for this, that he "brought himself down" and he doesn't blame anybody else for it. Gibney makes a convincing argument that other forces might be at play, but it was still Spitzer's choices and combative style that did him in.The other choice Gibney made, which I found fascinating, was that he decided to take an interesting approach when dealing with Spitzers main woman at the escort agency. I don't mean Ashley Dupree, although he does spend a good amount of time talking about her and how she capitalized on what she did with Spitzer. There was another woman that he got to and the way he decided to do it was pretty original. Not wanting to reveal her face or real name, he cast an actress to "perform" her interview and the actress is so good, not to mention one of the most beautiful women I've seen in a long time, that you'd swear she was the real person. She comes across as what she is, beautiful and intelligent.This film really made me think, and that's what I like best about Gibney's films. I always walk away from them feeling like I learned something. It's a film ulitmatly about choices and responsibility, both personal and political. It also made me think of a line from C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters":"The truth is that whenever a man lies with a woman, there, whether they like it or not, a transcendental relationship is set up between them which must be eternally enjoyed or eternally endured."
D**L
... ABOUT THE OTHER PEOPLE IN OFFICE THAT HAVE DONE WORST THINGS THAN ELIOT SPITZER IN THIS COUNTRY SUCH AS ...
WHY SINGEL ELIOT SPITZER WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PEOPLE IN OFFICE THAT HAVE DONE WORST THINGS THAN ELIOT SPITZER IN THIS COUNTRY SUCH AS THE BUSH FAMILY 16 YEARS OF HELL SONS AND DAUGTHERS WHO GO OF TO WAR AND DIE FOR WHAT SO THAT THOSE SORRY ASS CAN SAID THAT THEY SERCVIE THIER COUNTRY WELL AND HAVE PARTIES OFF THE DEAD NOT ONLY THE BUSH FAMILY BUT ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT SIT IN THE SEAT OF POWER EVEN THE POPE WAR IS BIG BUSINESS WITH OUT WAR POLITICIAN AND THE POPE WILL NOT GET PAYED O; YES THE BANKING FAMILYS AS WELL THE USA ONLY START WARS IF THIER IS MINERALS THAT COUNRTY THAT THEY CAN USED O; YES ALSO POPULATION CONTROL WHICH IS A FORM OF GENOCIDE. PS THE BIG BANKING FAMILYS RUN THIS COUNTRY NOT NO PERSIDENT ALSO GREAT BRITAN. HAVE A GOOD DAY!
M**G
Everyone should see this
Excellent expose on Big Money and their association with the FBI. Spitzer was a good man doing good things he was made some mistakes but in the end they ruined him. Big money singled him out from other clients through the corrupt FBI.
R**Y
i watched this movie along time ago and always liked it.
i watched this movie along time ago and always liked it.And on Amazon you can get just about anything you want so I bought it.The Government / the IRS / the Fed Reserve / and the White House with unfair taxes STEALS Trillions of Dollars from the American People.... nobody goes to prison...Elliot Spitzer sleeps with a Hooker..... he is crucified ...WTF is wrong with this country
G**L
Five Stars
i enjoyed the video greatly. i always enjoy the the videos of Alex Gidney
P**L
Client 9: Rise and Fall of Elliott Spitzer
Great documentary on the former New York Governor who was a rising political star. Until he's private behavior became front page news and another political "sex scandal".
N**D
Another view of Roger Stone and the Pathology of Politics
Roger Stone - the guy who said "you'll never get anywhere in this town until you learn to fake sincerity", the guy who took Dan Rather down and got G.W. Bush the destroyer of America elected, appears to be delighted to get so much screen time in this expose to show us gleefully just how sick in the head you have to be to be a Republican operative. This film gives us a nice view into how and why America let Wall Street and psychopathic politicians destroy it. Would have been nice to have the opening music video in full on the extras section, it is a nicely done song, in contrast to the lame closing song.
F**N
This is a very good DVD how Elliot Spitzer was exposed by a person ...
This is a very good DVD how Elliot Spitzer was exposed by a person who wanted to get revenge for a legal matter Elliot persued
S**6
good packaging, top documentary / film throughly recommend
Quick delivery ,good packaging, top documentary / film throughly recommend
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